Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

Friendship Center Hosts 25th Annual Festival of Hearts Luncheon at Rosewood Miramar in Montecito

The Friendship Center returned to Rosewood Miramar Beach on February 3, 2024, to host the 25th Annual Festival of Hearts. The Silver Jubilee celebration was held at the lovely sea-side Miramar Resort located across the street from Friendship Center at 1759 S Jameson Ln, Montecito, CA.

Friendship Center’s Festival of Hearts honored all the caregivers, past and present, who have supported an aging loved one through their final voyage. This fundraiser enables Friendship Center to continue to stay true to its mission of providing care and companionship to seniors and adults living with dementia. Celebrity artists 2024 included Jeff Bridges, Kathy Ireland, Kerry Methner, and David Moorman.

The 230 guests enjoyed the delightful music of the Santa Barbara Prime Time Band during a lively cocktail hour in the garden as the beloved Heart-Art silent auction, a vitally important part of the annual event, kept guests busy competing for the last bid. The individually designed hearts created by local artists, made from a bevy of art materials filled the auction tables, drawing a huge crowd of Friendship Center’s supporters.

Event Sponsor Valerie Anewalt & FC Board VP Sue Adams - VIP guests with FC President Cynder Sinclair & Dennis Forster

A delicious lunch was served in the dining room where Dr. Cynder Sinclair, President of the Friendship Center’s Board of Directors shared an interview with esteemed member of Friendship Center Robert Antonini, and Executive Director Kathryn Westland welcomed guests and introduced featured speaker Shianne Motter who told of her loving journey as a caretaker and caregiver to her father and how important Friendship Center was in providing needed respite. David Moorman, Emcee lead a lively and highly successful auction and paddle raise that great fun. The 75,000 in funds raised from these auctions will support the Friendship Center’s commitment to never turning someone in need away due to their inability to pay.

Barbara Ireland (Mother of Kathy Ireland) Enjoyed Cocktails in the Miramar Garden

Guests were encouraged to wear their favorite nautical attire of sailor stripes, seaside elegance, and touches of silver to honor Friendship Center’s 25 years of spreading love and joy. All the volunteers looked smart in their nautical stripes, and others were simply garden party stunning. The nautical look was quite an attractive welcome for guests arriving at the event check-in where smiling volunteers in their sailor best greeted them.

The weather warnings were out there but obviously so were the friendly event Gods! It was an incredibly beautiful garden party, successful silent & live auction, delicious luncheon, and a good time appeared to be had by all, without a drop of rain! Kudos to the event committee and Friendship Center Board of Directors for an exceptionally smooth sailing through a successful Festival of Hearts 2024.

Congratulations and thanks to the Friendship Center’s Festival of Hearts 2024 sponsors Thomas and Nancy Crawford, Sintija Kemezys Felder, Cen Cal Health, William & Jocelyne Meeker, Katina Zaninovich, Castle Wealth Planning, MVT Montecito Village Travel, NS Ceramic Inc, Vista del Monte, Cynder Sinclair & Dennis Forster, David and Patty Medina, Mark & Nicole Romasanta, Linda S. Yawitz, Valerie Anewalt, Gina & Martin Bell, Sue Adams & Karolyn Hanna, Patricia Forgey & Jerry Wilson, Heidy & Rick Holly, Ken & Francie Jewesson, Love & Care Senior Home Care, TheKey, Care West Insurance Co., Marianne M. Cherkas, Garcia Architects Inc., Hospice of Santa Barbara, Kenneth Kirkpatrick, Jr., Sid Krumholz, Jeffrey and Susan Krutzsch, Sue Larsen, Kathy Marden, Marty & Dixie Moore, Seven & Marnie Pinsker, Jennifer Purling, Quinn Fiduciary Services, Smart & Final, Charitable Foundation, David Troxel, Mary H. Walsh and event coordination by Cheryll Puyot.

Friendship Center is licensed by Community Care Licensing as a social model adult day program. Friendship Center offers supervised, person-centered activities for adults living with dementia or other cognitive challenges. Activities and programs honor individuality, promote socialization, and foster a compassionate community for aging adults. For more information about Friendship Center, please go to https://www.friendshipcentersb.org/

Kudos to the Assistance League of Santa Barbara Board of Directors and volunteer members who began the new year by hosting their 2024 Annual Friendship Luncheon at 1259 Veronica Springs Road for over eighty Santa Barbara seniors representing a bevy of nearby area senior residence properties.

ALSB volunteer member Kitchen Crew preparing the 2024 Senior Honey Bee’s & Flowers Lunch.

The ALSB reaches seniors through Friendship Luncheons, joining forces with Food from the Heart, Meals on Wheels, and the adult day program Friendship Center to serve hot meals, thus assisting seniors each year. Additional ALSB programs include Operation School Bell, Children’s Art Programs, Educational Reading and Scholarship Programs, Health Care Needs Programs that are all hands-on programs by volunteers designed to meet specific needs of individual communities. The volunteers of these ALSB programs have achieved true transformation in their communities and have helped make a better world possible.

The lovely senior Friendship Luncheon featured live entertainment, a delicious menu of iced tea, crustless spinach quiche, croissants, green salad, and individual mini-bundt cake desserts with coffee, that was all personally prepared and served with love by the ALSB board and members. The Leslie Lembo Trio provided fun interactive entertainment, and helpful information was presented on the ALSB Teddy Bear Operation. Following lunch President Judy Ricthie welcomed all in attendance to go on a shopping trip in the ALSB Thrift Shop.

I have enjoyed attending ALSB events, as well as special sales at their Thrift Shop over the years and continue to be so impressed by the care, hard work, and attention to detail given by this devoted group of women, 350 members currently, who oversee 14 philanthropic programs to help men, women, and children of all ages. The organization founded in 1948 is now celebrating 75+ years of caring and community action, while always demonstrating commitment, leadership, ethics, accountability, and respect, which are the core values of ALSB.

The current ALSB board of directors 2023-2024 includes Judy Ricthie, President, Carol Saucedo, President-Elect; Nikki Rickard, VP of membership; Lena Shutt, VP of philanthropy; Janice Calsar, VP resource development; Pat Eliason, recording secretary; Allison Hedge, corresponding secretary; Sydney Tredich, strategic planning chair; Mary Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; and Pam Giller, Public Relations. For information or donations please visit www.assistanceleaguesb.com.