Tag archives: Abe Powell

Not even an epic coronavirus pandemic can slow down Abe Powell. The founder of the Bucket Brigade who became a local hero in Montecito after the 1/9 debris flow, when he led local residents in an impromptu effort to dig out their neighbors’ homes, is now taking a front-line role in educating the public about […]

On Monday, December 9, at Montecito Hall, Bucket Brigade co-founder Abe Powell hosted a Resiliency Workshop in order to roll out the organization’s newest mission: to help neighborhoods build hyper local resiliency in Montecito and beyond. “We are in a time where there is a huge opportunity for neighborhoods to build resilience, in what we […]

On Sunday, June 23, over 100 members of the community gathered at the corner of San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Road for an official ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the new pedestrian pathway that was recently completed after a quick six weeks of construction.  The project was a County-led road enhancement project following the […]

Last Friday, May 10, the Bucket Brigade, as well as reps from Montecito Community Foundation, Montecito Trails Foundation, Montecito Association, and First District Supervisor Das Williams, marked the groundbreaking on a new walking path on North Jameson Lane between Olive Mill Road and San Ysidro Road, with plans to add a longer path along the […]

Montecito Country Mart has welcomed several new stores and eateries recently, including Caffe Luxxe, an artisanal coffee roaster from Los Angeles. Located in a portion of the space formerly occupied by Xanadu Bakery, the roasting company features Northern Italian-style espresso drinks, coffee, and various pastries. Hosting a grand opening last Saturday, May 11, the location […]

It was a beautiful afternoon and evening on May 4th, as Montecito Union School held its annual fundraiser at Les Belles Fontaines. Three hundred parents, teachers, staff, and members of the community came together for a night under the stars.  Special guests included members of the Montecito Fire Department, as well as First District Supervisor […]

In a unanimous vote on Monday, February 25, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors authorized Fire Chief Chip Hickman to enter into negotiations with Clean Coalition, a non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and a modern energy grid.  Craig Lewis, founder of Clean Coalition, explained to the Board […]

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 […]

Santa Barbara photographer-videographer Isaac Hernandez, a Spanish immigrant who has lived in our Eden by the Beach for three decades, has compiled a film documentary he describes as “a love letter to the history, people, environment, and organizations” that make our tony town so special. The 53-minute project, Better Together: Through Oil, Mud and Fire […]

The Coral Casino suffered major social gridlock when the Montecito Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation threw its 101st anniversary Thanksgiving celebration with the 250 guests raising more than $150,000. Beanie Baby billionaire Ty Warner, who owns the oceanside venue, was honored with a community hero award, as were Abe Powell of the Bucket Brigade, Taiana Giefer of […]

Montecito Association (MA) Beautification Day was a great success, drawing more than 100 volunteers who came out to help beautify several areas of Montecito. With breakfast sponsored by the Rosewood Miramar Resort, lunch donated by Montecito Village Grocery and San Ysidro Ranch (and prepared by Montecito firefighters), the event was a collaborative effort. Multiple groups […]

At a special ceremony at Fire Station 1 last week, the United States Postal Service unveiled a commemorative Forever Stamp that honors first responders. USPS district manager Alfred Santos told the large crowd that he was moved to host the unveiling in Montecito, following the Thomas Fire and January mudslides, and the exceptional work of […]

Montecito is blessed with an extraordinary collection of doers, believers, thinkers, and dreamers. While it takes contributions from all four types to craft a community recovery program, it is the local “doers” who earn my admiration because they seize the day to take ownership of problems rather than wait for others to act. Here is […]

Caroline and Steve Thompson, who own Cabana Home at 111 Santa Barbara Street in the Funk Zone, gave one of their artists’ receptions with a new twist. A portion of the sales from artist Robyn Geddes’s works will be donated to refresh supplies and spirits of the Bucket Brigade. In case you haven’t heard of […]

Without a mayor and a town council that have both authority to set priorities and resources to fund selected programs, disaster recovery options are limited. Local efforts are confined to supporting the county government team and offering a host of volunteer services. The historic role, for example, of the Montecito Association (MA) has been “the […]

In 1991, the residents of Montecito engaged in a heated debate, turning down a vote for cityhood by fewer than 100 votes. Every 10 years or so, the debate over home rule rises again. Advocates believe that local knowledge of local needs allows communities that are self-governing to better plan their own future, to control […]

We received a good question from a leader in our community, John Abraham Powell, founder of the Bucket Brigade. We wanted to share Mr. Powell’s concerns with everyone. He and his crew have been asking people if they need assistance removing debris. To his surprise, many have answered that their insurance adjusters have instructed them […]

At the Montecito Association’s Land Use Committee meeting on May 1, Bucket Brigade co-founders Josiah Hamilton and Abe Powell reported on a project they are working on to build a pedestrian pathway along North Jameson Road. “Now that this area is opened up, the dirt is primed and the time is right to build a […]

Nearly three months after launching the grassroots effort of organizing volunteers to clear mud from residents’ homes following January’s mudslides, the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade is launching a new pilot program to further help mudslide victims.  Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell and co-founder Josiah Hamilton explained to the Montecito Association board last week and at […]

As Montecito residents struggle to absorb the unwelcome financial burden of removing public mud and debris that flowed onto private property, it has become more important than ever to rebuild our community and return it to normalcy in the shortest possible timeframe with generous assistance from the County and FEMA. A heartwarming example of rallying […]