Inside DCWAF’s Most Empowering Galentine’s Day
Words by Ashley Locke
Photos provided by DCWAF
There are Galentine’s parties that center on pink cocktails and clever décor, and then there are the ones that change lives. In Northwest Florida, the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s annual Galentine’s Day fundraiser belongs firmly in the latter category.
Now in its fifth year, the sold-out gathering is less about a single afternoon and more about what happens because of it: young girls supported, confidence nurtured, futures widened. Hosted each February in Destin, Galentine’s brings together influential women from across the region to raise money for programs designed to empower girls through DCWAF’s network of partner children’s charities. Every detail—from production to partnerships—is female owned and operated. It’s intentional. And it shows.
At the center of it all is Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), a foundation long known for its outsized impact on children’s charities across the Emerald Coast. Galentine’s is one of its most personal expressions of that mission: women showing up for women, so girls can grow up knowing someone has their back.
The event’s growth tells a powerful story. When Galentine’s launched in 2022, the goal was to raise $30,000. That first year, the community rallied and more than doubled it, bringing in over $64,000. Since then, momentum has only continued, fueled by a shared belief that when women pool their influence, resources, and time, the ripple effect reaches far beyond a single room.
A key force behind the event is Candis Wilson, a DCWAF Trustee who has hosted Galentine’s since its beginning. Opening her home year after year, Wilson helps set the tone for what the afternoon is meant to be: celebratory, but grounded in purpose.
The cards may be dealt and the queens may be crowned, but the real win is the impact that follows.
That impact is tangible. Funds raised through Galentine’s directly support programs serving girls across Northwest Florida—initiatives that meet real needs at pivotal moments. From Children’s Home Society of Florida’s education and mentoring programs focused on self-care and self-esteem, to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast’s SMART Girls program, which pairs health and prevention education with mentorship from adult women. From Caring & Sharing of South Walton’s efforts to provide hygiene products and education to girls without access, to Westonwood Ranch’s pilot program Spelling to Communicate providing a sense of autonomy to nonverbal girls with developmental differences. Each organization addresses a different chapter of girlhood, but together they form a safety net woven by women who care deeply about what comes next.
The room itself reflects that commitment. Attendees arrive not just to be seen, but to contribute, listen, connect, and invest in something bigger than themselves. Over the years, speakers and supporters have included women whose own work aligns with Galentine’s mission. Good Grit’s own Laura Quick has spoken at the event twice, bringing her passion for mentorship and advocacy for young women into the conversation. As the founder of Cullman Les Dames, her presence underscores a truth Galentine’s embodies: impact multiplies when missions align.
This year’s event may be sold out, but the story doesn’t end there. Galentine’s has never been about exclusivity. It’s about invitation.
An invitation to give back, to show up, to recognize that collective generosity can change the trajectory of a life.
Supporters can still donate, still spread the word, still be part of the legacy this event continues to build.
In a world that often asks women to compete for space, DCWAF’s Galentine’s Day offers a different model—one where success is shared, leadership is collaborative, and giving back is the ultimate measure of influence. The most impactful parties don’t end when the last glass is cleared. They live on in the girls who benefit long after February fades, carrying with them the knowledge that a community of queens showed up, and kept showing up, for them.
