(PD) - The theme, “Sonoma to Marrakesh,” featuring a live camel weighing more than a ton and a host of belly dancers, set the stage for Sunday’s Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction at Kenwood’s Chateau St. Jean that raised a record $4.6 million.

The top group lot of the day among the 650 paddle-holders was “Fund the Future” for children’s literacy at $2.7 million, up from last year’s $1.9 million.

Dan Kosta, the auction’s honorary chairman, was the first to donate $250,000 on behalf of the entire team at Sebastopol’s Kosta Browne Winery, as well as friends and supporters of the winery.

“My children are reading at grade level or above, but that’s the minority in this county,” Kosta said. “A total of 53 percent of third graders are reading below grade level.”

Others contributing $250,000 included Mary Dewane and Joe Anderson of Santa Rosa’s Benovia Winery, the Gallo Family in honor of the late Margrit Mondavi and the Jackson Banke Family of Jackson Family Wines.

Paddle-holders contributed at a range of price points, from $250,000 down to $500, and the bidding began with a sentimental touch. As two dozen kids took the stage wearing bright yellow shirts and holding black-and-white signs with “I read every day” and “I like to read to my dog” members of the Transcendence Theater sang “Seasons of Love” from the musical “Rent.”

When Gina Gallo later took the microphone to make her contribution, she surprised the crowd when she made a tearful request.

“Can we have a moment of silence for Margrit Mondavi?” Gallo asked. “It’s really hard. I miss her and I miss her generation. Everyone say a prayer or whatever you’d like for Margrit Mondavi.”