Their motto is “to help, to give, to aspire” and the goal of the Central Coast Ink Dolls is to help less fortunate kids in Santa Barbara County.
And that’s what they try to do with charity events throughout the year. On Dec. 19, Santa Maria Rancho Bowl hosted the Ink Dolls’ second annual toy drive, where they raised a total of $1,500 and 257 toys. The toys will go toward the more than 400 children of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, or CASA, a Santa Barbara County nonprofit that works with foster kids.
This year, Ink Dolls President Alejandra Ochoa said they received donations from other clubs across the Central Coast. One club, the Ondiados Truck Club of Santa Maria, delivered at least 10 truckloads of toys, according to Ochoa, who added that they began collecting toys at the beginning of 2014.
Several more groups chipped in: the Bearded Villains (a bit of a misnomer, it’s basically guys with beards who come together and help the community) and the 805 All Stars—both with chapters in Santa Maria who were at the toy drive with the Ink Dolls. It’s essentially a network of neighborhood clubs all helping each other to help other people.
The toy drive is one of several charity events the Ink Dolls puts on each year to help foster kids. Last year, Ochoa said the club raised and donated $2,600 for the Children’s Resource Network of the Central Coast.
Each year the Ink Dolls donates to a new charity, Ochoa said, adding that they fundraise year round and not just during Christmastime. This April, the group will be celebrating its second anniversary.
The Ink Dolls is not simply a club, but rather a sisterhood. It started off as a group of friends who are interested in the pin-up lifestyle—think of the female models half a century ago, like Betty Page or Betty Grable, whose sexy iconic poses appeared on posters meant to be pinned to a wall.
The pin-up lifestyle has taken on new meaning in recent years. And unlike the scantily clad models of old, the new age pin-up look keeps the clothes on.
“Be covered but still be sexy beautiful,” Ochoa said. “We’re bringing the respectful woman back.”
Whereas classic pin-up models lacked tattoos, the modern pin-up look embraces them (hence the name Ink Dolls). The aesthetic isn’t limited to women and also includes, but is not limited to, elements of classic rock ’n’ roll; certain hairstyles like the Pompadour, the Quick Rosie, or victory rolls; and accentuating red lipstick and eyeliner. “What makes us so different is that we do the pin-up lifestyle,” Ochoa told the Sun. “All of us are really creative. We all appreciate some form of art. People dig us.”
It’s a family-oriented club whose members all work in the community. Most, if not all, members are moms and encourage their kids to come along to the charity events.
And they all refer to each other by their pin-up names. Ochoa works as a dispatcher for the Santa Maria Police Department and she goes by La-Rizzo Divinia. Vice President Luvinia Perez works for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District and goes by the pin-up name of Lavetta Luscious.
The Ink Dolls have six members and are always looking to expand their sisterhood. They allow “prospects” to join only once a year, Ochoa said, and they must pass a six-month probationary period.
“It’s a demanding life,” Ochoa said. “We don’t allow [just] anyone to join.”
Highlights
• El Niño’s coming, are you prepared? If you aren’t, maybe you should start preparing now. A few good people at the city of Santa Maria are holding a disaster preparedness class on Saturday, Jan. 9, at Riverbench Winery. The class runs from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The topic of discussion will be essential ideas on how to keep your home and your loved ones safe. The class is free, but no wine tastings are included. Riverbench is located at 6020 Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria. Register for the class by calling 937-8340 or email lperez@riverbench.com.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Jan 7-14, 2016.
