Santa Ynez Valley Star • March 19 - April 2, 2024

Valley residents make a difference in the world

Linda Johansen relays the story of her trip to Guatemala

By Pamela Dozois Contributing Writer

Earlier this year, the Solvang Rotary once again teamed up with the Linda Vista Foundation to do some philanthropic work in Guatemala. This trip’s objective was to serve the impoverished and indigenous people by building a two-room shelter for a family in Antigua, providing dentistry work by Dr. Art Kaslow DDS and Dr. Robert (Bobby) Brugnone DDS, drilling a water well in the very remote village of Retalhuleu, which is located almost six hours from Guatemala City, and teaching the village children and mothers about oral hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, health, and well-being.

Eleven Santa Ynez Valley residents participated in this year’s trip. They were Stu Gildred, president and CEO of Linda Vista Foundation; Linda Johansen, Solvang Rotary International Chair; and Solvang Rotary members Kaslow, Brugnone, Steve and Lisa Palmer, Chris and Lori Parker, Joe Brown, Jan Clevenger, and Allan Jones. Everyone used work vacation time, paid for their own trip and expenses, which also included funding towards all of

the projects they’d committed to, as well as working on each project until completion.

The trip began Jan. 19 with a chartered van from Solvang to LAX with mimosas and Danish pastry to

help the group gear up for the 5½ hour direct flight on Avianca Airlines to Guatemala City. Upon arrival, they secured two rental vans and made their way to the Marriott Hotel, arriving just before 10 p.m.

Early the next morning, they visited two nonprofit organizations in Guatemala City, Potters House and Creamos, both of which serve the extremely impoverished communities of Guatemala City’s garbage dump. Their focus is in areas of education, health and nutrition, micro enterprise, adult education with child care, and community development.

“These people actually live and work at the horrendously toxic and filthy City Dump extracting anything that is of use to sell and recycle to feed and care for their families,” explained Johansen. “This area is crime-ridden and even the authorities avoid going there, especially at night. It truly hurts your heart to see how these people live and there truly are no words to accurately describe it.”

“These organizations empower the poor across Guatemala to make changes in their own lives and also in their communities. Both are very worthwhile, with facilities in close proximity to the City Dump. They offer a clean facility, medical and dental aid, and a safe haven

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

News | Pg. 3 Joan Hartmann wins re-election to District 3 county seat

News Briefs Pg. 2

• Solvang Chamber of Commerce signs on Equal Pay Day Pledge News Pg. 3

• Solvang nominated for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8

• Santa Ynez-Dunn baseball battle features familiar foes

Education . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10

• Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation celebrates success of inaugural Pirate Pathways Alumni Speaker Series

Community . . . . . . . . Pg. 12

• Bethania Lutheran Church hosts second SYV Empty Bowls fundraiser

Arts & Nonprofits Pg. 17

• Buellton is 'Exploring the Ocean' in next art project'

Food & Drink . . . . . . . Pg. 18

• BARBIE BUTZ: Chocolate for Tax Day recovery

Calendar . . . . . . . . . Pg. 24

• Government meetings and events

The Rotary team is shown at Tical, one of the largest archeological sites that was an urban center of the pre-Columbian Myan civilization. Photo courtesy of Linda Johansen

SOLVANG

of Women and Girls, proudly announced their endorsement of the California Equal Pay Playbook.

of 3.6 or higher while enrolled in 12 or more credits and whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.2.

Solvang Chamber of Commerce signs on Equal Pay Day Pledge

Tracy Beard, representing the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, has taken a significant step towards advocating for gender equality in the workplace. On Tuesday, March 12, the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the California Commission on the Status

The California Equal Pay Playbook, a comprehensive resource crafted by California employers, for California employers, is aimed at fostering fair pay practices across the state.

"Paying workers fairly is not just a moral imperative; it's also a strategic move for businesses," Beard said. "It enhances talent retention, fosters innovation, and bolsters brand reputation."

To coincide with National Equal Pay Day, Siebel Newsom also revealed that over 200 California-based companies, organizations, and municipalities have pledged their commitment to pay equity. This marks a substantial increase from previous years, reflecting a growing awareness and dedication towards closing the gender pay gap.

"We are thrilled to be part of this statewide initiative towards achieving pay equity," said Tracy Beard. "By endorsing the California Equal Pay Playbook and joining forces with like- minded organizations, we are taking tangible steps towards creating a fairer and more inclusive workplace for all."

Employers interested in accessing the California Equal Pay Playbook can find it at equalpayca.org

Local residents named to Dean's List at Biola University

Approximately 1,600 students were named to the Biola University Dean's List in Fall 2023. Biola students are placed on the dean's list to honor those with a GPA

Among those students were two from Solvang: Christiana Heron, majoring in communication studies, and Maxon Horton, majoring in art.

Biola University celebrated 116 years of impacting its surrounding communities this month by going back to its LA roots and serving the homeless community in downtown Los Angeles. Biola is a nationally ranked Christian university in the heart of Southern California. In a recently released study in the book "Christian Higher Education: An Empirical Guide" by Perry Glanzer, Biola scored the highest out of 570 Christian colleges and universities in North America for making Christian faith central to its identity, curriculum, community and policies.

Founded in 1908, Biola is committed to the mission of biblically centered education, scholarship and service - equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. With more than 5,000 students at its Southern California campus and around the world, Biola's eight schools offer more than 150 academic programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. For more information, visit biola.edu or call (562) 777-4061.

2045 Solvang General Plan Draft EIR available for review

The City of Solvang is issuing this Notice of Availability to notify public agencies and the public that the Draft EIR for this project is available for public review

and comment. The 47-day public review and comment period for the Draft EIR began Thursday, Feb. 29, and ends Monday, April 15, at 5 p.m. Written comments may be submitted to the City’s Planning Division, attn: Rafael Castillo, 411 2nd St., Solvang, CA 93463. Comments may also be submitted by email to plansolvang@cityofsolvang.com.

Caregivers invited to join Dementia & Alzheimer's

Support Group

Atterdag Village of Solvang and the the CA Central Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association are encouraging caregivers to join the Dementia & Alzheimer's Support Group, a group that is a safe place for caregivers experiencing challenges due to dementia and Alzheimer's disease and are conducted by trained facilitators: Lori Kelley, Atterdag Village personal care director, and Julie Driscoll, Atterdag Village social services director.

The group meets on the last Monday of each month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Atterdag Village, in the Carl Christensen Community Center, 636 Atterdag Road in Solvang. Refreshments are served at the meeting. The next meeting is Monday, March 25.

Alzheimer's Association support groups are considered a safe place for family caregivers of dementia to:

• Exchange practical info on solutions to common challenges

• Talk through issues, share feelings, and find ways of coping

• Learn about helpful community resources

Tracy Beard (right) representing the Solvang Chamber of Commerce is shown with California's first partner

Jennifer Seibel Newsom after endorsing the state's Equal

Playbook.

STAR NEWS

Hartmann wins re-election to SB County District 3 county seat

Two-term incumbent turns back challenges of Troise and Osborne

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

Santa Barbara County Supervisor

Joan Hartmann will be representing the 3rd District, which includes the Santa Ynez Valley, for four more years after winning re-election in California's Presidential Primary Election on March 5.

With all precincts reported, the latest Santa Barbara County Election Office update released on March 15 shows Hartmann with 59 percent of the vote, which means she will serve her third term on the county board starting in January. She earns re-election by getting at least 50 percent + 1 of the vote. If neither she nor her challengers, noted financial expert Frank Troise and Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne, had done so, then there would have been a runoff between the top two vote-getters in November.

