North Myrtle Beach to dedicate week to nonprofit group cause; Duplin winery holding event

North Myrtle Beach city officials are dedicating a mid-October week to supporting the nonprofit organization Team First Book-Horry County and encourage residents to help the group as they strive to provide books and educational resources to underprivileged children.

City officials said they realize how important it is for children to gain sharp literacy skills and want to help First Book in continuing to provide a steady diet of books and educational resources to children in need.

As part of the city’s initiative, Duplin Winery at 4650 U.S. 17 S. in North Myrtle Beach is teaming up with Team First Book-Horry County to host a wine tasting event Oct. 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. to raise funds for purchasing new books, according to a press release.

A $30 admission allows participants to enjoy wine offerings at the new winery, sample a variety of hors d’oeuvres and jive to live music. There will also be a silent auction with packages to bid on containing dinners, golf and more, according to the release.

The Duplin Winery, which opened its North Myrtle Beach location in June, is also teaming up with Alligator Adventure to host its first Grape Stomp event at the North Myrtle Beach location Sept. 19 from 5 to 9 p.m., which will have live entertainment, gator feedings, wine tastings and grape stomping contests, according to an announcement on the wine company’s website.

Team First Book-Horry County provides new books and educational resources to children from low-income families who don’t have their own home libraries through supporting existing community-based mentoring, tutoring and family literacy programs.

The organization also recently announced it is accepting grant applications from now until Nov. 6, and those eligible for grants would be awarded funding for educational resources.

Classrooms and programs awarded funding can then purchase books and educational resources on the First Book Marketplace, which sells more than 5,000 titles at 50 percent to 90 percent off the retail price, officials said.

Team First Book-Horry County is part of a national nonprofit, and the local chapter has distributed more than 65,000 new books to children in the Grand Strand area since 1998, according to a release.

For more on the organization and how to apply for grants, visit http://www.firstbook.org.

Tickets to the Duplin Winery tasting event can be purchased at the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce at 521 U.S.17 S, North Myrtle Beach, or by calling 843-281-2662.

For more information about the Duplin Winery, visit https://www.duplinwinery.com or call 1-800-774-9634.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 12:12 PM with the headline "North Myrtle Beach to dedicate week to nonprofit group cause; Duplin winery holding event."