Tag archives: YMCA

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 […]

After a more than 13-year journey, plans for renovating and enhancing the Montecito YMCA on Santa Rosa Lane are moving forward once again, amid some angst and concern from neighbors and members of the community at large. With story poles going up earlier this month in anticipation of last week’s Montecito Board of Architectural Review […]

Here is a look at four more holiday concerts that provided plenty of holiday cheer as we inch toward the new year: Crane Country Day School The school had a wonderful evening outdoor concert planned for Thursday, December 16 for families only, but as the much-needed rain continued that day, the school made the tough […]

Race, class, family, and belonging are central themes in Members Only, a novel by local author Sameer Pandya. Accused of racism at both his tennis club and university teaching job, the main character’s experiences provide ample opportunity for readers to use the book as both a mirror and a window.  How do we respond when […]

After nearly 13 years in the making, plans for expanding and remodeling the Montecito YMCA are once again moving forward, with the YMCA’s project application expected to be submitted to Santa Barbara County by the end of the month. “We’re still here, and the project is still happening,” said YMCA executive director Mike Yamasaki, who […]

At 6 pm on February 17, Montecito’s beloved YMCA officially launched its annual fundraising campaign in an effort to help ensure that everyone in southern Santa Barbara County has access to community programs and resources that support youth development, healthy living, social responsibility, and struggling families. This year, the YMCA hopes to raise $120,000 to […]

The shortest day of the year turned out to be an unexpectedly generous one for needy Santa Barbara area drive families. From 9 am to 6 pm on Monday, December 21, the Santa Barbara Salvation Army held a food and toy drive at its headquarters on Hollister Avenue, providing gifts of food and toys to […]

Youth and Family Services YMCA gave a thank you party to generous donors that support this branch of the Channel Islands YMCA. Hosting at their beautiful Hope Ranch abode were Al and Marsha Roberson. No one went away hungry with bountiful platters of hors d’oeuvres and plenty of wine. When I think of the YMCA, […]

East Valley Road to Perdition I am astonished to be writing again about the Ennisbrook Owner’s Association and their unwillingness to fulfill their responsibilities to us as members and residents.  Ennisbrook owns our entire road. It starts at East Valley Road, and continues past ten properties and the four Ennisbrook members are the last four […]

Youth and Family Services YMCA had their 20th anniversary for Reaching for the Stars at Santa Barbara Women’s Club, Rockwood. The terrace outside the club is always so welcoming, this time set with glasses for wine tasting from Brander, Jaffurs, Melville, Pence, Union Sacre, and brew tasting from Draughtsman Aleworks, Inc. and Firestone Walker Brewing […]

The Montecito Family YMCA is gearing up for another summer filled with adventure, laughter, and enriching the lives of the Y campers, parents, and staff.  Y Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association, which recognizes that the YMCA facilitates summer camp programs that are committed to building a safe, nurturing environment for their children. […]

Montecito Bank & Trust President and COO George Leis will join the YMCA of the USA board; Leis is a past chair and current board member for the Channel Islands YMCA, serving seven branches from Lompoc to Camarillo, and now he will join Y-USA as a board member.  “It is an honor to be nominated […]

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 […]

The preschoolers at Montecito Family YMCA spent last week learning about the traditions of Thanksgiving, concluding with a Thanksgiving Feast made by the preschool staff in the Y kitchen.  “The Thanksgiving Feast was a chance to bring the entire school and their families together, while teaching students the history and significance of the holiday,” says teacher Annie […]

It’s been nearly a decade since reps from the Montecito YMCA set out to renovate and enhance the community facility on Santa Rosa Lane. After multiple iterations, revisions, and countless community meetings, a new conceptual design is in the works, with new renderings released this week.  The former, more expansive plan, which was submitted to […]

This Sunday, June 3, at 10 am, the Montecito Rotary Club and the Montecito YMCA will co-host the first Montecito Rubber Duck Regatta to raise funds for the YMCA, local scholarships, and other Rotarian service projects.  During the event, 1,000 ducks will race from one end of the Montecito YMCA pool to the other, fueled […]

Montecito Family YMCA has partnered with more than a dozen local organizations and leaders to provide assistance to the Montecito community in response to the Thomas Fire and mudslides. In collaboration with these local organizations, the YMCA was able to assist in providing childcare, mud removal, youth activities, clothes, and toys for affected Montecito residents. […]

Coming to the close of its annual Capital Campaign, the YMCA is still $40,000 short of its goal to raise $125,000. “We are currently working with the Santa Barbara resource network to provide free memberships to families affected by the January 9 debris flow, in addition to our normal program and membership subsidies,” said executive […]

For 19 years, Youth and Family Services (YFS, a branch of the Channel Islands YMCA) has held a fabulous dining experience. This year, they went all out with 15 chefs, plus SBCC culinary students and eight wineries and wines curated by Tama Takahashi for a five-course ultra gourmet dinner at Rockwood Women’s Club. Guests began […]

On April 21, the California Highway Patrol’s chipmunk mascot, Chipper, helped to donate toys to families affected by the recent fires and mudslides at the Montecito YMCA.  Spin Master toy company donated 12.5 pallets of toys to the California Highway Patrol. Chipper passed out toys and greeted kids at the event, which is a national […]