The latest numbers showed Hartmann way ahead with 12,020 votes, or 58.86 percent; Troise second with 5,196 votes (25.44 percent); and Osborne third with 3,121 (15.28 percent)

Hartmann claimed her victory with a social media post that read: "Thank you to the voters of the 3rd District for your support! I look forward to continuing to work FOR and WITH you for the next 4 years!"

In her re-election campaign, Hartmann carried many endorsements, including the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and

More results from the March 5 California Primary:

Presidential Primary Election Race (County Results)

Democratic Primary:

Joe Biden — 88.55 percent (23,843)

Republican Party:

Donald J. Trump — 75.08 percent (23,919)

Nikki Haley — 20.68 percent (6,589)

OTHER NOTABLE NORTH COUNTY RACES

California US Senate (Full Term) — Adam Schiff is currently leading the race at 39.33 percent with Steve Garvey trailing at 29.53 percent.

several local employees unions.

Hartmann was first elected as 3rd District Supervisor in 2016, and started her tenure in 2017. Before that, she was on the county's Planning Commission.

Troise, a Republican, is an internationally recognized financial expert who has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley for over 20 years, and ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility and being tough on crime. He was endorsed by the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. He has not commented on the election results.

Osborne has been a small business owner in Lompoc since 2005, was elected to Lompoc City Council in November 2016 and elected as mayor in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

After the election, she released a statement that said in part: "Despite the loss, I will continue to advocate for our communities in the areas most needed from the county: homelessness, mental and public health, economic development, and housing of all kinds."

The 3rd District county supervisor's seat was one of three being contested in the March 5 primary. In the 1st District, media outlets have already called the race for challenger Roy Lee, who would unseat incumbent Das Williams in the South Coast district. Lee currently has 12,670 votes, or 50.95 percent, to Williams' 12,116, or 48.72 percent. In District 4, incumbent Bob Nelson (14,327 votes, 74.96 percent; easily beat challenger Krishna Flores (4,667 votes; 24.42 percent).

California US Senate Special (Partial Term) — Adam Schiff is in the lead with 33.08 percent and Steve Garvey follows close at 32.55 percent

Prop 1 Behavioral Health Services Measure — 51.69 percent voting no and 48.31 percent voting yes.

California US House District 24 — Salud Carbajal is in the lead with 54.49 percent and Thomas Cole following with 36.68 percent.

California State Senate District 21 — Monique S. Limon is in the lead with 63.09 percent with Elijah Mack 47.48 percent.

California State Assembly District 37 Gregg Hart 61.55 percent, with Sari Domingues following behind with 49.74 percent.

On Election Day, March 5, Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann calls constituents reminding them to get out and vote, at the County Democratic Headquarters in Lompoc. Hartmann won re-election to her seat for a third term. Photos by Mike Chaldu

NEWS BRIEFS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

For more information, contact Kelley at (805) 688-3263, ext. 2498 or lori@peoplewhocare.com

Cottage Hospital Foundation healthcare scholarships applications now open

The Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation (SYVCHF) announced that applications for 2024 healthcare scholarships are now being accepted through Thursday, March 21. Annually, SYVCHF awards scholarships to support Santa Ynez Valley residents, high school graduating seniors, and continuing college students, who are pursuing careers in a health or medical-related field.

Scholarships are used to offset the increasing costs of a college education. Named scholarships are made possible thanks to generous donations and include the Ann Bertero Scholarship Fund, Ken and Lloyd Mills Family Scholarship Fund, Auxiliary Honorary Scholarship Fund, and the newly added Nagler Family Scholarship Fund.

In 2023, SYVCHF awarded a total of $33,000 in scholarships presented to 11 honorees.

All scholarship applicants must meet the following requirements: currently reside in the Santa Ynez Valley, plan to enter the health or medical-related fields, have a letter of acceptance to an accredited college or university, submit a one-page typed essay articulating academic and professional goals including where the applicant plans to reside and work after college, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA (see application form for more information).

Previous recipients of this scholarship are eligible and may apply again. Applications received after March 23 will not be considered. Scholarship winners will be contacted in April. The scholarship application form and complete instructions can be found here: www.cottagehealth.org/ syvchf

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

Museum of Natural History offers summer camps

Choose nature and science for their Summer fun!

The Santa Barbara Museum of History is offering camps and classes for ages 4–12 covering kids’ favorite topics, from butterflies to bioluminescence, from sea otters to space, from mollusks to magic!

Nature Adventures™ camps and classes are fun, interactive, and informative explorations of nature and science topics, customized to meet the needs and curiosity levels of specific age groups.

Camp hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extended day hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• $375 for 5-day camps

• $100/week for extended day

Camp registration is open. To set up an account and sign up, go to ultracamp.com, or call (805) 682-4711 ext. 172 or email Director of Education Rosina Garcia at rgarcia@sbnature2.org for assistance with setting up your profile or for general camp inquiries.

In video, cardiology specialists address how gender impacts heart disease prevention and care

In order to improve our community’s understanding of women’s heart health, Sansum Clinic, now part of Sutter Health, is releasing a video with heart specialists from our Cardiology Department answering some of the most commonly-asked heart-related questions.

“Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for women in this country. Here on the Central Coast, countless families are affected when their loved ones experience cardiovascular problems. In addition to providing safe, innovative, high-quality care, we hope this panel discussion helps to educate women about the unique risks they face,” commented Kurt N. Ransohoff, MD, FACP, Sutter Health Greater Central Coast Market president, and the panel's emcee.

Cardiovascular risk factors are different in women than in men, and many other gender-specific differences influence heart disease prevention and care. Women often experience a range of heart attack symptoms beyond just chest pain, and may require unique types of testing to uncover cardiac issues. The panel’s clinicians discussed these subjects as well as the impact of cholesterol levels, the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AFib) in women and pregnancy-related heart risks.

The Women’s Heart Health panel discussion was sponsored by the Sansum Clinic Women's Health Initiative.

Virtual presentation ‘Understanding Medicare’ scheduled for April 19

Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will sponsor free virtual presentations for people interested in better understanding Medicare benefits. Understanding Medicare information will be presented on Friday, April 19, at 2 p.m.

“HICAP is offering the presentations to help beneficiaries and caregivers better understand this comprehensive health care program”, announced Julie Posada, HICAP program manager.

Topics will include a comprehensive introduction to Medicare including Medicare coverage, supplemental insurance, Part D prescription coverage, Medicare and employer group health plans and retiree health plan considerations.

HICAP offers free, unbiased Medicare information and counseling. HICAP does not sell, recommend, or endorse any specific insurance products. HICAP services are provided through the local Area Agency on Aging.

For more information on HICAP presentations contact HICAP at (805) 928-5663 or (800) 434-0222, hicap@ centralcoastseniors.org or www.CentralCoastSeniors.org. Registration is required.

CALIFORNIA

navigating a challenging season of extreme weather as almond bloom unfolds in 2024. With a mix of storms and warmer spells, the success of this year's almond crop hinges on favorable conditions for honeybees to pollinate. Despite the weather hurdles, optimism prevails among those in the industry.

Alexis Harvey, manager of Dixon Bee Co., voices hope for extended flight hours and mild temperatures to ensure almond nut integrity. The family-owned business, spanning 40 acres in Solano County, operates as both beekeepers and bee brokers, sourcing colonies from out-of-state to meet pollination demands. California's almond industry, sprawling across 1.37 million acres, relies heavily on 2.5 million beehives, supplied by local and non-local apiarists.

