More than 500 wines, spirits, and beers to sample, gourmet bites, music, entertainment—and all for an amazing cause. That’s what the 19th Annual Super Sampling on Saturday, October 24 is bringing to the table at Bell Works in Holmdel.
The event is benefitting the Sarala Bathena Foundation and its Patient Assistance Fund, in partnership with Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center, to provide financial assistance to oncology patients and their families.
2.2 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States alone. In addition to the emotional toll, the fight against cancer comes with a litany of financial pressures. The Sarala Bathena Foundation is clear: no family should face that alone.
Sarala Bathena was diagnosed with late-stage renal carcinoma in the summer of 2003. She tragically passed away in 2006, two days shy of her 46th birthday. Fundraising efforts in her honor began the following year, in 2007, and the Sarala Bathena Foundation officially became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2014. For 19 years, this can’t-miss event has aimed to fill in the gaps where support is needed in the fight against cancer. The ultimate mission is to spread the values that Sarala held dearly: generosity, compassion, and caring for others.
The foundation’s reach extends well beyond oncology support. Funds raised through the Super Sampling also give back to local communities throughout New Jersey, and new this year is the launch of the Sarala Bathena Foundation India Chapter, expanding the mission to support education and underprivileged children in India, a cause close to the Bathena family’s own roots.
The Bathena family—who owns Buy Rite Liquors, with 50+ locations across New Jersey—uses its relationships in the beverage industry to bring more bottles, more samples, and more tastings to the event every year. Customers, suppliers, distributors, and friends forged over decades in the business now support the foundation directly.
Through these relationships, the Super Sampling has grown into a must-stop event for anyone who fancies themselves a liquor, beer, or wine connoisseur, or anyone who just wants to support a great cause.
Event Details
The 19th Annual Super Sampling takes place Saturday, October 24, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel.
Standard general admission tickets run $195, while VIP tickets (including early access at 6 p.m.) run $250. You can buy tickets and make direct donations to the cause here.
For businesses and brands interested in sponsoring the event, the Sarala Bathena Foundation offers multiple packages, which include everything from VIP tickets, prominent logo placement throughout the event, and more. Sponsorship packages can be purchased here.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
