Driven to Give

“Every mile was in service of the kids,” said Ray Link, chairman of Rally4Kids, as the signature fundraiser for United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County shifted into high gear for its most successful year yet.

On October 9, drivers departed Carpinteria for a 225-mile adventure through Ojai, the backcountry and high desert, deliberately avoiding Highway 101. Stops included the Santa Barbara Pistachio Company, the historic Fox Theatre for the cheeky “Talent in Taft” challenge, and Morro Rock before a rooftop lunch at Hotel Cerro in San Luis Obispo.

The new destination format let motorists savor the scenery Friday, then trade driving gloves for gala attire Saturday at the Grand Tour Gala: An Evening Around the World, held on SBCC’s Great Meadow.

Committee members Monte and Maria Wilson, John Demboski, Angel Martinez, David Williams, and Ray Link were among the familiar faces, along with Dr. Angel Iscovich, Nick Gianis, Jim Crook, and UBGC CEO Melinda Cabrera.

ElectriCirque entertainers performed aerial artistry, Ojai O’Daiko drummers supplied a rousing welcome, and guests enjoyed a culinary journey through Italy, Japan, and Germany. No passport required!

Taking home top honors were Greg Woo and Lee Hsieh, the 2026 Rally4Kids champions, proving that driving for a good cause can also be a winning proposition.

Then auctioneer Andrew Firestone took the microphone. Paddles shot up, the fundraising thermometer maxed out, and guests kept giving beyond the evening’s goal.

Families pay just $50 annually for after-school programming that costs approximately $2,500 per child. Donors bridge the difference, supporting academics, mentorship, athletics, arts, and Camp Whittier.

And while the engines made plenty of noise, it was Santa Barbara’s generosity that truly moved the needle.