Philip Russell of Strachan Apiaries Inc. highlights the logistical challenges faced by beekeepers, including navigating muddy orchards and equipment maintenance amidst heavy rainfall. Despite the setbacks, beekeepers strive to capitalize on sunny intervals for optimal pollination. Russell underscores the critical role of temperature in bee activity, emphasizing the adverse effects of cold weather on both bees and orchard productivity.

Christine Gemperle, an almond farmer and board member of the almond board, echoes concerns over adverse weather

Bees take flight to pollinate almond crop

California growers and beekeepers are

information leading to the apprehension of hive thieves, underscoring the seriousness of the issue and the collective commitment to preserving bee populations and agricultural productivity.

City Council narrowly approves design contract for roadside trail

Motion passes 3-2 on proposal for stretch of Fredensbourgh Canyon Road

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

In a meeting devoted mostly to road issues, the Solvang City Council on March 11 narrowly voted to approve a contract to Tetra Tech consulting and engi neering firm to design a multi-purpose trail for pedestrians and cyclists on a 2,400-foot stretch of Fredensbourg Canyon Road in Solvang near Chalk Hill Road.

After roughly a half-hour of discussion, the council OK'd the contract despite the objections of possible cost hikes and one councilmember wondering if there was even a need for the project.

The item 6a was introduced by Solvang Public Works Director Rodger Olds, who explained that the stretch of Fredensbourgh Canyon Road between Chalk Hill Road and Viborg Road was a very narrow road with no sidewalk that was nonetheless used by many walkers and bike riders. Olds said this project was just for the design and concept of the project, though it would make conditions safer for non-motorists and would encourage traffic to slow down on the road.

Olds said some key elements to the project include: A raised curb, 6- to 8-foot wide trail, retaining walls, drainage elements, widening of lanes at Fredensbourg Canyon Road to 11 feet, road re-surfacing, and intersection improvements.

Olds went on to explain that the contract was open for bids on Dec. 11, 2023, and

that it had 20 prospective bidders, but Tetra Tech ended up being the only contractors to submit a proposal by the Jan. 12 deadline.

In conclusion, Olds admitted that the proposal was "a little more intense" than they had expected, but that staff felt it was appropriate for the project. He also stated that having the design in hand would be a big help in getting grants for the project.

When the item was opened for questions from the council would cause some concern among the council.

Councilmember Claudia Orona was the first to speak up.

"Why just one bid out of 20 possible bidders," Orona asked. "It would have been

great to see what it might have cost from somebody else."

Olds said he wasn't sure about the answer, but said a former employer of his who was interested in a bid told him they just got caught up in other things.

"Sometimes it takes a bit of an effort for a proposal of this size and scope," Olds said. "He said they just ran out of time."

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Brown asked about the possibility of changes being made that might cause the contractor to ask for more money. Olds answered the possibility is always there, but he didn't anticipate anything that would bring about extra cost.

Councilmember Elizabeth Orona agreed with Brown's worry about possible cost add-ons and brought back to having just the one bidder.

"What's agitating is that we are sole-sourcing this and it did come in two times what we earmarked," she said. "So without a competitor, how are we assured we're getting an optimized bid?"

Olds said from his experience in the private sector, the bid seemed reasonable. Mayor Mark Infanti then noted that the city had done business with Tetra Tech before and it was a positive experience.

While the other councilmembers expressed their concerns about the costs of the contract, Clarke said he didn't think the project was needed at all.

"Regardless of what we spend on the study, it's going to be a very expensive project," Clarke said. "As far as the bike thing, I don't buy it because I ride 20-25 miles a day, and I know there are places in town you just don't ride. There are miles and miles

and miles of places where you can ride your bikes, so the bike thing is out of the question.

"Unless the money for this comes from all grants, and were up to speed on everything else, I don't even see the point of paying for a study for this."

City Manager Randy Murphy later defended the project during the discussion.

"We were a county [area] that became a city when we didn't have requirements for sidewalks," he said. "This city didn't develop like a lot of other cities did, so this becomes a legacy issue.

"We have a road where people are walking with no sidewalk, and it becomes a potential liability issue, and we're obligated to try and fix that."

Before the final vote, Elizabeth Orona and Clarke floated the idea of just concentrating on just the safety aspects of the road concept, like widening the road, — in fact, Clarke even had the idea to have that as a motion — but it was dropped after it was pointed out that the cost of the design contract would be the same.

Ultimately, Brown moved to accept the design contract as is, with Claudio Orona seconding.

As the vote progressed, with Brown and Claudia Orona voting yes, and Clarke and Elizabeth Orona voting no, it came down to Infanti to cast the deciding vote. After a bit of hesitation, the mayor voted yes to pass the motion 3-2, with the utterance right after, "I hope that doesn't come back to bite us."

The next City Council meeting will be on Monday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m.

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Solvang Public Work Director Rodger Olds discusses the design contract for a proposed Fredensbourg Canyon Road project with the City Council during the March 11 meeting. Screenshot from YouTube

Solvang nominated for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards

City gets nods for 'Best Small Town in the West' and 'Best Main Street'; online voting now open

Solvang, known as “The Danish Capital of America,” has been nominated once again for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The town get nominations in two different categories: “Best Small Town in the West” and “Best Main Street.”

The travel awards contest and online voting launched for the “Best Small Town in the West” category on Monday, March 4, and the second category, “Best Main Street,” is now also live for voting on the USA TODAY 10Best site: 10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel. Voting is open to the public and all official contest rules may be found at 10best.usatoday.com/legal/ awards/rules/ (limit one vote per person, per category, per day). Online voting runs through Monday, April 1, at 11:59 a.m. EDT for the first category, and through Monday, April 8, at 11:59 a.m. EDT for the second category.

The annual USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice awards feature the top 20 nominees in contests covering travel and lifestyle topics such as food, lodging, destinations, travel gear, things to do, seasonal family fun, and more. All nominees are selected by a panel of experts and the 10Best editorial team. The 10Best Readers' Choice Award contest launches new categories every other Monday at 12 p.m., revealing each category's 20 nominees. After four weeks of digital voting, the contest closes on the 28th day at 12 p.m. On the Friday after voting ends, winners are revealed.

No stranger to the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Solvang, the Danish-rooted, California Central Coast getaway spot with a resident population hovering around 6,000, was one of the 10 Best Historic Small Town winners in the 2018 travel contest. Solvang was also one of the 10 Best winners for the same award category in 2016. In 2017, USA TODAY named Solvang as one of "10 great places

to enjoy global Christmas traditions in the USA." More recently, Solvang was nominated for the 2022 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in two different categories, “Best Historic Small Town” and “Best Small Town Cultural Scene,” and secured seventh place in the 2022 winners’ listing for the latter category.

Dog-friendly and ideal for kids, Solvang, known for its Danish-American vibe, architecture and design details, pastries and bakeries, and array of wine tasting options, also boasts dozens of unique boutiques, restaurants and gourmet food purveyors. Carefully-curated indie booksellers and high-end home goods suppliers mingle with fairy tale-like children’s stores and museum gift shops. Solvang’s foodie destinations offer everything from elevated street cuisine – like locally-sourced

fish tacos on hand-made tortillas, and comforting ramen noodles – to European-style pretzels and sausages, to Italian standbys or iconic Danish dishes, to elevated new-Californian fare in the form of MICHELIN-honored menus. Solvang visitors sip small-batch, locally-roasted coffee, shop for exotic, hand-bottled spice blends, or enjoy Tiki cocktails and craft beer, all part of an indulgent and one-ofa-kind, year-round shopping and playing escape.

