Little Women Lunch

It may have been written in 1868, but Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War classic Little Women continues to stand the test of time, with the first silent film of the work in 1917, George Cukor’s 1933 film with Katharine Hepburn, and last year’s Oscar nominated Greta Gerwig version with Meryl Streep, the seventh one made.

And United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Women United chose the theme for its second Classic Storybook sold-out lunch at the Coral Casino, chaired by Andria Kahmann, suitably attired in period costume for the occasion, which raised more than $60,000 for the cause.

Keynote speaker was Michelle Branch, chair of the organization’s Global Leadership Council, along with Casie Killgore, principal of 537-student Franklin Elementary School.

Among the 200 guests were Bob and Patty Bryant, Jelinda DeVorzon, Bobbi Didier, Melinda Cabrera, Anna Grotenhuis, Penny Jenkins, Ursula Nesbitt, Steve and Amber Ortiz, Nancy Schlosser, Marcia Wolfe, Suzanne Danielson, and Maryan Schall.