Bob Manley of Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery named champion of Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction

MEREDITH — A photographer, a geologist and a pilot are the rather accidental masterminds behind Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery.

As co-founder Bob Manley, the photographer, tells it, Ken Hardcastle, the geologist, and Chuck Laurence, the aviator, became friends with him early in the new millennium, and began “a journey into the exploration of all things fermentable.”

It was a hobby for the trio, creating wines in their backyards, and after seven or eight years, they decided to take the pastime to another level. Manley’s home in Sanbornton had an addition with a bedroom that had its own entrance and an office below, and he pitched an idea to his wife, Jerilyn Dolan.

“I told her we’d fill the basement with wine if she gave up her master bedroom,” he said.

The bargain stuck, and Manley and Dolan’s bedroom became the first home for Hermit Woods in 2010.

At that time, the venue offered a tasting area that could seat about 20 people. Visitors parked near the home on a 4-acre farm and meandered up a “snail” trail created through the lawn, entering the winery through the deck and sliding glass door.

“It was idyllic,” said Manley, who was recently selected as a Children’s Auction champion for his support of the fundraiser. “A perfect location for a winery.”

The business was seasonal at the time, operating only on the weekends June through October. Three years later, Hermit Woods was thriving, and Manley, Hardcastle and Laurence’s work lives had shifted to make room for a full-time prospect.

The three bought their current location in Meredith that year, remodeled it and opened in February 2014. Manley and Dolan moved to Meredith to be closer to the business, and growth has been steady.

So too has Hermit Woods’ involvement with the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction.

For years, Manley’s support centered around buying gifts at the auction and donating auction items. “You can’t live in the Lakes Region and not know about the Children’s Auction,” he said. “I was always so impressed by the commitment and involvement of so many volunteers and the amazing amount of money they raised every year.”

Hermit Woods began organizing a holiday gathering for members of its wine club a number of years ago. Members were invited to make a donation to any of several nonprofits the winery owners had selected. Hermit Woods would match each dollar donated.

Three years ago, Hermit Woods donated about $600 to the auction, and that giving has become a tradition. The business is now working to incorporate its new music venue, The Loft, into fundraising efforts.

Starting in August and continuing on the last Thursday of each month leading up to the auction, Hermit Woods will dedicate its Listening Room Concert Series to raising funds for the auction. The winery also offered a complimentary wine tasting on the M/S Mount Washington during the Christmas in July event.

“I want to raise a significant amount of money,” Manley said.

Giving comes naturally to Manley. He sits on the board of the Greater Meredith Program, is involved with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, and has served on the boards for the Winnipesaukee Playhouse and the Community College System of New Hampshire’s Culinary Program.

“A business relationship with a community is a partnership,” he said. “One doesn’t exist without the other. It’s always been my motivation to run my business in that way. We grow our business on the health of our community. If we could have a healthier community, then we could have a healthier business.”

In giving to the auction, Manley asked, “What better investment than our children?”

To learn more about the Children’s Auction, contact Jennifer Kelley at Jenn@ChildrensAuction.org or 603-527-0999, or visit ChildrensAuction.org.

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