Tag archives: fundraiser

It was the storm before the CALM when the charity, which helps with childhood trauma, hosted its 11th annual Calm at Heart lunch for 250 guests at Los Sueños, the Montecito estate of uber legal eagle Robert Lieff and his wife, Susan, which raised $370,000. Fortunately, a large marquee was erected before the heavens opened […]

A tsunami of supporters turned up at the FisHouse for a Heal the Ocean sunset soirée to thank donors for helping raise a most impressive $227,000 from its third consecutive imaginary gala. “It’s the perfect kind of event,” enthuses Hillary Hauser, president and executive director of the popular charity. “Very little overhead and very generous […]

There were seedy goings on at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden when the 98-year-old 78-acre gem hosted its first Forage & Feast event for 64 guests, raising $60,000 for its conservation and research programs. The sunset soirée at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center featured creative culinary delights using native plants from the garden from Chef Julian […]

American Cancer Society hosted its second annual Riviera Luncheon at the Hilton, attracting 80 guests and raising around $100,000. The boffo bash, chaired by Denise Sanford, was emceed by Drew Wakefield with Dr. Daniel Greenwald of the UCLA Health Cancer Care Center in Santa Barbara, Karina Kulangara, associate vice president of research and development of […]

It was a spooktacular Halloween weekend when the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History hosted a fearsome fundraiser for adults with all 250 of the $120 tickets being snapped up for a spine-tingling bash, with ghostly halls and spooky woods. Creatively costumed guests met frightful and delightful curiosities around each and every corner and at […]

Gourmands and oenophiles were out in force when the Fund for Santa Barbara hosted its 29th annual Bread & Roses event for 500 guests at Elings Park, its second year at the locale after many years at the QAD headquarters in Summerland. The bountiful bash, co-hosted by Chelsea Lancaster and Wendy Sims-Moten, raised around $200,000 […]

EPIC!, the $10 million capital and endowment campaign for the restoration of 230-acre Elings Park, is well on its way to meeting its goal, says executive director Dean Noble. After almost 50 years of active use, the popular leisure area built on a city tip needs a number of “essential updates” to help keep it […]

There were many COVID casualties, beyond the loss of precious life. Like ceremony. So many of us were forced to say goodbye to loved ones without the spiritual and emotional closure that comes with gathering closely with community to celebrate the lives that were lost. One such loss that hit hard here was the passing […]

Kenny and Elizabeth Slaught opened the doors of their Montecito aerie for the Dream Foundation’s second annual Twilight in the Garden with 150 guests raising around $500,000. The dynamic duo also hosted the organization’s first event 28 years ago. Kenny is stepping down as decade-long chairman of the foundation but continuing as vice-chairman. Chief Executive […]

An overcast Monday, October 10 saw the 21st Annual St. Vincent’s Golf Classic Fundraiser at the Montecito Country Club touting 88 participants from 22 corporate sponsors, the most since its inception. This year the tee-gift for each participant was a pair of golf shoes. Overseeing the event were St. Vincent’s President & CEO Rosa M. […]

The Food Bank of Santa Barbara County hosted its annual Table of Life gala at the picturesque Montecito estate of Steve and Cindy Leonard, a short distance from Westmont College. More than 130 guests helped raise around $500,000 towards the $16.5 million cost of a new 57,000-square-foot warehouse and offices, or Sharehouse, near Deckers in […]

Purple reigned at CADA’s 35th annual Amethyst Ball: Romance in Rio at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum with 230 glamorously garbed, masked, and befeathered guests raising in excess of $300,000 for the 73-year-old nonprofit that fights alcoholism and drug abuse and has served more than 18,000 addicted youth and adults in that time. Emceed by […]

The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission had a delightful change of venue for its 21st annual Road Trip to the Bayou with a move to the beach at Rancho Dos Pueblos rather than the main residence, which was being used as a set for a TV show. More than 350 guests turned out for the sandy […]

Gordon Guy, the late Executive Director of New House, a 67-year-old charity which has helped more than 25,000 men suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, was honored at the sixth annual Heart of New House lunch at the Hilton with 200 guests raising around $75,000 for the organization. Gordon died earlier this year after a […]

Given the intense sunshine, there were so many umbrellas out at the Hilton’s Plaza del Sol for the 10th annual Heroes of Hospice of Santa Barbara lunch that it looked like a Mary Poppins convention! The bountiful bash for 260 guests, co-hosted by KEYT-TV anchors Beth Farnsworth and C.J. Ward, also featured local lifestyle strategist […]

International locally-based charity ShelterBox raised around $250,000 from 175 guests at a Tacos and Tequila party at the Summerland estate of John McGovern, who also received this year’s Community Partnership Award from president Kerri Murray. The sunset soirée, an immersive experience of the charity’s lifesaving work, included interactive demonstrations of shelters and equipment, used in […]

It was one hull of a night when 50 maritime mavens turned out for a commissioning bash for the USS Santa Barbara at the Summerland estate of Pat and Ursula Nesbitt. Emcee Andrew Firestone helped raise more than $350,000 to outfit the 127-foot trimaran hulled aluminum 70-crew vessel, the third to be named after our […]

Not surprisingly, Special Olympics of Southern California (SOSC) took a little longer than most organizations to return to in-person activities, as it only ushered in Phase 3 of its sports and programs, a small single step shy of no restrictions, in June. That’s because individuals with intellectual disabilities – the population Special Olympics has served […]

Justine Roddick and Tina Schlieske opened the gates of their charming Montecito estate for a special concert by iconic singer-songwriter Patti Smith. More than 120 guests turned out for the Merryl Brown-organized boffo bash, which raised $135,000 to be split equally between the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation and CADA – the Council on Alcoholism and […]

The Thomas Fire and debris flows that plagued Montecito and the area in over a month spanning 2017-18 was an unprecedented tragedy that caused great devastation to the community.  But out of the ashes and mud rose a brand-new nonprofit called One805, which has not only raised funds to support the First Responders who worked […]