Tag archives: fundraising

Wine Helping People Helping People
By Richard Mineards   |   April 25, 2023

To Santa Ynez for People Helping People’s annual Vino de Sueños at Fred Brander’s vineyard, supporting farm workers with lifesaving services – which raised $35,000. Founding vineyards of the popular event include Alma Rosa, Clos Pepe, Foxen, Feliz Noche, Presidio, Longoria, and Buttonwood. Vino de Sueños features artisanal food, wines, dynamic paintings and sculpture, and […]

Sunset by the Sea: The $5 “Stradivarius”
By Musette Profant   |   March 21, 2023

How does it compare to the original? Listen to both violins on Monday, March 20, at the Cabrillo Pavilion during Sunset by the Sea, an annual event sponsored by the Community Arts Music Association Women’s Board. The fundraiser for CAMA will host wine and hors d’oeuvres from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and feature the fascinating […]

An Evening with the Choral Society 
By Richard Mineards   |   February 7, 2023

President Todd Aldrich and his wife, Allyson, opened the doors of their Montecito aerie for Santa Barbara Choral Society’s annual Canto Society bash for more than 30 top donors. The fun fête was catered by Italian eatery Via Maestra 42 with music from the dynamic duo of Kim Collins on double bass and Debbie Denke […]

A Champagne Tea
By Richard Mineards   |   December 20, 2022

Lobero Theatre Associates, an auxiliary supporting the historic theater’s foundation, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a champagne-soaked tea for 75 guests at the Santa Barbara Club, which raised $5,000 as Swedish pianist Fredrik Rosvall serenaded the cultured crowd with traditional carols. Among the supporters at the bash, co-chaired by Leslie Haight and Emily Johnson, were […]

ADL Turns 21
By Richard Mineards   |   December 20, 2022

It was a case of going from top to bottom at the Canary Hotel when the Anti-Defamation League of Santa Barbara Tri-Counties hosted its 21st anniversary celebration for 110 people raising $110,000. The gala affair, co-chaired by Brook Ashley, Gayle Eidelson, Andee Gaines, and Sissy Taran, was originally scheduled to be on the hostelry’s rooftop, […]

Butterfly Ball Deux Benefit for Gwendolyn’s Playground
By Joanne A Calitri   |   November 22, 2022

On a most chilly Saturday, November 12, the second Butterfly Ball fundraiser for Gwendolyn’s Playground took flight, raising spirits and funds at the Dos Pueblos Ranch. This intimate and elegant evening for over 300 attendees heated up with lavish dress and renditions of butterflies paired with fur to fend off the frigid Gaviota coastal temps. […]

Wild Animals That Care
By Richard Mineards   |   November 22, 2022

The party animals were out in force when the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network hosted a fun fête at the venerable Santa Barbara Club with the 240 guests raising around $200,000 for the popular organization, which has an annual budget of $1.8 million. The boffo bash, A Wild Night Out, had a host of colorful […]

A Heartfelt (and Dry) Lunch
By Richard Mineards   |   November 22, 2022

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 Healing House
By Richard Mineards   |   November 22, 2022

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 […]

A Garden Feast
By Richard Mineards   |   November 15, 2022

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 […]

Lunch on the Riviera
By Richard Mineards   |   November 15, 2022

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 […]

A Spooktacular Circus
By Richard Mineards   |   November 8, 2022

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 […]

Raising Roses
By Richard Mineards   |   November 8, 2022

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 […]

An Epic Time in the Grove
By Richard Mineards   |   November 1, 2022

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 […]

Rock ‘N Roll Heaven
By Gwyn Lurie   |   October 27, 2022

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 […]

Twilight Dreams in the Garden
By Richard Mineards   |   October 25, 2022

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 […]

St. Vincent’s 21st Golf Classic Fundraiser at the Montecito Country Club
By Joanne A Calitri   |   October 18, 2022

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. […]

Food on the Table
By Richard Mineards   |   October 18, 2022

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 […]

Romantic Rio at the Museum
By Richard Mineards   |   October 11, 2022

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 […]

Road Trip with a Mission
By Richard Mineards   |   October 11, 2022

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 […]