HELEN ANN THOMAS

“I’m forever blowing bubbles” could have been the theme of the 10th annual “Discover Santa Maria Valley 2008” fundraiser. Opalescent spheres from a bubble-making machine floated upward and onward outside the children’s Discovery Museum on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 21. Such a pretty sight. This popular silent auction item was one of many interesting […]

Five lithesome L.A. Laker Girls added sparkle and fun to the inaugural Toys for Tots golf tournament on Sept. 8 at the Santa Maria Country Club. The Central Coast Toys for Tots held the outing in order to shore up their sagging coffers before the holidays. “This event will be a giant help to Toys […]

Great food, a celebrity guest, and exciting auction items—Allan Hancock College’s seventh annual Joe White Memorial Dinner had it all. Held on the evening of Aug. 23 at the Santa Maria Fairpark, the event is the Hancock College Boosters’ major fundraiser for the Athletic Department. The dinner attracted close to 400 friends and fans. It […]

The new City of Santa Maria Public Library opened officially with speeches and a ribbon-cutting on the morning of Aug. 23, but on the night before, major donors and guests were treated to a “sneak and peek” preview. What a great party. What a great evening. The pre-opening celebration was held from 5:30 to 7:30 […]

Roy Allen is Alzheimer’s man in Santa Maria. This effusive, personable fellow is determined to get out the message on the diseases that rob millions of people of years of life: Alzheimer’s and dementia. These disorders of the brain tax and wear out caretakers as well. For the first time in four years, the local […]

This was not your ordinary afternoon ladies’ tea. This was a celebration of warm, loving hearts coming together to help. This was the culmination of a year’s hard work, getting the word out to North County women and educating them about philanthropy and the “power of the purse.” This was a tea for the Women’s […]

At 2:30 in the afternoon on July 13, Karen Cordary, arms full of raffle ticket rolls and supplies, waltzed into the Addamo tasting room on Clark Avenue in old Orcutt. For the past eight weeks, Karen has been part of a crew that raised money for and awareness of the local Cancer Society’s annual Relay […]

Our recent bout of record-breaking heat did not deter animal lovers from attending “A Four Legged Affair —A Night Among the Stars,” Saturday evening, Jan. 21 at the Addamo Estates Vineyard on Clark Avenue. Starting at 6 p.m., this outdoor fundraiser for the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society (SMVHS) attracted about 200 guests. The $100 tickets included […]

Luscious, local strawberries were the theme of Santa Maria Rotary Club South’s Seventh Annual Strawberry Ball on the night of June 14. The berries were everywhere—in the salads and centerpieces, on the desserts, and in baskets on the auction table. This party was as sweet and yummy as the fruit. More than 200 Rotary supporters […]