Colors of the 23rd Marine Regiment Flying over the Golden Gate
WINE COUNTRY MARINES:
WHO WE ARE
To Marines, those words "Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)" and "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" are more than mottos. They are immortal ideals that guide your life.The Wine Country Marines is part of a huge extended family that finds unity in a common experience and the character and purpose molded by that experience.
OUR MISSION
We are a patriotic organization of Marines and friends of the Corps dedicated to perpetuating both the ethos and esprit de corps of the U.S. Marine Corps, and to carry on charitable and educational activities associated with this goal as allowed by law. Located north of the Golden Gate within the California Wine Country, we have proudly sponsored the annual "Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball" in the town of Sonoma during the month of November since 1985.
DISCLAIMER
The Wine Country Marines (and this Web site) are not endorsed by, nor do we attempt to reflect the official opinions or positions of Headquarters Marine Corps. This Web site is an ongoing labor of love by a few good men and women for the sole purpose of perpetuating the ethos and espirit de corps of the U.S. Marine Corps. Since the original source for some of the content posted on this Web site is either unknown or not verified, any inappropriate usage of copyrighted material is purely happenstance and not intentional. Upon request, we will either properly acknowledge the original source or totally remove any copyrighted material.
HISTORY
Under the guidance and leadership of Colonel Warren Jaycox, USMCR (Retired), several high profile Marine Corps veterans and their spouses living in the Sonoma Valley of California founded the Association of Sonoma Marines in 1984. One of the co-founders was the late Bruno Benziger, the patriarch of the Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen who was a proud Marine and a veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima. In November 1985, the organization sponsored the first Marine Corps Birthday Ball to be held in the town of Sonoma. Since then, it has been an annual event that has gradually grown in both size and sophistication every year. In 2005, it was renamed the "Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball" to differentiate the event from the Birthday Ball held at the Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel in San Francisco. In 2006, the name of the sponsoring organization was also changed to the "Wine Country Marines." On June 21, 2006, the Wine Country Marines officially became a 501 C (3) California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation.
ORGANIZATION & SUPPORT
A board of directors of thirteen people oversees the on-going activities of the Wine Country Marines. The annual board meeting takes place on the same day as the Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball.
Colonel Brendan Kearney, USMC (Retired)
PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
The current President & Chairman of the Board of the Wine Country Marines is Colonel Brendan Kearney, USMC (Retired). A brief biography of his distinguished career appears below.
Colonel Brendan Kearney, USMC (Ret.) is a San Francisco native. He graduated from both St. Ignatius High School and the University of San Francisco. He has a Masters Degree in National Security Strategy. During is 31 years of active military service as an Marine Infantry Officer, he served in a variety of command and staff positions, including his heroic performance as operations officer for the 4th Marine Regiment as part of Task Force Grizzly, planning and executing the infiltration of his regiment behind Iraqi lines at the start of the Ground War in Desert Storm in 1991. Subsequently, he commanded 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and then, as a Colonel he commanded the 4th Marine Regiment. His last active duty assignment was as the Chief of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe, in Stuttgart, Germany.
Today, as a civilian, he is the International/Military affairs analyst with San Francisco's CBS affiliate KPIX. He is also the Director of Operations for the US Navy at AtHoc, a company specializing in Network-Centric Emergency Notification. Colonel Kearney also maintains a private consulting practice specializing in leadership and strategic challenge. He is also on the Board of Directors with three non-profit, California-based organizations, to include the Wine Country Marines. He lives with his wife Katie in Santa Rosa, California.
Brendan Kearney as a Major (far right side) during Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait - February 1991 (Photo by Colonel Jim Fulks, USMC)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The current members of the Board of Directors are:
Mr. William Buchanan, Former Captain of Marines Mr. Frank Espina, Former Sergeant of Marines Major Tom Hayhurst, USMCR (Ret.) Colonel Warren Jaycox, USMCR (Ret.) Colonel Brendan Kearney, USMC (Ret.) - President & Chairman of the Board Mr. Robert Leonard, Former Captain of Marines Mr. Chris L'Orange, Former Captain of Marines Mrs. William (Pamela) Oakes Colonel William Peacock, USMCR (Ret.) Mr. John Schubert, Former Sergeant of Marines Mr. Fred Unsworth, Former Sergeant of Marines - President Emeritus Sergeant Major Ray White, USA/NG (Ret.) Major Robert Zwiener, USMC (Ret.)
See photo below:
Photo taken of the Board of Directors by Chris Berggren at the 2009 Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball (Click to enlarge image)
They are greatly assisted by the generosity of others:
- We hold our annual Birthday Ball at the beautiful Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma via the wonderful generousity of the owners: Fred and Nancy Cline.
