‘Wine Auction’ Proves It Still Has Legs

In the early 2000s, Hartwick was feeling the increasing pressures of collegiate athletics. As major conferences gained strength, the cost of scholarships and facility upgrades climbed, leaving independent schools like Hartwick searching for solutions.

Then an idea came from an unlikely source — and came to life from an even less likely team.

Calvin “Cal” Chase ’71, a local banking executive and Hawks soccer “super-fan,” suggested they hold a fundraiser to help fill the gaps. He envisioned an event where campus and community members would work together to solicit a variety of auction items to benefit the College’s teams.

Chase approached Duncan MacDonald, ’78, P’13, P’15, a member of Hartwick’s 1977 national men’s soccer championship team. A Hartwick advancement team member at that point, MacDonald and then-Head Coach Ian McIntyre ’96 quickly signed on. Yet, to gain the momentum it needed, the trio knew community support would be crucial.

They also knew their starting point lay at the base of Oyaron Hill.

It was the Italian Kitchen and Stella Luna Ristorante, run for decades by the Avanzatos — a proud, hard-working Sicilian family. Over the years, the pizzeria had become a prime hang out for hundreds of students, but the soccer team embraced it especially.

“The players became like family,” said Vincenzo Avanzato, who at one time hoped to attend Hartwick and play on the team too, were it not for the restaurant’s needs. “Many of them came to Oneonta from far away…England, Italy, New Jersey…so we sort of became their family away from home.”

The Avanzatos knew the impact the College had on the economy, so when they were asked to host the event, they didn’t hesitate.

“We got all the locals involved — businessmen, construction guys — and gave the proceeds back to the school,” added younger brother Antonio (Tony).

The event became known as the Wine Auction, after the commonly donated item. It evolved over the next 14 years as organizers secured bigger-ticket auction items and experiences, from celebrity memorabilia to vacation packages.

“We raised around $450,000 in all for the college,” Vincenzo estimated. “They had a slogan — ‘Reignite the Wick!’ — and we’d get donations from as far away as New Zealand!”

Cal was especially generous, the brothers emphasized, continuing to lead the auction throughout his retirement. However, when he passed away in 2017, the event lost momentum. Soon after, the pandemic halted it completely, signalizing the end of an era.

Fast forward to Summer 2024. As new Executive Director of Athletics Paul Vecchio was getting acquainted with the campus and its history, current men’s soccer coach John Scott and Tony Avanzato, now Hartwick’s sports archivist, suggested bringing the event
back.