BONNERS FERRY — Thirty-nine people turned out to sip wine and beer at local establishments around town on July 11, for the Rotary Grapes & Barley Walk, with the proceeds going to the Rotary Club of Bonners Ferry.

The walk began at The Pearl Theater, then visited the Kootenai River Brewing Company, Under The Sun, Mi Pueblo, Heart Rock Wines, Kootenai River Inn, and a booth put on by Generations Restaurant. The participants were put into small groups so as to not overwhelm the establishments they were visiting, and optimizing the experience.

Although the number of participants was less than previous years, the people involved still enjoyed a fun evening tasting wines and enjoying the snacks provided by the businesses. For the businesses, it gave them a chance to see new people come through their doors.

“Any and all foot traffic through our business and neighboring businesses is wonderful,” said Heart Rock Wines owner, Lillian Lonborg.

For Rotary, the proceeds help them to fund the many scholarships that they provide to community members each year.

“We typically give out $15,000 worth of scholarships every year,” said Rotary Grapes & Barley Walk organizer, Linda Lederhos. “This year we won’t make much on it, just because the number of people is a little lower, but any profits will go into that scholarship fund.”

The combination of welcoming businesses, happy wine tasters, food, and beverages, made for a fun evening for all involved.

“My favorite part of the evening is meeting new people and hugging old friends,” said Lonborg, who was participating in this event with her business for the fifth year. “We will always participate in this event.”

“It is another outstanding small town event,” said Pat Holt, visiting from Sandpoint for the walk. “That is what makes America great.”