As a result of the tireless dedication of hundreds of community volunteers, supporters and sponsors for the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College’s 2013 Campaign for Student Success — aptly themed “Show Us Your Love” — the campaign has exceeded its original fundraising and donor acquisition goals, raising $1.05 million with pledges still rolling in.
While the campaign goal has been exceeded, every dollar makes a difference in the life of SBCC students, so community members who have outstanding pledge cards are encouraged to submit them to the Foundation at SBCC at 721 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, or click here to donate online.
The funding raised during the campaign will go directly to student support: book grants, scholarships, child care, tutoring and other essential student services. The Campaign for Student Success came about both as a way to engage and empower the community, and out of necessity in the face of funding cuts.
“What is particularly gratifying about this year’s campaign is that we increased the number of donors from 900 two years ago to today where over 5,000 have shown their love with a contribution,” said Neil Kreisel, Foundation for SBCC board president. “We couldn’t be more grateful for these 5,000 community members that have generously chosen to make a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of SBCC students.”
The Campaign for Student Success also saw more than $203,722 in donations from “Friends Asking Friends,” a social networking friend and fundraising technology. Dozens of faculty, staff members, students and alumni created their own teams or joined others, as did foundation board members, all foundation staff and many dedicated donors.
“Call Nights,” a staple of the Campaign for Student Success, were successful in reaching out to over five-thousand Santa Barbara County residents. Community members, SBCC students, faculty and the foundation staff dedicated numerous evenings volunteering at the weekly Call Night sessions.
The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College funds programs and scholarships directly benefiting students at Santa Barbara City College. Formed by a group of community leaders, the foundation is committed to making higher education attainable for all in the Santa Barbara community. For more information, click here or call 805.730.4401.
http://www.noozhawk.com/article/050213_steve_jacobsen_celebrating_mothers_day_remembrance/
Steve Jacobsen: Celebrating Mother’s Day Can Be a Special Day of Remembrance
By Steve Jacobsen | Published on 05.02.2013 2:13 p.m.
Mother’s Day is a day of celebrating and remembrance, a day to give thanks for the significant woman in our lives who brought us into this world, raised us and held us, literally and figuratively, throughout the years. It is also a day of remembrance for those of us who are celebrating the memory of our mothers who have died.
A mother-child relationship is sometimes complicated, and this can add to the grief we may experience. As Mother’s Day approaches, many of us whose mothers are no longer with us can begin to feel the void of the loss. Feelings of loneliness and longing and even feelings of regret, guilt, missed opportunities and forgiveness are natural.
It’s important to recognize the emotions we are experiencing. It is also healing to recall our mother’s passing by finding ways to celebrating her life and come to terms with any unresolved feelings.
Every year we can try to find new and innovative ways to remember our mother and cope with the grief and loss we may feel by her absence. Here are a few I would like to share:
» Celebrate the life of your mother by continuing favorite traditions,such as decorating the house or baking goodies. Plan a dinner at your loved one’s favorite restaurant with siblings, relatives and friends who are also remembering her life.
» Buy your mother flowers. Go out and purchase your mother’s favorite flowers. Place them on your table, bring them to honor your mother’s grave, or plant them in the front yard to grow back every year stronger and more beautiful.
» Write a letter or card for your mother. Tell her how much you love her and care. Tell her how you are remembering and celebrating her life. Tell her how you feel. Place it on your dining room table on Mother’s Day and keep to read in future years.
» Share stories of your mother with your friends and family. Let her live through your memories.
» Set a place at the table. Leave a place setting for you mother at brunch or dinner. During the meal, talk about what she would be saying and feeling if she were present.
» Make a memory box. Have every family member bring a trinket, write some words, or make something creative that reminds them of your lost loved one. Decorate a box with photographs and memories, and encourage family members to add something new every year. Even add her favorite perfume to the box and spray it when you are missing her most.
» Make an online memorial. Creating an online memorial allows friends and family the opportunity to post, share feelings about the day and ones experiences, and feel connected.
» Join an online support group. Facebook has many open groups for support, such as Daughters Grieving Loss of Mother that are open for anyone to join and share their experience.
» Let the tears flow. It’s only natural to feel sorrow and loss on Mother’s Day when remembering one’s mother. Tears are good and shouldn’t be held back. They help with the grieving process.
» Seek local support. Hospice of Santa Barbara offers many different support groups, year round, free of charge. Find the one that’s right for you by clicking here.
And to all the moms out there, “a very happy Mother’s Day to you.”
Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services to more than 600 children and adults every month who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. It is also present on seven local middle and high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, click here or call 805.563.8820.