- The Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Santa Rosa provides active duty Marines for the "Color Guard."
- We are proud to cut our birthday cake with the Mameluke officer sword of the late Brigadier General William Walter Buchanan, USMC. Made possible by the generosity of his son William Lee Buchanan, former Captain of Marines.
- The Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen donates the wine. Coordination is provided by Colonel Harry Pratt, USMC (Retired).
- Chris Berggren and Custom Image Photographic Services in Sonoma provides the event photos.
- Bill Lynch and the "Sonoma Index-Tribune" provides the event publicity.
- Lisa Thornton Design in Petaluma designs our Birthday Ball Invitations and Programs.
- Minuteman Press in Petaluma prints our Birthday Ball Invitations and Programs.
- The Sonoma Valley Bank provides the postage for our Birthday Ball invitations.
- Major General Mike Myatt, USMC (Retired) and the Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel in San Francisco donates the charity fundraiser grand door prize at the event: a gift certificate for a two-night stay at the Marines' Memorial Hotel.
- Attorney Michael A. Futterman and his legal firm Futterman Dupree Dodd Croley Maier LLP in San Francisco has greatly helped the Wine Country Marines to become a 501 C non-profit organization. Coordination was provided by Colonel Bill Peacock, USMCR (Retired).
- Certified Public Accountant Frank Espina and his CPA firm Shea, Labagh, Dobberstein, Inc. in San Mateo has also greatly helped the Wine Country Marines to become a 501 C non-profit organization.
A 501 C (3) CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION
The Wine Country Marines is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation recognized under Internal Revenue Code: Section 501 C (3). Contributions to the Wine Country Marines are recognized under section 170 of the code and are tax deductible within the United States of America. Our Federal Tax number is: 38-3737505.
As a charitable organization, we are primarily dedicated to supporting the following three worthy non-profit causes related to the U.S. Marine Corps:
1) We help provide much needed financial assistance to the families of Marines (and other service members attached to Marine units), who have been wounded or injured in combat and training. We do this via the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund which provides grants to help defray the expenses incurred during hospitalization, rehabilitation and recovery.
2) We help eligible boys and girls (ages 14-17) attend the youth-citizen development program Devil Pups, Inc.
3) We support the Toys For Tots Foundation (the official charity of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve) which collects toys for kids who are in need during the Christmas holiday season.
For more detailed information regarding the above three Marine Corps related non-profit organizations, please see the "Our Charities" page on this Web site. Also, the Official Web site links for these charities are located on the "Links of Interest" page on this Web site.
OTHER EVENTS
From time to time, the Wine Country Marines gets involved in other local activities of interest to Marine Corps veterans. For more information regarding these events, please see the "Other Event Photos" page on this Web site at: http://www.winecountrymarines.org/winecountrymarines/othereventphotos.html
MEMBERSHIP & CONTACT INFORMATION
All Marines (Retired, Active Duty, Reserve or Honorably Discharged) regardless of rank who are living within or frequently visit the California Wine Country located north of the Golden Gate are considered members of the Wine Country Marines. If you served with the Marines as a Navy Corpsman, Medical Officer or Chaplain, you are also considered a member. There are no meetings and no membership fees. Your initiation into our "Band of Brothers" has already taken place at places like: Parris Island, San Diego or Quantico. However, if you want to be added to our mailing list or desire to become a working member of the "Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball Planning Committee," please mail your request to: Wine Country Marines, P.O. Box 501, Vineburg, CA 95487. Or email your request to: robertkleonard@comcast.net
U.S. MARINE CORPS COORDINATING COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Wine Country Marines is an active member of the U.S. Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Northern California which meets each month at the Marines' Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco. The Coordinating Council has the mission to: 1) Enhance the image of the U.S. Marine Corps; 2) Raise public awareness of the U.S. Marine Corps; 3) Provide support for USMC and USMCR units in Northern California; and 4) Act as a local focal point for information, dissemination and activity coordination between many Marine Corps related organizations, to include:
- Marine Forces Reserve - U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting - Marine For Life Program - Marines' Memorial Association in San Francisco - Marine Corps League - The Military Order of Devil Dogs - Toys For Tots Foundation - Devil Pups, Inc. - Young Marines - First Marine Division Association - Second Marine Division Association - Third Marine Division Association - Fourth Marine Division Association - Fifth Marine Division Association - Marine Corps Aviation Association - Wine Country Marines - USMC Law Enforcement Association - FMF Corpsman Association - Marine Drill Instructors Association - Chosin Few Association - Woman Marines Association - Marine Corps Mustang Association - China Marines Association - U. S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association - Disabled American Veterans - California Department of Veterans Affairs
