Channelkeepers Having a Ball

A tidal wave of generosity enveloped the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s sold-out 22nd annual Blue Water Ball at the Cabrillo Pavilion with more than 200 guests raising around $170,000 for the popular nonprofit.

The boffo bash was emceed by the ubiquitous Andrew Firestone and 14 paintings by local artists, including Kelly Claus, Benjamin Anderson, Eric Foote, Ben O’Hara, and Michael Irwin were auctioned off, nature trips to Chile and Alaska as well as a Santa Cruz Island adventure and a Channelkeeper coastal cruise.

Mia Lopez, a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, welcomed supporters and sang a Chumash chant, along with Executive Director Ted Morton.

Ryan Gellert, CEO of sponsor Patagonia, delivered the Channelside Chat. “I’m not terribly optimistic, but I’m deeply, deeply committed to doing everything we can to reverse the climate-ecological crisis because we owe that, I owe that to my kids – we all owe it to future generations,” he said.

Among the tsunami of supporters were Trish Reynales, Mimi deGruy, Nancy Kogevinas, Penny Owens, Laura Sanchez, Conner Coffin, and Ashish and Leslie Bhutani.