About the City of Solvang:

Referred to as “The Danish Capital of America,” the City of Solvang is located in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. Founded by a group of Danish-Americans in 1911 and incorporated in 1985, Solvang offers a

taste of Denmark in Southern California. Danish design and Old World charm fill Solvang’s numerous interior courtyards, cozy communal spaces, and open-air venues, where vacation itineraries for all unfold. The walkable town features plentiful free parking options for locals and day-trippers, and more than 20 lodging options for staycation-ers, weekenders and midweek travelers, at all vacation budget levels. The Solvang Visitor Center, located at 1639 Copenhagen Drive, is open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed briefly for lunch). For more information, including travel itinerary ideas and inspiration for things to do (even on rainy days), where to eat and drink, and places to stay, follow our adventures on Instagram and Facebook: @SolvangUSA and facebook. com/VisitSolvangUSA.

Shown here is a view down Alisal Road in Solvang. The city called "The Danish Capital of America" has been nominated for two awards in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Photo Courtesy of SolvangUSA.com

Santa Ynez-Dunn baseball battle features familiar foes

First-year Pirates coach takes team to Los Olivos campus, where he was the pitching coach last year

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

Coming off its first loss of the season, the Santa Ynez High baseball team took a road trip March 8, but it wasn't a long one. The Pirates went up Refugio Road to Los Olivos for a nonleague game against Dunn School.

The Dunn diamond was familiar ground for Santa Ynez first-year head coach Craig Gladstone, who was the pitching coach for Dunn last season under head coach Nick Blankenship, and the homecoming was a happy one for Gladstone as the Pirates defeated the Earwigs 8-0.

Santa Ynez took advantage of some timely hitting and six Dunn errors to notch the win. Diego Pulido went 2-for2 with two runs and two RBI, and Dallas DeForest scored two runs of his own.

That was more than enough support for starting pitcher Tate Minus, who allowed just one hit — an infield one, at that — and struck out five. The junior hurler has a 2-0 record and 0.00 ERA in the young season.

The victory was the icing on the cake for Gladstone, who enjoyed his trip to the Dunn campus.

"That was a lot of fun," the coach said. "I know the coaching staff really well, and Nick and I are best of friends. Also, the players on both teams have known each other through youth and Pony leagues, so it's a good atmosphere."

Since the win over Dunn, the Pirates split two games in preparation for their Sunset League schedule opener at Pioneer Valley on Wednesday, March 20.

On Saturday, March 9, Santa Ynez suffered a lopsided loss, falling to visiting Nordhoff 15-5. A rare bright spot was three RBI by DeForest in the second inning, when the Pirates scored all five of their runs.

Things were better for Santa Ynez last Thursday, March 14, as they defeated San -

ta Clara (Oxnard) 16-1 in a game ended after 5 1/2 innings because of the mercy rule. Bradley Lood and Ryan Henrey had two RBI apiece, while Ben Flores scored three runs. Starting pitcher Rocco Roberts gave two hits and a run over 4 innings, striking out 6, for the win.

The Pirates will begin Sunset League play this Wednesday, March 20, at Pioneer Valley, at return home Friday, March 22, for a 4:30 game against Morro Bay.

Meanwhile, Dunn also suffered another loss a day after the Santa Ynez game, falling to Pacifica 7-6, despite a three-hit game by Theodore Anderson.

However, the Earwigs have won their last two games to raise their record to 6-2.

On Tuesday, March 12, Dunn beat Valley Christian Academy (Santa Maria), 143. Anderson (3-for-3 with two RBI, three

runs) and CJ Hollister (2-for-3 with three runs) led the way, while Corbin Valla had three RBI and Makoa Nabarro scored four runs.

Things were even better for the Earwigs on Thursday, March 25, as they romped to a 25-1 win over SLO Classical Academy. Dunn cut that game short with a 15-run fourth-inning, with Payton Federmann the dominant player on the stat sheet with a home run, three runs scored and eight RBI.

Dunn is coming off a 2022-23 season in which it earned a CIF playoff berth, finishing second in the Tri-Valley League with a 6-2 record (13-7 overall).

However, the Earwigs lost a lot of players to graduation and this year has a young team.

"Super young," said Blankenship after

the game against Santa Ynez. "We have some promise, but I'm looking to be about middle of the pack this year, and I think we can get in and get a playoff berth again."

The game against the Pirates was the Earwigs' first chance to test itself against the bigger schools.

"We were playing smaller schools to start our schedule, so this was a test," Blankenship said. "But we need to go up against teams like Santa Ynez and Pacifica to see where we're at."

Blankenship's team will get another shot at Santa Ynez this year as the teams will play another non-league game, this time at SYHS on April 10.

Dunn will begin Tri-Valley League play Tuesday, March 26. League rivals for the Earwigs include Bishop Diego, St. Bonaventure, Grace Brethren, and Thacher.

Santa Ynez High pitcher Tate Minus delivers a pitch to the plate as Dunn's Payton Federmann leads off second during the teams' game on March 8. Photo by Mike Chaldu

SYHS beach volleyball sweeps VCA to break two-match losing streak

Pirates boys golf finish second in first Sunset League golf tournament

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The Santa Ynez High girls beach volleyball squad finished off a busy week on Thursday, March 14, as Valley Christian Academy 3-0 to break a two-game losing streak. It was also the team's third match in three days.

At the No. 1 slot, Sadie Lishman/Helina Pecile (Santa Ynez) defeated Carissa Maples/Starr Bowersock (VCA) 21-13, 21-1. No. 2 Kailyn Snekvik/Haley Spry (SY) defeated Elle Mason/Sami Walker (VCA) 21-13, 21-13. The No. 3 duo of Natalie Bailey/ Ella Miller (SY) defeated Caytlin Smith/Hannah List (VCA) List 21-5, 21-14 to complete the sweep.

“Another blustery day brought a different outcome for us today," said SYHS head coach Melissa Rogers. "The girls focus was on controlling the ball and limiting their errors against a gritty VCA squad. Fortunately, we were able to do both today and stayed in system pretty consistently.”

The day before that win (March 13), the Lady Pirates were swept by Arroyo Grande 3-0. And on Tuesday, March 12, SYHS fell 2-1 to Mission Prep, with Natalie Bailey and Ella Miller (SY) defeating Ella Blair/Addie Blake (MP) 21-16, 21-9, for the lone SYHS point.

“Mission Prep played a solid wind ball game today," Rogers said after that game. " Our 3's played dominantly, controlling the ball well and capitalizing on almost every opportunity that they were given. Unfortunately, our 1's and 2's struggled with finding their rhythm today against tough Mission Prep teams.”

Rogers said the teams dealt

with windy conditions during all three of last week's matches at Sunny Fields Park in Solvang.

Boys golf

The Santa Ynez boys golf team competed in the first CCAA Sunset League golf tournament on

Monday, March 11, at the Par 72 Mission Club in Lompoc. The Pirates placed second out of five teams with a team score of 433,

just three shots behind Morro Bay. Brayden Mlodzik led the Pirates with a 78 and finished third overall individually on the day. Morro Bay came in first place and the medalist of the tournament was Jonas Smith of Morro Bay with an even par 72.

