All these wine events going on, many times we forget that a lot of them are put together for other reasons than providing a way for participants to enjoy a glass of merlot or chardonnay. Many of these events raise money for a worthy cause. FoodTV recently teamed up with Food & Wine Magazine to raise money for Florida International University via the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The result was a whooper of a check for the college:

One month after announcing the 2007 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival raised over $1.4 million for Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, festival Founder and Director Lee Brian Schrager presented a check in the amount of $1,508,435 to the School's Dean, Joseph J. West.

"All proceeds from the Festival benefit the students, the educational programs and the facilities at our School including the Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center," stated Dean Joseph J. West at a reception held on Wednesday, May 23 at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus which houses the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

According to Dean Joseph J. West, the majority of the funds raised will continue to be allocated to a construction project fund for the expansion of the School's existing dining room into a full service Teaching Restaurant. Other revenue from the Festival is invested in the maintenance and support of the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, a 4,500 square-foot facility that features the latest technology for beverage tasting and analysis. Additional funds are awarded as scholarships to the students of the School who demonstrate exceptional performance while volunteering in all facets of the Festival.