Heroes of Hospice

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) hosted its sixth annual Heroes of Hospice Luncheon at the Coral Casino. It was a perfect venue for the theme “Jewels by the Sea.” A welcome reception was held on the terrace with waves crashing below. One of the reasons we all live in paradise!

This luncheon was to honor individuals and groups in our community whose work has advanced Hospice’s mission to care for anyone experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness or grieving the loss of a loved one. The Partnership Award went to Cottage Children’s Medical Center Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF), which help care for children and their families. TBCF provides financial assistance for critical needs such as rent assistance and family support groups. The Ambassador Award went to Marybeth Carty who advances their mission. She has spent 25 years in board leadership and service positions and is the executive director of the Natalie Orfalea Foundation. 

The Legacy Award was given to Montecito Bank & Trust for its community employees who volunteer 5,200 hours every year. The bank has donated $1 million annually to non-profit organizations. The Volunteer Award went to Organic Soup Kitchen, which among other programs, hand delivers nutrient-dense soups weekly to cancer patients undergoing treatment at Cottage Hospital and Ridley-Tree Cancer Center.

Beth Farnsworth and CJ Ward were the masters of ceremonies who joked when the room was noisy, “We work in a studio with no people.” HSB CEO David Selberg welcomed and noted that the group has reached new heights in the amount of people they help. They are also partnering with Neighborhood Clinics.

Sheriff Bill Brown thanked HSB for helping 900 people since our disaster, and they have counseled nine out of 13 families that lost loved ones. The keynote speaker was Jesse Brisendine, who began his talk by graphically describing an attempted teen suicide who tried to stab himself with a knife and then admitted it was he! Jesse pointed out, “Teen suicide is up and Hospice is needed more than ever. There are all the school shootings, bullying, plus addiction to social media.” Jesse told us that 17 percent of teens have considered suicide and it’s the second leading cause of their deaths.

All that HSB does is free of charge. If you’d like to donate or get more , call (805) 563-8820.