Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

SAVVY SENIORS WILL CELEBRATE 2024 “HOLIDAY CHEER” DEC 3RD AT GRACE FISHER FOUNDATION IN LA CUMBRE PLAZA

“Holiday Cheer” Rachael Quittner and Nancy Newquist-Nolan Your SBTeam.com will host a Savvy Seniors” Holiday Cheer” event on December 3, 2024, from 10:00am – 12 noon at the Grace Fisher Foundation, All Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, 121 Hope Avenue, La Cumbre Plaza. “HOLIDAY CHEER” Schedule will include10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Speaker Dr. Kathy Gruver and 11 a.m. to Noon Fun, Food, Gift shopping, and surprises from guest table vendors. Due to limited space this is a by reservation only event; please call 805-637-8932 for reservations.

The December 3^rd Savvy Seniors “Holiday Cheer” event will feature Dr. Kathy Gruver a renowned internationally recognized speaker and motivational speaker. She motivates audiences with passionate storytelling, provides actionable tools to enhance communication and decrease stress, leaving the audience feeling empowered to change their lives. With a west coast mentality and an east coast delivery, Dr. Kathy Gruver empowers her business audiences to transform their corporate and organizational culture by enhancing communication connectivity, creating true leadership, and building authentic powerful team objectives as well as professional and personal growth. Her past senior audiences left the event feeling joyful and grateful for the daily steps recommended to follow for a more positive attitude and enhanced living experience.

The Grace Fisher Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities through the transformative power of the arts. At the age of 17, Grace faced a life altering challenge when she was diagnosed with a rare polio-like illness that left her paralyzed from the neck down. Despite this daunting setback, Grace’s spirit and love for life found renewed expression through the power of the arts.

Grace Fisher foundation is committed to breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity by integrating individuals with disabilities with the typical population, emphasizing shared experiences and fostering kindness. Through its multifaceted approach, the Grace Fisher Foundation aims to create a more vibrant and inclusive society where the arts become a powerful tool for connection, understanding, and personal growth.

Table Sponsors for 2024 “Holiday Cheer” include J. Jill with Dolly Dickenson, Moving Miss Daisy, Mission Oaks Senior Community, Bristol Farms, Your SB Team Real Estate - SB Home Prep, City of SB Sister Cities-Chocolates Du Calibressan, Peter Trent Fun Glasses, Courtney Channel Island Fiduciary, Chloe Hordequin artwork.

Nancy Newquist-Nolan and Rachel Quittner, www.Your SBTeam.com, have presented seminars for seniors at the University Club, and at Cody’s in Goleta for some time and attendees keep coming back for more, however, beginning in 2025 seminars will be held once a month at Grace Fisher Foundation and Cody’s in Goleta. Seminars include organizing trusts and wills, financial advisors’ lessons, healing with humor, stress management, health & fitness, graceful aging, Medicare advice from experts, nutrition and diet tips, security and safety notes and more. They also have access to a bevy of information on needed services and organizational contacts for senior needs.

Savvy Senior seminar event past sponsors have included Bristol Farms, Keller Williams Luxury International, Westmont Mariposa at Ellwood Shores, Wood Glen Senior Living, Por La Mar, Cycle bar, Paragon Mortgage Group, Center for Successful Living, Bonnie Carroll’s Life Bites News, The Key Home Care Assistance, SBMNH, Down Syndrome Association, Curated Transitions, SRES, Your SB Team Nancy Newquist-Nolan & Rachel Quittner and more.

For senior seminar dates and information visit: www.YourSBTeam.com or call Rachel Quittner 805-637-8932, Nancy Newquist-Nolan 805-570- 1015.

MAJOR $750,000 FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED TO CALIFORNIA MISSIONS FOUNDATION FOR PRESERVATION WORK AT CASA DEL HERRERO

A major federal matching grant – one of the largest local preservation grants of its kind -- will soon be making a big difference at Montecito’s historic Casa del Herrero. The California Missions Foundation was awarded a massive $750,000 grant for this important National Historic Landmark property located in our local foothills. As a result of these granted funds, Casa del Herrero will be undergoing preservation and conservation improvements to many aspects of this legendary historic treasure. This project is funded in part by a Save America's Treasures grant, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

The work at Casa del Herrero will include needed repairs and strengthening of the many picturesque Moorish fountains that dot the Casa’s historic landscape. In addition, several of the structures that are found throughout the majestic property will also be preserved.