Team Scores: Morro Bay 430; Santa Ynez 433; Cabrillo 458; Paso Robles 495; Nipomo 511.

For Santa Ynez after Mlodzik: Von Gordon, 81; Cody Armenta 88; Seb Perez 91; Marcelo Andrade 95; Ernesto Suarez 98.

Boys tennis

The Santa Ynez boys tennis team fell to Mission Prep 6-3, on Thursday, March 14, but Pirates head coach Jennifer Rasmussen has praise for the successes they gained on the day.

"Sophomore Cooper Haws played an epic match and pulled out the win in a third-set tiebreaker after coming back from a 4-5 deficient in the second set," Rasmussen said. "And freshman Jeremy Shehab defeated his opponent easily in two straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Adam Angel and Mathew Wolfe clinched the only doubles win with an 8-2 victory on line 3."

Singles

1. Bryce Wilczak lost 6-7, 2-6

2. Lucas Doman lost 3-6, 3-6

3. Cooper Haws won 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 10-5

4. Elias Thomas lost 3-6, 4-6

5. Mac Halme lost 4-6, 6-3, 4-10

6. Jeremy Shehab won 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

1. Bryce and Lucas lost 5-8

2. Cooper Haws and Elias Thomas 2-8

3. Mathew Wolfe and Adam Angle won 8-2

On Tuesday, March 12, the Pirates fell to St. Joseph 7-2. Wilczak (7-6 [7-4], 6-4) and the doubles team of Wilczak and Haws won their match 8-4.

Sadie Lishman (left) sets the ball as Helina Pecile heads toward the net during Santa Ynez's beach volleyball match against Arroyo Grande on March 13 at Sunny Fields Park in Solvang. Photos by Mike Chaldu

Santa Ynez High beach volleyball head coach Melissa Rogers (center) confers with Ella Miller (left) and Natalie Bailey during the Lady Pirates match with Arroyo Grande

EDUCATION

Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation celebrates success of inaugural Pirate Pathways Alumni Speaker Series

Group of panel discussions involving SYHS grads is prelude to school's Career Fair Staff Report

The Santa Ynez Pirate Foundation, in collaboration with Santa Ynez High School Career Center, proudly announces the successful presentation of the inaugural Pirate Pathways Alumni Speaker Series. Held from Feb. 26 to March 1, this pioneering event featured a series of alumni-led panels that served as a prelude to the school’s annual Career Fair.

Throughout the week, students had the unique opportunity to engage with 25 distinguished alumni across diverse industries, including entrepreneurship, public safety and military, trades, agriculture, and healthcare. These panels provided students with invaluable insights into various career paths, emphasizing the importance of resilience, determination, and vision.

Participants heard firsthand accounts of personal and professional growth from their predecessors. Alumni shared stories from their time at Santa Ynez High School and traced their journeys to current success, often highlighting the challenges they overcame. Notably, local entrepreneur Alex Uribe inspired students to proactively shape their futures by reverse-engineering their career paths from their envisioned goals.

Chip Fenenga, a Foundation Board member, esteemed teacher, and CIF Hall of Fame volleyball coach, facilitated the discussions, imparting wisdom and encouragement in his characteristic positive manner.

Among the speakers, veterinarian and alumna Ingrid Wolff recounted her compelling journey from a challenging upbringing in a household led by an immigrant single mother to establishing a successful mobile veterinary service. Her story, marked by overcoming significant personal and academic hurdles, served as a powerful testa-

ment to the spirit of perseverance.

Efren Pulido, a local real estate agent, entrepreneur, and Foundation Board member, represented the military panel. Drawing on his experiences as a Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal technician in Iraq, Pulido offered a unique perspective on service and dedication, urging students

to consider the impact of their habits on their futures.

As the series concluded, Chip Fenenga emphasized the enduring message, “You don’t choose your future, your habits choose your future.” He also outlined the foundation’s plans to extend its collaboration with the school through addition -

al alumni speaker series on topics ranging from software engineering to motion picture production and college athletics preparation.

2024 Pirate Pathways Panelists

Monday, Feb 26, Entrepreneur DayBusiness Leaders

Melissa Redell - Solvang Bakery; Jamie Dietenhofer - Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company; Alex Uribe - California Tacos, Blue City Insurance; Spencer Turnbull - Santa Ynez General; Aaron Petersen - Solvang restaurateur

Tuesday, Feb. 27, First Responders DayPolice, Fire, Military

Mike Young - SB County Fire; Mary Gauthier - AMR Paramedic; Efren Pulido - United States Marines; Chris GotshallSB County Sheriff

Wednesday, Feb 28 - The Trades

Jake Jacobsen - Fatcat Welding; Chris Johnson - Flooring Contractor; Pete Thompson - Pacific Valley Woodsmith; Allen Pinoli - Pinoli Refrigeration; Emily Cody - Masonry

Thursday, Feb 29 - Agriculture Day

Ingrid Wolff - Equine veterinarian; Ben Merz - co-owner, Coastal Vineyard Care; Ruben Solorzano - co-owner, Coastal Vineyard Care; Chase Carhartt - Vintner Carhartt Wines; Charley Witt - Farmer and packer; Matt McKinney - Vineyard owner, ex-professional basketball and volleyball player

Friday, March 1 - Health Careers

Janice Hutchinson - Nurse; Pablo RojasPhysician assistant; Dr. Ingrid Wolff DVM - Equine veterinarian; Dr. Tyler Stevenson, DVM - Equine veterinarian; Tim Gauthier - Lift SYV Gym owner and trainer

Students interact with speakers following the Pirate Pathways Alumni Speaker Series' Public Safety and Military panel discussion.

Equine Veterinarian Dr. Ingrid Wolff DVM shares her story with students during the Agriculture panel discussion of the Pirate Pathways Alumni Speaker Series. Contributed Photos

Dallas DeForest named Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge's Student of the Month for January

Santa Ynez High two-sport star plans to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after he graduates

By Pat Merritt Elks Scholarship Coordinator

The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge is proud to honor Dallas DeForest as its January Student of the Month.

While maintaining an impressive GPA (15th in class) Dallas excels in baseball and football. He has been named Scholar-Athlete seven times, and it will be eight by the time the baseball season is over.

Here are some of Dallas' outstanding accomplishments: First-team All-Area Football, first-team All-League Football, All-Area and All-League recognition for baseball in his junior year, and football and baseball team captain.

In football, he has earned honors such as team captain, JV Scholar-Athlete, and MVP on more than one occasion. He has received the Chris Joseph Scholar Athlete Award, the

Dalton Payne Leather Helmet Award, and recognized as the Outstanding Offensive Back.

Dallas does all of this while having the

highest GPA on the team.

Dallas plans to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where he will major in logistics and security and hopes to

continue playing football.

We are proud to honor this young man as he sets out to follow his dreams and serve his country!

Santa Ynez High senior student-athlete Dallas DeForest (center) accepts a $100 check from Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Bonnie Rees (right) and Elks Scholarship Coordinator Pat Merritt for earning Student of the Month honors. Contributed Photo

Bethania Lutheran Church hosts second SYV Empty Bowls fundraiser

Local chefs again jump on board to benefit church's Food Distribution Program

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

It was just a year ago that Veronica Medina, founder of the Buellton ceramics studio Community Clayworks, decided to bring the Empty Bowls fundraiser to the Santa Ynez Valley, putting together the event in a relatively short amount of time and bringing people together in Los Olivos to benefit the Bethania Lutheran Church's Food Distribution Program.

