Tag archives: Bucket Brigade

Montecito Country Mart has welcomed several new stores and eateries recently, including Caffe Luxxe, an artisanal coffee roaster from Los Angeles. Located in a portion of the space formerly occupied by Xanadu Bakery, the roasting company features Northern Italian-style espresso drinks, coffee, and various pastries. Hosting a grand opening last Saturday, May 11, the location […]

It was a beautiful afternoon and evening on May 4th, as Montecito Union School held its annual fundraiser at Les Belles Fontaines. Three hundred parents, teachers, staff, and members of the community came together for a night under the stars.  Special guests included members of the Montecito Fire Department, as well as First District Supervisor […]

On the first anniversary of its formation, the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade hosted a Montecito Rising bash at the Procore warehouse in Carpinteria for 500 guests. As darkening rain clouds loomed, the VIP reception, scheduled to be outside, was rapidly moved inside prior to the dinner prepared by a host of local eateries, including the […]

It is more than obvious that 2018 was a pivotal year for Montecito and its residents. The first week of the year, we were recovering from the Thomas Fire, which weeks earlier had suffocated Montecito and Santa Barbara in smoke and ash while scorching nearly 282,000 acres from Ventura to Santa Barbara, including ten structures […]

Santa Barbara photographer-videographer Isaac Hernandez, a Spanish immigrant who has lived in our Eden by the Beach for three decades, has compiled a film documentary he describes as “a love letter to the history, people, environment, and organizations” that make our tony town so special. The 53-minute project, Better Together: Through Oil, Mud and Fire […]

The Coral Casino suffered major social gridlock when the Montecito Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation threw its 101st anniversary Thanksgiving celebration with the 250 guests raising more than $150,000. Beanie Baby billionaire Ty Warner, who owns the oceanside venue, was honored with a community hero award, as were Abe Powell of the Bucket Brigade, Taiana Giefer of […]

It was a most bewitching occasion when Alistair and Ann Winn and co-host Bonnie Dunlap threw an early Halloween bash in their Gothic conservatory, which raised $12,000 for the Bucket Brigade and Habitat for Humanity’s Montecito Mavericks from an auction of dolls. Guests had flown in from Seattle, New York, and Washington for the boo-tiful […]

At a special ceremony at Fire Station 1 last week, the United States Postal Service unveiled a commemorative Forever Stamp that honors first responders. USPS district manager Alfred Santos told the large crowd that he was moved to host the unveiling in Montecito, following the Thomas Fire and January mudslides, and the exceptional work of […]

Montecito is blessed with an extraordinary collection of doers, believers, thinkers, and dreamers. While it takes contributions from all four types to craft a community recovery program, it is the local “doers” who earn my admiration because they seize the day to take ownership of problems rather than wait for others to act. Here is […]

Caroline and Steve Thompson, who own Cabana Home at 111 Santa Barbara Street in the Funk Zone, gave one of their artists’ receptions with a new twist. A portion of the sales from artist Robyn Geddes’s works will be donated to refresh supplies and spirits of the Bucket Brigade. In case you haven’t heard of […]

Without a mayor and a town council that have both authority to set priorities and resources to fund selected programs, disaster recovery options are limited. Local efforts are confined to supporting the county government team and offering a host of volunteer services. The historic role, for example, of the Montecito Association (MA) has been “the […]

In 1991, the residents of Montecito engaged in a heated debate, turning down a vote for cityhood by fewer than 100 votes. Every 10 years or so, the debate over home rule rises again. Advocates believe that local knowledge of local needs allows communities that are self-governing to better plan their own future, to control […]

When the mud and debris from the mountains coursed through Montecito back on January 9, Robert Cassidy immediately felt the need to support the victims and the community in some way. “Like so many people, I wanted to help, but I didn’t really know what I could do,” said Cassidy, a classical pianist who only […]

The 805 Conservation, the Bucket Brigade, Hope 805, the Montecito Center, and the Sheriff’s Department are inviting property owners and family members affected by the debris flow to view items found in the mud. These objects include things found by the Bucket Brigade and Habitat for Humanity, items held at the Sheriff’s Office, and unknown […]

We received a good question from a leader in our community, John Abraham Powell, founder of the Bucket Brigade. We wanted to share Mr. Powell’s concerns with everyone. He and his crew have been asking people if they need assistance removing debris. To his surprise, many have answered that their insurance adjusters have instructed them […]

The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade has moved into a new phase of recovery from the Montecito Debris Flow, one that focuses on mud removal from public places and other manners of outdoor beautification. But a couple of local artists who are connected to Santa Barbara area colleges have beaten them to the punch, dipping into […]

At this month’s Montecito Association (MA) Board of Directors meeting, MUS Board chair Gwyn Lurie and former Santa Barbara Fire chief Pat McElroy reported on the work they are doing as part of the Partnership for Resilient Communities. The group of private citizens, which includes Lurie, McElroy, Brett Mathews, and Joe Cole, have formed a […]

At the Montecito Association’s Land Use Committee meeting on May 1, Bucket Brigade co-founders Josiah Hamilton and Abe Powell reported on a project they are working on to build a pedestrian pathway along North Jameson Road. “Now that this area is opened up, the dirt is primed and the time is right to build a […]

We built our house 20 years ago at the end of the most beautiful lane. It was called East Valley Lane. Now the addresses are East Valley Road. It is, with the three houses above us, part of Ennisbrook, the gated development accessed from Sheffield Drive. It is part of Ennisbrook because the stables were […]

Nearly three months after launching the grassroots effort of organizing volunteers to clear mud from residents’ homes following January’s mudslides, the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade is launching a new pilot program to further help mudslide victims.  Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell and co-founder Josiah Hamilton explained to the Montecito Association board last week and at […]