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Fuentes, Newmans Raise Money for Dominican Charity

Posted: Monday, November 30, 2009

By Gregory Mottola

Eric Newman, president of J.C. Newman Cigar Co., third from left, and Carlos Fuente Jr., far right, in the Dominican Republic.
The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit organization underwritten by the Fuente and Newman cigar families, are in the midst of their annual Toast Across America campaign.

The Toast is basically a series of fundraising events orchestrated by cigar retailers around the United States to help generate funds for the Foundation.

The event can vary from a lavish gala dinner to a wine tasting, to a simple in-store cigar event. Retailers are asked by the Foundation to charge a minimum of $50 per ticket, although prices can be much higher depending on the caliber of the event.

This year, participants of the Toast Across America will be receiving a box of two rare, commercially unavailable cigars as a token of appreciation�a Fuente Fuente OpusX, and a Diamond Crown Maximus. Both are torpedoes measuring 6 inches by 56 ring and wear a secondary band distinguishing them as belonging to the charity.

The first event kicked off on September 15 in Wichita, Kansas, and will be continuing until mid December. So far, the organization has raised $240,000 and expects to bring in over a quarter of a million dollars by year's end.

"Despite the economy, we had an overwhelming response from our retailers and valued Cigar Family members for this year's Toast," said Eric Newman, president of J.C. Newman Cigar Co. "It was amazing to see how many of them truly want to give back and support the children and families of the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation."

The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission statement is to provide a significant humanitarian impact to communities in the Dominican Republic, resulting in a better quality of life for those who lack education, health care, nutrition or sustainable employment. One of the organization's key achievements is the Cigar Family School, located near Chateau de la Fuente in the Dominican Republic.

To donate, or for more information on the charity, visit www.cf-cf.org.