Despite a strong thunderstorm that made their event a bit soggy, the Suffolk Business Women have deemed their annual wine festival a success, and the organization already is planning for next year.

“We were still busy after the rain,” said Deb Gayle, president of the organization. “People weathered the storm.”

The organization isn’t yet saying how much it raised, because the charities that are benefiting haven’t been told yet, either. It’s a surprise, Gayle said.

However, there is good news.

“We can say we raised more than we did last year,” Gayle said.

With the increase in money raised also comes an increase in charities supported, which doubled from the four last year.

This year’s proceeds will go to eight groups: the Cheer Fund, Edmarc Hospice for Children, Project Lifesaver, Boys and Girls Clubs, Genieve Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, the Suffolk Business Women scholarship fund, the Suffolk Ruritan Club and Suffolk Elks Lodge.

“They gave us a ton of support and helped the entire weekend,” Karen Dunn, the wine festival chair, said of the Ruritans and Elks.

A 2017 graduate will receive $5,000 from this year’s event, just as a graduate this year is receiving money from last year’s inaugural event. The desire to set up a scholarship was the reason the wine festival started, Dunn said.

“We wanted to be able to do a scholarship, and it just evolved from that,” she said.

Dunn said the organization already is getting requests from sponsors and vendors to come back next year. Some have already committed, she added.

“Don’t wait until the last minute,” she warned potential sponsors, “because we’re going to sell out of chalets.”

Chalets are the tents granted to major sponsors and chalet sponsors to entertain their guests at the event.

Gayle invited women who either live in or work in Suffolk to attend Suffolk Business Women meetings.

“We would love to have visitors,” she said.

Call 802-0388 or visit www.suffolkbusinesswomen.com for more information on visiting the group’s next meeting.

Next year’s wine festival is set for April 22. More information is available at www.suffolkwinefest.com.