DAPHNE, Ala.—Vino e Birra hosted a wine and beer festival in its parking lot Oct. 9, and raised enough money to pay for six cleft lip and palate surgeries, its owners said.

Tickets to the event cost $25, with some of the proceeds from the event benefiting Smile Train, a non-profit organization that helps pay for surgeries of kids with cleft lip and palate. Each surgery can cost as low at $250, according to the organization’s website. Vino e Birra gave the organization around $1,500.

“It’s a good cause,” Ray Reiker, store president, said, adding that the benefits should stay relatively close to the southern region. “People think it’s kids from afar but (Smile Train performs) lot of operations in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.”

Roman Street, a local band, played for attendees at last week’s event, which served around 35 wines and 10 beers along with cousine from Cousin Vinny’s.

Vino e Birra opened in May, and the store hopes to raise money for a charitable cause as well as giving people a fun event in the heart of the Jubilee City.

“Our first annual festival was a huge success,” said Terry Brown, one of the store’s three owners.

George Mckee, another storeowner, said there is talk of doing another event similar to this one at the beginning of next year, possibly some time in the spring.

“We learned a little bit from it, but if it can be a downtown event, that’s what we want,” said Reiker. “We want it to be in Olde Towne Daphne.”

Reiker said they aren’t sure if they will use Smile Train for the next event, but they do plan to give money to a non-profit organization.

“We think it’s worth the cause,” Reiker said. “Everyone had fun. They asked, ‘What time is it next month?’”