This year, with much more time to plan and prepare, Medina and a host of volunteers brought this year's fundraiser to the source, as a robust crowd came to the church in Solvang on March 9 to pick out a handmade bowl and sample the various soups supplied by local chefs and eateries.

Outside the dining room was a table full of the event's namesake, approximately 300 (according to Medina) empty bowls waiting to be picked out and filled with delicious soups. On the table next to it was a number of donated prizes to be bid on in a silent auction.

Presiding over a sold-out first session of the fundraiser (one group of ticket buyers came in at 5:30, and the second at 7:30), Medina said being able to plan ahead definitely helped.

"We learned, because we had to throw it together last year," she said. "So, we were able to do it at Bethania this year, which is where the food distribution that we raise money for is located. And we were able to get extra help, which made our silent auction more robust."

However, Medina said no matter how much time they had to prepare the spirit of helping out still remained the same.

"It's still just the same," she said. "It's the same amazing feeling of all these different people, giving like they do, as a show of support for the project."

As for the recipient of the fundraiser, this month will mark four years since the Food Distribution Program, done in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Foodbank, was started. It began on March 24, 2020, as a way to help during the pandemic, but according to Bethania Pastor Chris Brown, the need has remained.

"It's kind of evolved over time," Brown said. "The county foodbank gave us a lot of food to distribute to people during the pandemic, but then we saw as the pandemic eased off, the cost of living was still there. So we're still serving on average about 900 people [per week].

"Until cost of living comes down, I imagine our numbers will stay high right now with all the rains. It prevents a lot of the farmworkers from earning, so we're still seeing a lot of that [food need]."

Linda Marzullo, who's chairman of the Bethania Church's Social Ministry, is involved in the program, which she said has multiple sources.

"We get food and produce from the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. We get donations from El Rancho Market," she said. "We even get bread donations from the Baker's Table, and food from Veggie Rescue."

Marzullo said the church also has other avenues to help people beyond the Food Distribution Program.

"We have a blessing box, where people can drop off anything, and Brown Bag Breakfasts and Meals on Wheels for seniors," she said. "Overall, I think we serve about 225 households; our youngest client is 13, and our oldest in 94."

Back in the kitchen, Budi Kazali, the exec-

utive chef at Ballard Inn and Restaurant, was overseeing the preparation of soups. Like last year, Kazali was in charge of rounding up the various local restaurants and chefs to offer their wares for the fundraiser.

"This is great, everything's running so smooth," Kazali said. "With all these restaurants involved, it's very helpful. They're doing such a great job, and the soups are fantastic."

The restaurants participating in this year's Empty Bowls included Brothers Restaurant

(mushroom soup), Coast Range (turkey chili), The Hitching Post (grilled corn chowder), Leonardo's (butternut), Lucky Hen (Dave's Famous Chili), Nella (vegetable), and Mattei's Tavern (Kale and Fennel). The Baker's Table provided the bread served with the soups.

For more information on the church's programs go to bethanialutheran.net/ connect/join-us/. For more info on Medina's Community Clayworks, go to communityclayworks.com

Troop 41 Boy Scouts Spencer Snodgress (left) and Adam Letts prepare the bread donated by The Baker's Table at the Santa Ynez Valley Empty Bowls fundraiser March 9 at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang.

Budi Kazali, executive chef at the Ballard Inn & Restaurant, stirs up some of Coast Range's turkey chili before it is served at the March 9 Empty Bowls fundraiser at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang.

Despite cooperative weather, rain still affects Solvang Century ride

Organizers deal with no-shows and amended routes in annual cycling event

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The raindrops were at a minimum on May 2, the date of the 10th incarnation of the Solvang Century bike ride that ran through the Santa Ynez Valley and even beyond. However, that doesn't mean the race, that actually had its start/finish line in Buellton, wasn't heavily affected.

The day went on with a little rainy weather but mostly sunny skies, but many riders who were planning on attending the event decided to skip it because of gloomy forecasts in the days leading up to it.

"We plenty of no-shows," said Deborah Bowling of Planet Ultra, who ran the event. "I'd estimate probably 25 percent who had signed up were no-shows."

However, it didn't seem to put a damper on the day for the people who were there, according to Bowling.

"As far as the people who are here; well, everyone is having a blast," she said. "It's unfortunate that the forecast scared people away, but everyone here is enjoying themselves"

The Solvang Century ride — which the organizers made clear was a ride but not a race — had three different routes, which leads to another instance of rain disrupting the race without it being present.

Two of the routes — the Solvang Century (102 miles) and the Solvang Metric (67.8 miles) — included Harris Grade Road in Lompoc, a winding road that connects Highways 246 and 135, which sends the riders back toward the SY Valley. Unfortunately, an earlier storm caused road erosion bad enough for Santa Barbara County to issue a multi-month closure, causing ride organizers to reroute those.

"We decided to use San Antonio Road in Orcutt as an alternate route," Bowling said. "And C2 Cellars was located just before we hit 135, so we were able to put an aid station there."

Whatever the route, participants started it somewhere between 7 and 8:30 a.m., and were allowed to run it as many times

as they wanted, starting and finishing each "lap" in the parking lot of the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in Buellton. Event volunteers rang their cowbells whenever a rider would reach the start/finish line.

Those who took part enjoyed the Santa Ynez Valley event, like friends Mark Richard and Ed Kring who both came from Granite Bay, in the Sacramento area.

"I had a great time doing this," said Richard. "Ed brought me down here, and I'm glad he did. The ride took a little getting used to because the route (the Metric) was changed, but we got used to it."

Kring said it was also his first time in

the area, and he had a great time.

"This is a real nice area," he said. "We're staying at the Flying Flags park with my daughter and son-in-law, getting in a nice bike ride, and enjoying it."

Also experiencing the area for the first time was Frank Benko of Santa Cruz, who came through the start/finish line for the last time and raised his bike over his head in celebration.

"I'm 69, pushing 70, and I was able to get through the route OK," Benko said. "It was a rough start, but I pushed through." Benko was also impressed by the area, and the people running the event.

"This is my first time here and it's beautiful; I love all the wineries," he said. "I'm impressed with the organization that put this on, it was a beautiful event."

The idea Planet Ultra had was for there to be a second ride in November that they call The Sequel. Bowling wasn't yet sure if that would come off this year.

"We applied for the permit, so we're just hoping we don't run into the red tape for that," she said.

However, a recent look at the event website (planetultra.com) shows a Nov. 9 date for The Sequel, with next year's Solvang Century set for a date of March 8, 2025.

Frank Benko, 69, of Santa Cruz, raises his bike over his head in triumph after finishing his final route lap at the Solvang Century ride March 2 in Buellton. Photo by Mike Chaldu

'STOMP-ing Out Hunger' event looking for volunteers

Organizer and sponsor Teri Harmon will lead the effort to assemble food packets to send to Uganda and Ecuador

By Pamela Dozois Contributing Writer

Once again, local resident and philanthropist Teri Harmon will be sponsoring STOMP-ing Out Hunger, an event in which participants assemble food packets that will be sent to Uganda and Ecuador to help feed children in different care points, such as orphanages, schools, homes, churches, and community feeding centers within each country.

“This will be our fourth STOMP-ing Out Hunger party and I am calling on all previous and new stompers to once again gather on Saturday, April 20, at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church Family Center in Ballard to help assemble food packets that will be sent to Uganda and Ecuador," Harmon said. "The event should be over by 3 p.m. I’m hoping to beat last year’s record of 135,000 meals packed last year.”

