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Vinita’s sweetest event, the annual Home of Hope fundraiser is a dessert lover’s dream, featuring tasty samples from a sumptuous array of chocolate delights and sweet treats.
What could be better than spending an evening indulging in decadent chocolate desserts? Doing so while raising funds for a worthwhile cause.
Chocoholics and dessert lovers can do both at the annual Chocolate Affair, held on a Wednesday evening around the first of March.
Hosted by the Home of Hope, Vinita’s sweetest event features a sumptuous array of chocolate delights and sweet treats prepared by the finest restaurants, caterers, specialty shops, and wineries in Vinita and the Grand Lake area.
The Chocolate Affair was held at the Craig County Community Center for many years. In 2021, the mask-wearing, social-distancing age of pandemic forced the Home of Hope to find a “sweet” way to hold its annual fundraiser by transforming it into a drive-through event.
While organizers hope to return the Chocolate Affair to its original format eventually, the drive-through event has proven to be very popular with attendees.
Vendors provided attendees with delicious chocolate samples and other tasty treats in past years. The delectable sweets, chocolate delights, and other food items for the drive-through event are assembled in a pre-packaged treat bag and given to ticket holders to take with them.
Other highlights of the Chocolate Affair include a silent auction, which has been held online since the event became a drive-through, a fun theme such as safari or Willy Wonka, and special surprises like a visit from Willy Wonka and even a free double-feature movie screening one year.
Tasty Fundraiser
The Chocolate Affair is a fundraiser for Home of Hope, a non-profit, community-based organization that provides residential, vocational, and quality-of-life programs to persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities across northeast Oklahoma.
The event was started in 2008 to support the Home of Hope programs and operations.
“Contributions to the Chocolate Affair helps Home of Hope achieve our mission of promoting choices, independence and a meaningful way of life to the individuals we serve,” said Home of Hope CEO Dr. Ralph Richardson. “As state and federal funding sources continue to be reduced, the cost of and need for our services continues to increase. This makes events such as the Chocolate Affair vital to our services. We are very appreciative of the vendors and guests who make this event possible.”
Established in 1968, Home of Hope Inc. has operations in Vinita, Jay, Miami, Claremore, Grove, and Pryor. In addition to serving more than 270 men and women with developmental and other disabilities, Home of Hope employs more than 600 staff members.
The drive-through Chocolate Affair event is held at the Home of Home Administrative Building at 226 W. Dwain Willis Ave.
Tickets for the event are available online or at several locations in Vinita: Clanton’s Cafe, Lucille’s Flowers & Gifts, the Vinita Daily Journal, Centsible Spending, and the Home of Hope Administrative Building.
For more information on the events, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, contact Shelby Stewart, Home of Hope marketing and development coordinator, at (918) 256-7825 ext. 168 or email shelby.stewart@homeofhope.com.
