Montecito Trails Barbecue

MontecitoTrails Foundation (MTF) has been working long and hard since the debris flow. Their mission as a nonprofit is to have volunteers and to keep more than 300 miles of trails open to the public. MTF folks want you to know “that thanks to your donations, membership and support the trails are really taking shape.”

In lieu of the Foundation’s usual silent auction and fundraising event, the barbecue was a community celebration at the beautiful Crane School. The Los Padres Outfitters were back with their delicious tri-tip and all the trimmings. Steve Woods returned to Santa Barbara with his country music, and board president Kevin and wife Sheila Snow were busy mixing their famous margaritas. There had been a family-friendly walk preceding lunch.

At the barbecue, I learned about a group called the Montecito Community Foundation (MCF) that was established more than 40 years ago in 1966. A group of citizens believed residents of Montecito, who were grateful for the good life its environment provides, might wish to make tax-deductible gifts for the preservation and improvement of our unique community. Evidently it worked, because the chair of the grant committee for MCF Darlene Bierig presented MTF and vice president Ashlee Mayfield with a check for $23,365.

Here’s a list of some of the good things MCF has done for Montecito: The park at the corner of East Valley Road and San Ysidro Road – remember when it was a gas station? The reflective wooden street signs in Montecito are maintained by MCF. The San Ysidro footpath, a safe route to school from Montecito Union School to the freeway was built by MCF. With the assistance of neighbors on Hermosillo Road, they planted the two landscaped islands to slow the speeding. They also provide the seed money for our annual 4th of July celebration and parade at Manning Park. And there’s more. If you have any suggestions, contact the grant committee chairperson at info@montecitofoundation.org. Thanks, Montecito Community Foundation, for all you’ve done. 

If you’d like to help out the trails, contact MTF at (805) 969-3514.