— Steve Jacobsen is executive director of Hospice of Santa Barbara. Call Hospice of Santa Barbara at 805.563.8820 for a schedule of adult and children’s groups, or to make a donation. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
Posted on Thursday, May 2, 2013 12:33am
We have a followup to a story we told you about Tuesday, involving efforts by a foundation to raise a million dollars from student assistance programs at Santa Barbara City College.
When the story aired Tuesday morning, Foundation for Santa Barbara City College officials told KCLU News that they were still $100,000 short of their goal to raise the million dollars by April 30th.
But, as of the end of the day yesterday, the campaign had topped the million dollar mark by $50,000.
The Campaign For Student Success is intended to support more than a half dozen programs, ranging from child care for single parent students, to grants for books for students who can’t afford them.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 By Presidio Sports
Participants at Sunday’s Mental Wellness Walk/Run gather for a pre-event group photo at Manning Park.
The 2nd annual Mental Wellness Walk/Run brought together nearly 250 people in Montecito on Sunday in support of those living with mental illness.
Runners take off in front of the walkers at Manning Park on Sunday morning.
With cuts in state funding, the event is needed to help keep the Fellowship Club at the Mental Wellness Center open. In its second year, participation increased from 175 participants to 250 participants and raised nearly $50,000.
Organizers hope to attract even more participants next year, and are planning to include official time keeping for runners on the 5k and 10k courses.
The running route starts and finishes in Lower Manning Park, making its way through Montecito neighborhoods down Santa Rosa Lane to San Leandro Lane and back to Manning Park.
Find more information about the Santa Barbara Mental Wellness Center HERE
http://presidiosports.com/2013/05/mental-wellness-walk-run-attracts-hundreds/
Dr. Reed Kindermann, a Cherry Hill, N.J. ophthalmologist, was honored for his 20 years of service to the underprivileged blind at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Conference, recently held in San Francisco.
Dr. Harry Brown, Founder of SEE International and Randal Avolio, President/CEO of SEE International, present an award to Dr. Reed Kindermann for his 20 years of service to the organization.
Dr. Kindermann volunteers his services to perform sight restoration procedures through SEE International; a Santa Barbara based nonprofit, humanitarian organization that provides medical, surgical, and educational services by volunteer ophthalmic surgeons worldwide.
Dr. Kindermann began providing sight restoration procedures through SEE International with a surgical expedition to Laos in 1993. Since then, he has participated in sight restoration expeditions to Guatemala, Mongolia, Cambodia, Georgia, Romania and Namibia. Since 2011, Dr. Kindermann has been a frequent visitor to Namibia where he, along with a large team of ophthalmologists, restored sight to as many as 300 individuals in only one week.
For more information about SEE International, visit www.seeintl.org.
http://www.noozhawk.com/article/042413_mental_wellness_centers_annual_walk_run/
By Kelly Kapaun for the Mental Wellness Center | Published on 04.24.2013 12:38 p.m.
This Sunday, nearly 250 walkers and runners will show support for those living with mental illness by participating in the Second Annual Walk/Run for Mental Wellness.
The 5K/10K Walk/Run will take place at 8:30 a.m. at Lower Manning Park in Montecito. The Walk/Run supports the Fellowship Club at the Mental Wellness Center, Santa Barbara’s only rehabilitation and social center for adults and families affected by mental illness.
Why We’re Walking: Ashley’s Story
Ashley is a client of the Mental Wellness Center who is living with mental illness. Ashley attends The Fellowship Club most days it’s open, and she works in the Care Closet, a clothing store run for and by Mental Wellness Center clients.
Ashley is a Fellowship Club member because it is a safe and supportive place for her to focus on her path to recovery. She has many friends at The Fellowship Club who are also living with mental illness, and they provide a support system for one another, along with the resources provided by trained mental health professionals at the club.
She doesn’t have to worry about other people judging her when she’s there, and she’s able to work on skills that allow her to lead a more independent life despite her illness.
Ashley and the other members of the Fellowship Club hope the Walk/Run for Mental Wellness will help raise much needed funds to keep the club open five days a week, with the ultimate goal for it to stay open seven days a week.
Please show your support for Ashley and other people in our community who are living with mental illness by participating in the Walk/Run for Mental Wellness or by making a donation.
Individuals and teams can register for the Walk/Run by clicking here or by calling 805.884.8440. Participants may also register at the event. Registration is $40 for general participants and $25 for students and clients of the Mental Wellness Center, with 100 percent event registration fees going to support The Fellowship Club at the Mental Wellness Center.
— Kelly Kapaun is a publicist representing the Mental Wellness Center.
