Cards for a Cause
Montecito resident Christie Jenkins has produced 200 boxes of special holiday cards, the sale of which will go to support the Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation.
Jenkins, like many Montecito residents, was evacuated from her home during the Thomas Fire, just months after moving to the area after closing her fine photography gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Jenkins said she hosted a housewarming party at her new home in October 2017, and in addition to some neighbors, she met three firemen from Montecito Fire Station 2. “I was thrilled to meet them! Captain Drue Holthe gave me his card, and I took all of the yummy extra trays of food from the housewarming to Station 1,” Jenkins said.
Seven weeks later, Jenkins found herself lonely and crying in the San Luis hotel room she had escaped to with her cats, anxiously watching the news to see the latest on the Thomas Fire. “A few days in, I took the liberty to text Captain Drue, to ask that if it came to it, could they save over 100,000 slides and negatives from a corner of my home,” said Jenkins, a professional freelance celebrity photographer and writer who has worked for Time Magazine. “It was my entire life’s work, and I truly believed it would all be destroyed by fire,” she said.“He assured me that they would check the house at least once a day, and I felt better in my terror.”
When Jenkins returned home to a house still standing, she found many sets of big boot packed-ash footprints, up to her door and back. “The firefighters came! A lot! Those footprints meant so much to me. I hoped they would never wash away, but a month later, of course, they did. Like many others I imagine, for months afterwards, I would stop in to the station with food or flowers, to just to say hi and thanks again!” she said. It was during one of those visits that she saw a painting of Christmas trees, with swirls of fire behind them, in the way of Starry Starry Night. Fireman/Engineer Dana St. Oegger had created the painting at the Painted Cabernet – the only art piece he’s ever done. “I asked if I could share it, make it into a holiday card to sell in our community and raise money for the depleted Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation. And so I did,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins licensed the one-time rights from St. Oegger, and created high quality cards with the story of the Thomas Fire, mudslides, and the work of the firefighters across the state. Battalion Chief Scott Chapman helped fact check. Jenkins is working with four local stores to carry the cards: Jeannine’s, Letter Perfect, Read N’ Post, and Village Cheese & Wine. The cards come in a box of 12, and cost $25. 99% of the purchase price will go to the Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation. “I am a grateful new resident and it’s the least I could do,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins has a small gallery at her home filled with her extensive work of celebrity portraits and Olympic photography. For more information, call (805) 770-8482.
