Tag archives: fundraising

On the Money
By Richard Mineards   |   May 10, 2018

Laguna Blanca School’s annual gala at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara was a roaring success, with the 265 guests raising more than $500,000. The bounteous bash, with a 1920’s theme, was co-chaired by Tiffany Pelletier and Valerie Rice, with ubiquitous KEYT-TV broadcaster John Palminteri as emcee and Alicia Wilson as auctioneer, with lots including trips to Vail, […]

Mad Hatter Luncheon
By Lynda Millner   |   May 10, 2018

They may be small but they are mighty! That would be Transition House Auxiliary, which puts on the Mad Hatter Luncheon every year, now its 21st one. There are only about 35 ladies who do all this work, including co-chairs of this year’s event: president Sally Stewart and Carolyn Creasey, invitation chair Diane White, silent […]

Checking in
By Richard Mineards   |   May 10, 2018

An avalanche of amazons descended on the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, formerly Fess Parker’s, for the 14th annual presentation of grants by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. Checks totaling $535,000 – $50,000 more than last year – went to seven local non-profit agencies, voted on by the membership of 868 women and were […]

Anne with the Plan
By Richard Mineards   |   May 10, 2018

The late Polish opera singer Ganna Walska had two passions: her gardens and jewelry. And her two loves were suitably intertwined when two major bling purveyors, Verdura and Belperron, staged an evening of cocktails and shopping at the Montecito estate of Anne Towbes. In the 1930s, Paris-based Suzanne Belperron’s clients included the Duke of Windsor, […]

MUS Cinco de Mayo Benefit
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 10, 2018

The Montecito Union School [MUS] held a Cinco de Mayo-themed fundraiser at the lovely Chateau des Fontaines, the Montecito estate of Amanda Winn-Twining and husband Travis Twining, and Alastair and Ann Winn. The full-on affair shuttled guests from the school lot to the party for Cesar Lara’s live Mariachi band, cocktail hour, Gaby’s Catering freshly […]

Merry Chrismans
By Richard Mineards   |   May 10, 2018

It was a case of high cees on the high seas when Roger and Sarah Chrisman hosted a nautical bash on their new 78-ft cruiser, Polaris II. The tony twosome, who took delivery of the Taiwanese-built vessel in February, welcomed 45 guests, who splashed out $1,000 a ducat, to raise funds for Opera Santa Barbara, […]

Clam Jam
By Richard Mineards   |   May 3, 2018

Popular Santa Barbara charity The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation threw its first ever California Clam Bake at Stearns Wharf. The maritime masticatory moment, which was expected to raise $50,000, kicked off at the Natural History Museum’s Sea Center, with canapés by Miso Hungry, before moving to the Harbor Restaurant, a tiara’s toss away for a […]

$50K: How Sweet it is
By Richard Mineards   |   May 3, 2018

The Rape Crisis Center, now renamed Standing Together to End Sexual Assault, threw its 10th annual Chocolate de Vine event at the Greek Orthodox Church, attracting more than 250 oenophiles and chocaholics, raising around $50,000 for the worthy charity which has an annual budget of $950,000. Eight chocolatiers and nine wineries participated, and for the […]

Historical Hope
By Richard Mineards   |   May 3, 2018

It couldn’t have been a nicer evening when the 33-year-old Santa Barbara Education Foundation held its annual Hope Awards at the historical museum, which attracted 175 guests and raised $30,000 for the cause. Montecito author Fannie Flagg spoke eloquently about her struggles with dyslexia while the award went to Santa Barbara Public Library for its […]

Birds and Bees Bash
By Lynda Millner   |   April 26, 2018

Planned Parenthood (PP) held their annual fundraising soirée at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara with the theme “Birds and Bees Bash” and a full house of 525 guests. Co-chairs Cynthia Abulafia, Amy Baird and Wendy Smith had the ballroom shimmering in purple and silver, florals and lighting for Planned Parenthood’s 101st anniversary. After cocktails and a huge […]

Crane’s Respond-A-Thon Benefit
By Elizabeth Karlsberg   |   April 19, 2018

March 23 was the last day of school before students at Crane Country Day School were set to head off for spring break, yet they had one important assignment they wanted to complete. It didn’t involve homework. It didn’t require writing a paper or even reading a book, but it did mean they had to […]

Center for Successful Aging
By Lynda Millner   |   April 12, 2018

The Center for Successful Aging (CSA) presented “Sophisticated Ladies” which was a tribute to the Assistance League of Santa Barbara for their 70 years of service to our community. The event featured Ike Jenkins and his 20-piece Santa Barbara Big Band described as brassy, jazzy, nostalgic music of the Big Band era. Marjorie Luke Theatre […]

What’s Cooking
By Richard Mineards   |   April 12, 2018

There was certainly food for thought when the 119-year-old Family Service Agency hosted its fourth annual Cooking Up Dreams gala at the Carriage and Western Art Museum, attracting 280 guests and raising around $100,000 for the nonprofit’s work, including counseling students at schools impacted by the recent disasters, providing basic-needs support to displaced workers and […]

Cash from the Ash
By Richard Mineards   |   March 1, 2018

More than 300,000 people descended on Bella Vista, the sprawling Summerland estate of polo playing hotel magnate Pat Nesbitt and his wife, Ursula, for One805’s Kick Ash Bash to honor first responders while raising much-needed funds for emergency equipment and relief efforts in the wake of the Thomas Fire and the devastating January mudslides. The […]

Kick Ash Bash Comes Together
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 22, 2018

“Eye in the Sky” was a big hit for The Alan Parsons Project, reaching No. 3 on Billboard’s chart back in 1982. Thirty-five years later, drones – something the British rocker and producer famed for his early work with The Beatles and Pink Floyd hinted at but probably didn’t fully anticipate – proved especially helpful […]

Queen of Hearts
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 8, 2018

Saturday, February 10, marks the Friendship Center’s 19th Annual Festival of Hearts at the Fess Parker. The festive Valentine luncheon is a popular fundraising event for the adult daycare center, located on Eucalyptus Road in Montecito.  This year’s theme is the Queen of Hearts’ Tea Party, and attendees will enjoy lunch, local wines, musical entertainment […]

$1 Million and Growing
By Leanne Wood   |   February 1, 2018

Santa Barbara was hardly given a chance to breathe following the Thomas Fire – the largest fire in recorded California history – when the Thomas Flood struck a far more damaging blow to the Montecito, California community.  After the fire, a committee of appreciative community members quickly assembled to say “thank you” to the first […]

Youth Served with $500K
By Richard Mineards   |   January 25, 2018

It was child’s play when Kids Helping Kids, the 10-year-old organization launched by students at San Marcos High School, raised a record $501,251 to help local children in need with two sold-out concerts at the Granada. The group, headed by economics teacher James DeVries, has raised more than $2.5 million since it started. Singer-songwriter Andy […]

Around the World
By Richard Mineards   |   December 14, 2017

Author and educator Dick Jorgensen, 92, has had quite the colorful life, volunteering as a teacher in China, India, Mongolia, Africa, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and Australia. Now, the Santa Barbara writer has written the second of his three planned memoirs, Yuko: Friendship Between Nations, which follows on from his vibrant first autobiography, O Tomodachi: Friend, […]

Community Stars
By James Buckley   |   November 23, 2017

Both Erin Graffy de Garcia and her husband, James Paul (Jim) Garcia, will be honored by Catholic Charities at the upcoming 26th Annual Mistletoe Ball at Coral Casino on Friday evening, December 1. The meal will no doubt be excellent, as the food from Four Seasons Biltmore always is, but the real attraction will be […]