So many people! Hats for Hope had a huge turnout for its third annual December fundraiser, Christmas with Holly, held on Sunday, Dec. 20, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Santa Maria Country Club was packed. Around 275 people showed up to hear Holly Williams sing.
I wasn’t the only one awed by the size of the crowd. “This is way more people than there were at last year’s event,” a pleasantly surprised Jim Enos told me.
Some came to dance to the music of the popular Riptide Big Band. Some came to support the organization, which assists cancer patients. Some came to support the singer Williams, who has battled breast cancer.
One of Williams’ biggest fans, college-aged son Wesley, brought along four friends to hear Mom: Clay Teixeira and John, Mark, and Kyle Mahoney.
The Country Club is the perfect venue for an appearance by a 15-piece band. The dance floor easily accommodated the many couples that tripped the light fantastic and danced the afternoon away.
Country Club tennis pro Darian Bowker Wright was there with husband Graham, sister Hayley Bowker Kelman, and parents (tennis pro) Keith and (artist) Margie Bowker. Mum (Miz Bowker) spent some time in the club’s foyer, where her art is on display and where she was selling and signing copies of a children’s book that she illustrated.
Enjoying the buzz and the bustle were Pam and George Risher, Bo and Dennis Prescott, Kathryn Fischer and her mother Kate Cook, Eilene Okerblom, and Linda Smith. Shere Nations came to hear husband Bob sing an occasional song in the program.
The very reasonably priced $25 ticket (no-host bar) for this exceptional event included appetizers like hamburger sliders, chicken chunks on a skewer, spring rolls, veggies, cookies, cake, and coffee.
To Dr. Jim and Maureen Cusack and Fred and Charlotte Wellenkamp, who enjoyed last year’s Christmas with Holly so much that they offered to host this year’s appetizer buffet, we say thank you!
Hats for Hope is a local nonprofit that was established in 2002. It was the brainchild of the late Connie Garcin, who was undergoing treatment for cancer. She and her good friend Jeanne Miranda co-founded the group, which provides hats, wigs, and head coverings for cancer patients who lose their hair during chemotherapy and radiation.
The intent was to raise funds to provide something that’s not covered by insurance and that would raise the spirits and self-esteem of women during treatment.
The organization expanded its scope when the Marian Medical Foundation approached Hats for Hope with another cancer-related need: funding for prostheses, and the like, for mastectomy patients. Hats for Hope came up with a grant program that funds these items for women who don’t have the resources to secure them on their own.
In January, as part of this program, Hats for Hope will give four $2,500 grants to residents of the Central Coast area between Santa Ynez and Paso Robles.
At Sunday’s Christmas with Holly, the clearly delighted board member and event chairperson, Diane Martino, said, “The people of the Santa Maria community are strong supporters [of Hats for Hope]. We are very blessed.”
Back at ya, Diane. The community is very lucky to have Hats for Hope.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Jan 7-14, 2016.
