The All America City has an all-American heart. This is a lesson that wasn’t learned, but relearned in 2009 as Santa Marians dug deep into their recession-hit wallets and managed to find almost as much cash this past year as they did the previous year for nonprofits and charitable causes.
PCPA was perhaps the most notable success story for its collection of more than $250,000 to plug up the hole in its budget dike. Contributions for our beloved resident theater company with its 24-karat-gold productions came out of the woodwork.
In informal, fact-finding conversations (no hard-core investigative journalism!), nonprofit honchos shared that while they may have been down some this year donation-wise, the hit was nowhere as big as they had anticipated. Some organizations even showed gains.
To be sure, attendance wasn’t as great at many fundraisers, but the overall picture is still more positive than negative. We can only attribute this to a caring community with a well-deserved reputation for generosity.
Unless, of course, there is something I don’t know, in which case, you need to hobnob with Helen and give her the scoop.
Friendly Luncheon at the Madonna Inn
It was a winter wonderland at the Madonna Inn this holiday season. When I attended the Friendship Club’s annual Christmas luncheon on Dec. 9 at the inn, I noticed that, as always, the place was engagingly decorated. But not extravagantly. Frankly, my deers (spelling intentional!), I miss the outrageous excess of Christmases past. What happened to the wall-to-wall decorations and swinging Santas that
so delighted us in
yesteryear?
Whatever and no matter, the luncheon was a delight. More than 80 ladies all glammed up in red, green, and bling bought $17 tickets for turkey with stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, and the inn’s fabled pink champagne cake.
Conversation at the many small tables was entertainment enough, but an all-female section of the Central Coast Children’s Choir, to which the club has made small stipends, sang with lovely, lilting, youthful voices.
I shared a table with sisters Marie Sherman and Sue Salling and my hostess, the effervescent Gloria Hoeft, who is membership chairperson.
One table over, artist Kathleen Fenton accepted a flood of compliments for the charming cover she designed for the club’s cookbook.
Past president Dazie Wesch took a few minutes to check out the second-floor gift shop, where, no surprise, she ran into other lunch guests like Kay McGuire along with Sue Mollica and Jo Wright.
The club has its very popular white elephant auction coming up in February at the Santa Maria Inn. Members contribute items they no longer want and other members bid on them. I heard it is tons of fun.
The Friendship Club grew out of Newcomers, where many of these women met as they became residents of the Central Coast. Relative newcomer or old-timer, anyone is now eligible and welcome for membership in the club.
In small groups, the Friendship Club members partake of an endless variety of activities, like mah jongg, card games, golf, bingo, and bunco. The club sponsors monthly luncheons in interesting places, coffees, cocktail parties, soirees, and holiday dinner dances. Yearly dues are $15.
For more information, call Gloria Hoeft at 937-6320.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Dec 31, 2009 – Jan 7, 2010.