V. Sattui Picnic Packs – Filled with Picnic Essentials and a Bright Future for Young Adults

If you’ve picnicked on our property most likely you’ve seen, and maybe even purchased, one of our Picnic Packs.  On the surface these Picnic Packs look like a useful convenience, especially for impromptu picnics.  But they’re so much more than that.

The people who put these Picnic Packs together for us are 18-22 year-old young adults with developmental disabilities.  They are part of the Napa Valley Unified School District’s Transitions Program.  They are amazing young people with varying disabilities who have graduated from High School, and are now learning life and job skills as they transition to a more independent chapter in their lives. This is a business partnership that was established 30 years ago, and it’s one we are very proud of.

“We love seeing these kids come here each year and experience their enthusiasm and spirit,” says Tom Davies, President of V. Sattui Winery.  “They really light up when they see the picnic packs being used here at the winery.  The folks with the program say we do a lot of good for the students, but they do just as much good for us.”

“The students earn a paycheck for putting together the Picnic Packs,” says instructor Melodie Roche.  “Our program helps these kids learn to budget money and manage finances.  As they put the packs together, they are also learning to work as part of team and how to communicate with each other.”

Recently the class came to visit the winery, as they do each year, and we treat them to a picnic lunch and some winery souvenirs.  They learn more about V. Sattui and are able to see for themselves how the Picnic Packs are displayed and used by customers.  When V. Sattui President Tom Davies told them the Picnic Packs are so valuable to us they are “priceless”- the group cheered with glee and accomplishment.  Students say they really enjoy putting the packs together and listen to really good music as they do it.

So the next time you pick up a Picnic Pack in our deli, we just wanted you to know it’s packed with so much more than just picnic essentials.