Because of the need to order the packing supplies and materials early, Harmon will need volunteers' RSVP info before April 1, preferably sooner.

Harmon has once again partnered with Kids Around the World to assemble meals which will be sent to children living in impoverished villages. The program is called OneMeal and is sponsored by Kids Around the World, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which empowers groups to be a part of the solution of child malnutrition.

Kids Around the World provides all the ingredients such as rice, lentils, freezedried vegetables, and vitamin packets to be assembled by Harmon’s team of volunteers. She explained that all these ingredients go into one bag and one bag contains six meals. Thirty-six of these bags go into one box which is then sealed, placed on pallets, and packed into trucks which are then returned to Kids Around the World in San Clemente. Amazingly enough, one box can feed one child for an entire school year.

“Each assembly table will have an 8-plus person team that will scoop or pour the

ingredients into the packets, then seal and put them into boxes that will then be loaded back onto the truck bound for the container in which they will be shipped and then served by volunteers,” explained Harmon. “Chaperoned kids age 10 and up along with adults up to 99 years old are asked to volunteer at this fun and worthy event.”

“Let’s do this together,” said Harmon.

“If you want to help sponsor this, it will cost over $35,000 to get this done which represents the expenses for the food ingredients/packets and shipping. Any and all donations are appreciated and welcome.”

“You can form your own team and wear matching outfits shirts or hats, or face paint if you want, or not; do whatever you want to help get into the spirit,” said Harmon.

“If you are planning on running your own

team, you will need 8+ people. One will need to be the designated the table captain and will communicate directly with me before hand to confirm your team member names and participation,” explained Harmon. “At the Family Center, your team will be briefed by our event organizers on how easy it is to prepare and measure the ingredients correctly for packing. Trust me, this is easy stuff — anyone can do this and you will have lots of help.”

Harmon explained that eight people per assembly line is optimal, but it can be done with fewer, if need be. There’s a rice person, a lentil person, a bag and vitamin person, and a vegetable person, although the bag and vitamin person can double as this is pretty easy. Then there are two sealer people — which is the most important task (not great for your children) — a sticker and box person. The table captain can do this role easily, and is responsible for getting his/her team to the event after confirming with me who is on their team.

“It’s a scoop, fill, seal and pack assembly line with breaks for snacks etc. Some people can stand while others sit and you can switch off,” said Harmon.

In short, here’s what you need to do to be a part of this fun event, suggests Harmon.

• You can form your own team and forward Harmon their names.

• You can join any team or be assigned where needed. There will hopefully be lots of people who just show up and help. Please let Harmon know if that’s your plan.

• Harmon is also looking for young groups (ages 13 and up) to help set up at 8 a.m. and help during the STOMP event. These strong kids are very important to the success of the event and preservation of our backs!

“I’ve had a few people who were unable to attend and expressed an interest in just donating money for the packing costs,” said Harmon. “My website is live and ready for donations. Please visit katw.org/ stomp or mail me a check payable to Kids Around the World, c/o Teri Harmon, PO Box 1899, Santa Ynez, CA 93460."

For more information or to RSVP, call (805) 688-6776, fax (805) 693-8842 or email Terisue.harmon@gmail.com.

Led by Teri Harmon (far left), volunteers get the tables set and ready for 25 teams during last year's STOMP-ing Out Hunger event.

Some friends and family members who helped with last year’s STOMP-ing Out Hunger event were (from left) Teri and John Harmon, Jerri Fredericks, Jeff Omdahl, Margie McShirley, Lori Wedlake, Matt Symmonds, and Richard McShirley. Contributed Photos

Countertenor John Holiday and pianist

Kevin Miller to perform at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley

Continuing the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series, recital is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, at 7 p.m

Staff Report

The Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series continues on Tuesday, April 2, at 7 p.m. as countertenor John Holiday and pianist Kevin Miller perform an expansive recital including repertoire from Baroque and contemporary composers at St. Mark's-inthe-Valley Espiscopal Church in Los Olivos. Holiday captured the hearts of America as a top 5 finalist on "The Voice" reality TV competition in 2022. He has performed at world-renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and the Philharmonie de Paris. Holiday begins the 2023-24 season as a featured soloist with the Handel and Haydn Society in Handel's "Messiah," before returning to the Dutch National Opera for Handel's "Agrippina." Holiday then joins the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for Pergolesi's

City, nonprofit is seeking artists for sea-inspired works to be shown along local streets

Staff Report

The City of Buellton has generously awarded a grant for another community art project that will add banners to the city streets and create an outreach program to showcase art by our community artists.

The artwork from this new project will be on Avenue of Flags, on Highway 246, and down Industrial Way.

Buellton.Art, a nonprofit working with the City Council and its Arts and Culture Committee to bring art and cultural experiences. It is seeking artists to help make that possible. Buellton.Art's theme this year is “Exploring the Ocean,” and it needs to create art from all over the ocean:

• Under the water: fish, sharks, octopus, vege-

"Stabat Mater" before reprising his roles in the restaging of Kevin Puts' "The Hours" at The Metropolitan Opera. Holiday finishes the season as Prince Go-Go in Ligeti's "Le Grand Macabre" at Bayerische Staatsoper, in addition to appearing in recitals across the U.S.

American pianist and collaborator Miller is acclaimed for his dynamically artful performances. Recent collaborations include recitals with international artists Lawrence Brownlee,

Joseph Calleja, Nadine Sierra, John Holiday, Will Liverman, and Leah Hawkins.

Miller also prepared soprano Jessye Norman for performances of Laura Karpman’s production of "Ask Your Mama," which was performed at Carnegie Hall. He can be heard on piano on the recording "Been in da Storm So Long," which features baritone Kenneth Overton. He can also be heard on Lawrence Brownlee’s recent release "Rising." Mill-

tation, swimmers, fishing lines, submarines, seahorses, whirlpools, and all kinds of sea life

• On the floor of the ocean: vegetation, reefs, shipwrecks, oysters, coral, lobster, sea anemone, or sea caves

• Above the water: boats, birds, surfers, waterspouts, islands, and more

• On the surface of the water: waves (they can make such different shapes!), swimmers, turtles, sea otters, messages in bottles, buoys, scuba divers, seals, or birds

• On the beach: sand castles, driftwood, sea-

shells, palm trees, beach flowers, sand dollars, sea glass, footprints, umbrellas, or crabs

If it has something to do with the ocean, and you feel inspired, Buellton.Art and the city want to see what you come up with! It can even be something from your imagination, like a sea monster! Or, what is the craziest looking fish you can draw?

Individuals of all ages and artistic abilities are encouraged to submit their original designs with this year’s theme, “Exploring the Ocean,” to the website Buellton.Art by May 1. If your entry is selected, it will be turned

er studied at the Mannes College of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in piano. He continued his studies at the University of Michigan School of Music, where he received both a Master of Music degree and an Artist Diploma in Collaborative Piano under the tutelage of Martin Katz. Miller has held music staff positions at major opera houses across the country, including The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Cincinnati Opera, and Opera Theater St. Louis.

Advance purchase tickets are recommended and are on sale on our website (smitv.ejoinme. org/syv-concert-series-ticketorder). Student tickets are free.

