60th Anniversary BBQ for the Montecito Trails Foundation
Society Invites says, put your fashion sneakers on and jaunt over to the 60th Anniversary BBQ celebration for the Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF), Sunday, September 22, 5-9 pm, at the Carriage & Western Art Museum Santa Barbara.
The all-out celebration is the first fundraiser back on the trails since 2019. Proving to be a time to remember by dancing the evening away with the Doublewide Kingsband, led and founded by Montecito’s Palmer Jackson Jr. on guitar. For certain a few musicians may sit in. The event features a Welcome Party, Door prizes, a raffle, a live auction, and the Los Padres Outfitters BBQ Dinner. Auction and raffle items include a Trek E-Bike, a group beach ride with Los Padres Outfitters, camping gear from Mountain Air Sports, whale watching with Santa Barbara Sailing Center, and kayak tours from the Santa Barbara Adventure Company.
Executive Director Ashlee Mayfield will be the keynote speaker, talking about the work of the MTF, introducing the Board and Head Sponsors – The Ann Jackson Family Foundation and Montecito Bank & Trust. Table Sponsors are Aquanauts, Vicki Mills and Chris Russo, Lane 4 Fundraising, the Mayfield Family, Paddy McMahon and Heidi Chesley, the Murray Family,the Salin/Woloshyn Family,and Robin and David Snider.
To find out more, I spoke with Mayfield:
Q. Share about MTF’s 60th Anniversary and its return to have a fundraising event…
A. For many years, the MTF hosted an afternoon BBQ in Montecito at a residential location. We faced challenges in redefining our event after losing that venue to the Debris Flow and were further impacted by COVID-19. This year marks our return to a full-scale event, with ambitious fundraising goals and a serious band for some serious fun. With so many front-country trail closures, it’s time to push for reopening!
What is the theme of this fundraiser?
Our Fall BBQ this year is heavily influenced by our venue, catering, sponsors, and band. While not western-themed per se, we chose the Carriage Museum, Los Padres Outfitters BBQ, and the Doublewide Kings to set the stage for a Sunday afternoon celebrating the great outdoors of Santa Barbara, dancing, and recognizing the importance of our trails to the community. Donations from Rincon Brewery and Por la Mar Nursery will put the finishing touches on the event.
What is the fundraising goal and where will the proceeds go?
Our goal is to raise $100K on Sunday the 22nd, with funds directed toward the recovery of San Ysidro and a portion of our annual maintenance costs.
This will allow us to start the initial work and prepare for more extensive rehabilitation of San Ysidro this coming winter and spring. That larger project will be more costly, so the fundraising efforts at the BBQ are just the first step in something even more significant for our hiking community.
Over the past few years, our maintenance expenses have skyrocketed due to winter damage and prolific spring growth. This fall, we’re especially excited to kick off a phased recovery of the San Ysidro Trail, which has been closed since the winter storms of 2023. With so many front-country trail closures, we’re working hard to create more access for trail users. The San Ysidro Trail offers a popular two-mile hike to the San Ysidro Waterfall, which trail users have missed these past two years.
Every project requires collaboration. Our trail easements throughout southern Santa Barbara County are held by various agencies, including the Los Padres National Forest, the City of Santa Barbara, the City of Carpinteria, and the County of Santa Barbara. Coordinating work often involves at least one of these agencies, or in the case of Cold Spring Trail, three! Additionally, we often work with private property owners who have trail easements passing through their property or neighboring properties.
The endgame?
Hiking and safe access to our trails are natural resources we want to make available to everyone in our community. We are fortunate to have so many supporters who value our trails and the role they play in defining the Santa Barbara experience. We invite anyone who values hiking and loves the trails to join us on September 22 and/or support our work by investing in our mission.
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