North by Northwest: Chocolate, Wine & A Good Cause
The Garden Room
photography courtesy of The Jackson L. Graves Foundation
February will always be a memorable month for Angie and James Graves. On Feb. 19, 2005, their firstborn son Jackson died at 4 months old, after significant health challenges. This year on Feb. 16, they’re raising awareness for the importance of neonatal care through the Jackson L. Graves Foundation with a chocolate and wine-pairing event.
“People who haven’t been directly exposed to neonatal intensive care can’t appreciate how your life stops,” Angie Graves said. “We were two young professionals, and our entire universe stopped — we didn’t know what holiday it was or care about anything else going on. It’s hard to convey the true need unless you’ve got someone like us who has seen it.”
Drawing on their experience, the Graves established the nonprofit organization, Jackson L. Graves Foundation, with a mission to “provide family-centered care in the NICU environment to make trying times as comfortable, complete, hopeful and peaceful as possible.” One way they raise awareness is through fundraisers: Red, White and Baby Blue in the summer, and Ooh La La! Chocolate and Wine Pairing Event in February.
“For the chocolate and wine event, we’re appealing to a different group of people than that of Red, White and Baby Blue. This event is not about us, but about the event and the experience and making sure they get a great tasting and expert guidance. We want them to have a good night out, but know they’re helping a good cause,” Graves said.
Held in The Garden Room on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, the event is limited to 80 people, which gives it the intimate and personal feel the planners were looking for.
“It’s pretty laidback because of the space; The Garden Room is so casual,” said Mitzi Traxson, managing director of the foundation. “It’s really a comfortable atmosphere to learn about wine and food pairings.”
The champagne reception starts at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 and includes an appetizer and main course prepared by Chef Miles James, of James at the Mill, with a secret ingredient in each recipe — chocolate.
Then it’s dessert, arguably the real main course. Chef Vince Pianalto shares three of his chocolate creations all expertly paired with wine by Jason Willems of Glazers. While the guests enjoy the savory dishes, Chef Miles, Jason and Chef Vince share commentary on the background of the wine and why it pairs well with the food.
“What is appealing about this event is you can go year after year and you’re going to get a different experience because the food changes, so the wine pairings change,” Graves said. “You will walk away finding something new or a wine you’ve never heard of.” But ultimately it’s about more than finding a new wine, but a new cause to support.
Jackson Graves, born Oct. 12, 2004, spent all four months of his life in a neonatal intensive care unit. Born eight weeks premature, he entered the world with an abdominal wall birth defect. Caused by his prematurity, he also developed breathing difficulties and persistent pulmonary hypertension. After the first of many surgeries, it was determined Jackson had Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), a condition where a temporary blood vessel used in the womb fails to close after birth.
Though he was a fighter and had multiple miraculous recoveries during his time at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Jackson passed away after his sixth surgery following his development of abdominal compartment syndrome in February 2005.
Jackson’s inspirational life motivated his parents to do what they could to improve care for children who have extended stays in intensive care, and to improve the experience for the families of those children.
“What we do is twofold. We work with hospitals to make sure they can provide the very best care for babies — everything to improve the outcomes to get those babies a better experience and a better chance to survive,” Graves said. “The other part is supporting the families going through it — regardless of the outcome. We’ve been there, so we know how stressful that is, and we know what the needs are.”
The foundation funds numerous projects including work with Washington Regional Medical Center, Willow Creek Women’s Hospital and most recently partnering with the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Through the Jackson L. Graves Foundation support, the facilities provide special equipment needed for long-term NICU patients; fund research and specialized training for nursing care; and create a resource library for families at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
They are also helping to fund a longer-term project for the dedication of space and staffing for a “Transitional Care Unit,” or at least an area of private patient rooms for long-term, critically-ill infants in the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital, which includes creating a Family Centered Care Program involving graduate parents, local churches as partners, and special events.
“A little bit can often go a really long way. We’re not striving for a million-dollar building or $35,000 giraffe beds,” Graves said. “What we focus on are the little things that fall through the cracks or aren’t seen as necessary, but can make a tremendous difference in that family.”
Tickets for the event are $85/person and can be purchased at jacksongraves.org.