“This grant says that the Casa is a significant asset in our community, and that it is an asset that deserves to be preserved.” said Heather Biles, president of Casa del Herrero’s board of trustees. “Thanks to the California Missions Foundation, this is the largest one-time grant the Casa has ever received, and it is at the highest level of national prestige.”

For months, officials at Casa del Herrero and the statewide Santa Barbara-based California Missions Foundation worked collaboratively to identify project components to include in the detailed federal grant application. The grant application narrative was them structured to highlight the historically significant aspects of the Casa, as well as the preservation needs for the project components. In the end, an email was sent to California Missions Foundation informing the organization that it had been awarded the grant for the important preservation projects outlined at Casa del Herrero.

“Preservation of our state’s historic buildings is the mission of CMF,” said Michael H. Imwalle, chairman of the CMF board of directors. “For more than 25 years, the California Missions Foundation has been dedicated to preserving our California Missions and related historic sites. As a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture, we enjoyed collaborating with Casa del Herrero and the National Parks Service on this important grant.”

The Save America’s Treasures grant program began 25 years ago and has awarded more than $405 million for 1,400 projects ranging from Baptist churches to Jewish synagogues, from California Missions to US Civil War sites. This year, a total of $25.7 million was granted to fund 59 projects that will preserve nationally significant sites and historic collections in 26 states and the District of Columbia. The $750,000 award to CMF for Casa del Herrero was the only preservation grant awarded for a California location through this competitive national program.

“The Save America’s Treasures program continues to enable communities across the United States to preserve and conserve their nationally significant historic properties and collections,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “It’s fitting to celebrate this milestone anniversary through a wide range of projects that help to pass the full history of America and its people down to future generations.”

The Casa del Herrero preservation project will be the seventh SAT grant that California Missions Foundation will administer. In previous years, CMF was awarded SAT grants for Missions Santa Barbara and Santa Inés which is an on-going project.

The projects at Casa del Herrero that were made possible through this major funding will include one of the estate's most striking features -- its intricate network of tiled fountains. These ten fountains adorn the gardens and embody the sparing use of water characteristic of Andalusian landscapes. They are in various states of disrepair, and urgent conservation is needed to preserve the unique Alcora and Andalusian figurative motifs, as well as the Cuerda Seca and Cuenca tilework. These tiles, primarily dating from the 1920s, are of Spanish and Tunisian origin, with many sourced from the prestigious Les Fils de J. Chemla factory. Some of the older tiles even date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, making their preservation essential for maintaining the historical integrity of the site.

In addition, the preservation of the Casa’s historic Glass House, Lath House, and Tool Shed will help to protect and restore the unique flora of California, which is crucial for maintaining ecosystem health and supporting native wildlife. These projects covered with the SAT grant were identified in Casa’s on-going Capital Campaign “Preserving Our Past, Protecting Our Future”.

“As a matching federal grant, equal local funding is required to be raised for the project to move forward,” added Ms. Biles. “We will continue to reach out to the local community to be able to take full advantage of this federal grant.”

Casa del Herrero, a National Historic Landmark nestled in Montecito, stands as one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in the United States. Designed by architect George Washington Smith and completed in 1925, the 11-acre estate includes the main house, extensive gardens, and historic outbuildings like the Lath House, Glass House, and blacksmith tool shed and wine cellar. As we approach Casa del Herrero’s centennial in 2025, the estate continues to serve as a vital cultural and educational resource, showcasing California’s rich architectural heritage.

Founded in 1998, the California Missions Foundation is dedicated to preserving the 21 California Missions and related historic sites. The statewide Santa Barbara-based organization also focuses on our future generations with its robust fourth grade field trip program “All Aboard the Bus.” Since its founding, CMF has provided more than $20 million of preservation and education support thanks to its many supporters, members and partner foundations.