Tag archives: YMCA

Channel Islands YMCA’s 25th Annual Reaching for Stars Event
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 13, 2025

Youth and Family Services division of the YMCA celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its annual fundraiser, Reaching for Stars, on Thursday, May 1, at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club at Rockwood. The event was attended and supported by many locals. Noted were Marilyn and Steven Gutsche, Steve Lyons, Bob and Patty Bryant, Lynn and Roger […]

Montecito YMCA Opens New Pickleball Courts
By Montecito Journal   |   April 22, 2025

The Montecito YMCA opened its new pickleball courts with learning clinics on April 12. There are both Introductory and Intermediate clinics. Sign-up for the clinics is required through the website. On May 10, the Y will celebrate having the courts in a grand opening event. Community is invited. 411: www.ciymca.org/montecito Channel Island YMCA 25th Reaching […]

Jumpstart January Wellness Month with the Montecito YMCA
By Joanne A Calitri   |   January 28, 2025

For this week’s wellness feature, I dove into the pool of health offerings at the Montecito YMCA with its Executive Director Ryan Power. He said, “This is a great time to join the Montecito YMCA. We are currently running a membership promotion, if you sign up by January 31st the joining fee is $0. Your […]

November’s Land Use Meeting Heats Up
By Joanne A Calitri   |   November 19, 2024

The Montecito Association Land Use Committee [LUC] November meeting was held Thursday, November 7, in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom. The meeting was called to order by its Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson. Attendees were the Land Use Committee members, MA Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, MA President Doug Black, and Montecito […]

Ryan Power New Executive Director at Montecito YMCA
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 20, 2024

The Channel Islands YMCA has appointed Ryan Power as the new Executive Director of the Montecito Family YMCA. Power brings a breadth of experience in recreational management, having worked as the General Manager at La Costa Beach & Tennis Club, the Operations Manager at Pierpont Racquet Club, and leadership positions with the City of Ventura, […]

Our Town’s 22nd Annual Graduation Issue 1 of 3
By Joanne A Calitri   |   June 4, 2024

Our town’s eight schools are holding their graduations from May 24 through June 14th this year. The Montecito Journal wishes much success and offers congratulations to the class of 2024, the heads of school, superintendents, principals, faculty, staff, and parents! The Montecito YMCA Preschool The YMCA Preschool 2024 Graduation was held on Friday, May 24, […]

Good Neighbors
By Montecito Journal   |   May 28, 2024

I am pleased that the Miramar is proposing adding affordable workforce housing for their employees alongside apartments and shops. Workforce housing helps local residents build a stronger foundation in the neighborhood: it helps both community and business. As the retired Director of the All Saints by the Sea Parish School next door, I was continually […]

Youth & Family Services YMCA Annual Reaching for the Stars
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 14, 2024

The Youth and Family Services YMCA’s Reaching for the Stars Annual Fundraiser was held on Thursday, May 2, at the Santa Barbara Women’s Club.  The sold-out event commenced on the patio with flamenco music by guitarist Chris Judd, libations, and hors d’oeuvres. Guests included District Attorney of Santa Barbara County (June 2022) John Savrnoch who […]

Papal Paper
By Richard Mineards   |   April 30, 2024

What to get the man who pretty much has everything? That was the quandary faced by Montecito Bank & Trust president George Leis when, as chairman of the National YMCA, he had an audience with 87-year-old Pope Francis at the Vatican earlier this month. His Holiness was presented with a book created by Fr Joe […]

More to the “Y” than Meets the Eye — George Leis, Suzanne McCormick, the YMCA, and the Pope
By Jeff Wing   |   April 2, 2024

George Leis is Montecito Bank & Trust’s President & Chief Operating Officer, a familiar presence in the Village – and a famously nice guy. Once described in these pages as “…so upbeat, ordinary bankers shrink from his presence like goblins nearing sunlight,” Leis is a dedicated and indefatigable volunteer for the community he loves. In […]

