One Year Later

On the first anniversary of its formation, the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade hosted a Montecito Rising bash at the Procore warehouse in Carpinteria for 500 guests.

As darkening rain clouds loomed, the VIP reception, scheduled to be outside, was rapidly moved inside prior to the dinner prepared by a host of local eateries, including the Biltmore, Loquita, Los Arroyos, Omni and Duo catering, Jeannine’s, Rincon Events, Here’s The Scoop, and Merci Montecito.

The Bucket Brigade, co-founded by Abe Powell, executive director, was a community volunteer response to the New Year mudslides a year ago when 3,000 volunteers helped those affected by the catastrophic debris flow which destroyed more than 100 homes, caused 23 fatalities and injured 150 more in our community.

Guests viewed a trailer for Better Together, a documentary by local videographer Isaac Hernandez, featuring the brigade, which has been entered in this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival, before dancing the night away in the massive venue to the Doublewide Kings.

Sharon Bradford chaired the event and donated her 1957 Nash Hudson Metropolitan car to be auctioned, which raised $14,000 towards the total of $390,000.

Among the guests were Andy and Kim Busch, Tom and Linda Cole, Gretchen Lieff and Miles Hartfeld, John Palminteri, Geoff Green, Debbie Kass, Shaun and Carla Tomson, Palmer Jackson, Carol Marsch, Chris Fossek and Leila Drake, David Bradford, Art and Kate Coppola, Eric and Patricia Swenson, Roger and Robin Himowitz, Marc Appleton and Joanna Kerns, Linos and Nancy Kogevinas, Travis and Amanda Twining, Bob and Marlene Veloz, Freddy and Dolores Gillmore, Ken and Jo Saxon, and Bob and Linda Short.