For the Love of Literacy
Santa Barbara Education Foundation hosted its annual Love of Literacy lunch at the Rockwood Woman’s Club with a sold-out crowd of 200 raising more than $49,000 for the cause.
The bibliophile bash, chaired by Tisha Ford, featured prolific author Thomas Sanchez, 79, a descendant of Spanish immigrants and Portuguese cattlemen, who has lived in Paris, Provence, Mallorca, and Cuba, as the keynote speaker.
Sanchez, whose first novel Rabbit Boss – a 100-year epic about an Indian tribe – is considered one of the 100 greatest Western works, implored supporters to “let children have the keys to unlock a world of wonder!” by providing them with literature to read.
Other speakers included Elena Nikitina of Sage Publishing, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Melinda Palacio, foundation Executive Director Pedro Paz, and Santa Barbara Unified Superintendent Hilda Maldonado.
Among the literacy lovers turning out were David and Julia Marsden, Anne Towbes, Geoff Green, Anais Pellegrini, Luke Swetland, Das Williams, Dean Noble, Kathryn Martin, Ed Zuchelli, Marylove Thralls, Dana Hansen, Nina Dunbar, Steve Gilbar, Marilyn Gilbert, and Amber Caldwell.
A real page turner…