Montecito Association Land Use February 6 Meeting
By Joanne A Calitri   |   February 13, 2024

The Montecito Association (MA) held its Land Use monthly meeting February 6 via Zoom. Key issues on the table were pedestrian paths, YMCA Update, the Debris Nets and a Montecito resident’s creek issues with neighbor. MA Chair Bill Babbitt called the meeting to order. Present were Pat McElroy, Executive Director for The Project for Resilient […]

YMCA’s Youth and Family Services Celebrates Its Donors
By Joanne A Calitri   |   September 19, 2023

The Channel Islands Youth and Family Services organization held a Donor Appreciation Event to thank the donors of Reaching for Stars 2023. The wine and cheese celebration on Wednesday, September 6, was at the Hope Ranch estate of Board member Marsha Roberson with husband, Al.  Event Chair Carolyn Williams shared: “The generous funds raised in […]

At the YMCA, Leis is More
By Richard Mineards   |   August 15, 2023

George Leis, president of Montecito Bank & Trust, is having a new lease on life! George, who is also a board member of Santa Barbara Zoo, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and the Channel Islands YMCA, becomes chairman of the national YMCA in February, succeeding CiCi Rojas, the first Hispanic […]

The Retirement Love Fest for Y’s Preschool Director Annie Fischer
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 8, 2023

After 31 years of loving what she did, the Montecito YMCA Preschool Director Annie Fischer retired at the end of the school year. She was lauded for her steadfast teaching legacy of children and helping their parents at her retirement party on Wednesday, July 26, held at the outdoor playground area of the Y.  The […]

Our Town’s 21st Annual Graduation Issue 2 of 3
By Joanne A Calitri   |   June 13, 2023

Our town’s schools are holding their graduations from May 21 through June 9th this year. The eight local school graduations are covered in order of occurrence.  This issue has Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the YMCA Preschool. The Montecito Journal wishes much success and congratulations to our graduates, school faculty, staff and parents! Our […]

County Seeking Comments on YMCA 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 23, 2023

The County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development Department (P&D) is soliciting comments on the adequacy and completeness of the environmental document prepared for the proposed renovation, enhancement, and expansion of the Montecito YMCA, located at 591 Santa Rosa Lane.  The YMCA is seeking to revise its Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to update the Montecito […]

23rd Youth and Family Services YMCA’s Reaching for Stars
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 9, 2023

The Channel Islands YMCA Youth & Family Service (YFS) held their 23rd annual fundraising event titled, Reaching for Stars, at the Cabrillo Pavilion on Wednesday, April 26. The event funds its five-tiered service programs for youth through age 24: Youth and Family Services, Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter, St. George Youth Center, My Home, and […]

Wellness Providers
By Montecito Journal   |   January 12, 2023

Elevated, Luxurious Dental Practice Cosmetics, Implants, & Aesthetics Serving the Santa Barbara & Montecito Community Hlavaty Dental Arts737 Garden Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101(805) 564-3600www.hlavatydentalarts.com Nonprofit wellness organization whose mission is to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Montecito Family YMCA591 Santa Rosa LaneMontecito, CA 93108(805) 969-3288www.ciymca.org/montecito Premium personal training services including Private […]

Our Town’s 20th Annual Graduation Issue: Part 1
By Joanne A Calitri   |   June 14, 2022

Our town’s schools held their 2022 graduation ceremonies from May 29 through June 10. The eight local school graduations are covered in order of occurrence, in two news reports, part one today and part two on June 16. This issue has Cate School with 66 grads, Montecito YMCA Preschool with 14 grads, Cold Spring School […]

Reaching for Stars
By Lynda Millner   |   May 17, 2022

For the 22nd time, Youth and Family Services (YFS) YMCA (a branch of the Channel Islands YMCA) held its Reaching for Stars event. The funds raised make good things happen for youth. All 11 local chefs donned their chef’s hats to prepare the five-course dinner for a room full of guests at the Santa Barbara […]