St. Mark’s in-the-Valley provides an intimate concert experience with seating for just over 100. St. Mark’s is pleased to offer the SYV Concert Series as a community arts enrichment program. All are invited to attend these non-sectarian, non-religious concerts. St. Mark’s is located at 2901 Nojoqui Ave., a block from the flagpole in the center of Los Olivos.

into digital art, then used to create a cohesive, collaborative arts project with your fellow local artists. The artwork will also be included in a community social media campaign showcasing the creativity of the Santa Ynez Valley.

One of the primary goals of this project is to help people of all artistic abilities see that there is an inner artist in all of us. Your drawing doesn’t need to be “perfect” – just creative! To learn more and submit your art, please go to Buellton.Art.

If you would like to support the project in another way, the program is also seeking additional Community Sponsors/Patrons of the Arts to help showcase and thank the artists. If you are interested, please go to Buellton.Art/ sponsors to learn more. All sponsorship and donations are tax deductible thanks to Buellton.Arts partnership with the nonprofit California Nature Art Museum in Solvang. Ninety percent of profits raised will go towards this Buellton art project to further our community art project goals.

For more information, go to Buellton.Art.

Countertenor John Holiday. Contributed Photo

Pianist Kevin Miller. Contributed Photo

These images show how a drawing can be turned into digital art. The nonprofit Buellton.Art, in partnership with the City of Buellton and the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang, is seeking artist to produce ocean-inspired works for street banners.

FOOD & DRINK

Chocolate for Tax Day recovery

In doing my usual cookbook research for this column, I came upon this recipe for a steamed chocolate pudding. It wasn't the word chocolate that caught my eye and my taste buds, but rather the note that accompanied the recipe. Here's the note, word for word, by the author, John Hadamuscin, in his book titled "Special Occasions," published in 1988. "Serve it immediately after reading the bottom line of your income tax return." He went on to call the pudding "one of the most comforting of comfort foods."

It's funny because I was looking at the month of April on my calendar to see what events and holidays were coming up, and sure enough, April 15 is tax day, as we all know!

Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Brandy and Almond

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate

• 1cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2/3 cup milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

• 1/4 cup brandy

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Melt butter and chocolate in a large heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, beat in sugar. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Put on a kettle of water to boil. Beat eggs into chocolate mixture, and then milk and vanilla. In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; gradually beat this into wet mixture until well blended. Transfer batter to a well-greased 6-cup pudding mold and cover with the lid. Place mold in a large pot and pour boiling water halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover the pot and place it over medium-high heat. Steam pudding, keeping water at a gentle boil for 2 hours. Replenish the pot with more boiling water as necessary. allow pudding to cool for half an hour before serving with a generous dollop of the whipped cream and a sprinkling of toasted almonds. Serves 6 generously.

Note: Pudding can be made ahead, cooled completely, and stored in the mold in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature and then reheat by steaming for about half an hour.

Whipped Cream Directions:

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Beat in confectioners' sugar, and gently fold in brandy and almond extract. Unmold pudding and cut into thick slices. Garnish slices with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Milky Way Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 Milky Way candy bars

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 cups sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon soda

• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Melt candy bars and 1/2 cup butter in saucepan over low heat. Cream remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar in mixer bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add soda and sifted flour alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Stir in melted candy, vanilla and pecans. pour into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool. Invert onto serving plate. Serves 12 to 24

If the cakes don't comfort you, try this Espresso Chocolate Martini!

Espresso Chocolate Martini

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Grind Espresso Shot Liquor

• 1 cup Kahlua

• 1 cup vanilla vodka

• 1 cup (or to taste) strong coffee (room temperature or chilled)

• Whipped cream

• Chocolate liquor to taste

• Chocolate syrup for glass rim

Directions:

Make ahead by the quart: put the top 4 ingredients in a quart container. Stir until thoroughly mixed. To serve, put the amount that you wish to make into a martini shaker with ice and shake rigorously for 45 seconds until chilled. You can mix in some whipped cream and shake it, or use whipped cream as a garnish. Add chocolate liquor to taste to the shaker before the ice and continue to make the Espresso Chocolate Martini. Happy Tax Day!

Barbie Butz Columnist

Celebrate Spring and Women’s History Month with 'The (Mad) Hatter' at Flying Goat Cellars

'Chief Philosopher/ Proprietor' Kate

Griffith will display her collection of over 50 caps Staff

Report

LOMPOC — To celebrate Spring, Women’s History Month, and the recently curated exhibit “The (Mad) Hatter,” Flying Goat Cellars is hosting a reception on Friday, March 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Tasting Room & Art Salon. With over 50 hats collected over 50 years, Chief Philosopher/Proprietor Kate Griffith has been nicknamed "The Mad Hatter” by her husband (and Winemaker) Norm Yost. Ladies and gents are invited to put on their favorite chapeau, channel their alter-ego, and join in the fun. Easter bonnets are especially welcome!

“Swept up with all the possibilities of who I could be (or pretend to be) with the change of a hat, I began collecting all styles of headgear

such as feminist icon Bella Abzug, who have had empowerment through their colorful, flamboyant, or unique hats. These leaders and other less known women are also celebrated for wearing “many hats” in their professional and personal lives.

“The (Mad) Hatter” collection includes diversity in expression, from a coy fascinator to a French beret to a cloche hat. Griffith playfully displays the hats with a dozen themes, such as “Day at the Races,” “Out of Africa” and “Tea Time.” Dare you venture into the Tasting Room and go down the rabbit hole of Griffith’s imagination? You may even find Alice or a frisky March Hare.

in my late teens,” remarked Griffith. “Almost 50 years and over 50 hats later, my collection includes functional to classical to whimsical styles. They all give me great delight. My husband admits that this is a side of me he didn’t

even know existed. I’ve been storing most of my hats in vintage trunks, including a Victorian hat trunk from my great grandmother.”

Griffith doffs a hat to Women’s History Month and the many ladies of inspiration,

Flying Goat Cellars is known for age-worthy fine Pinot Noir and sparkling wine without pretense. The Tasting Room, located at 1520 East Chestnut Court in Lompoc, is open Thursday throught Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rotating art exhibits are hosted throughout the year at Flying Goat. If you are interested in an exhibit, please contact (805) 736-9032 or info@flyinggoatcellars.com.

Kate Griffith, the proprietor and 'chief philosopher' of Flying Goat Cellars in Lompoc, is shown at the Tasting Room with her collection of hats hanging on the wall behind her. A reception will be held March 29 featuring "The (Mad) Hatter" exhibit. Contributed Photo

Santa Barbara celebrates: World of Pinot Noir

Annual celebration where wine lovers indulge in the seductive allure of Pinot Noirs from around the globe

By Mira Honeycutt Special to Santa Ynez Valley Star

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, a Santa Barbara luxury resort, was recently transformed into Pinot-ville for wine aficionados — not just enophiles, mind you, but die-hard Pinot-philes.

The annual World of Pinot Noir (WOPN), a seaside gathering like no other, took place over two-and-a-half days from Feb. 29-March 2, a celebration attended by some 3100 Pinot fans and producers, sommeliers, journalists, and industry professionals.

There were winemaker dinners crafted by renowned chefs, deeply engaging seminars led by wine educators, and two grand tastings, all of which added up to an elevated experience pairing Central Coast food with global Pinots.

WOPN was a brainchild of Bryan Talley, who co-founded the event in 2001 with the late Archie McLaren (founder of the Central Coast Wine Classic).

It all began when Talley celebrated his namesake winery’s 10th anniversary in Edna Valley to showcase his winery’s distinctive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

McLaren, who attended that celebration, suggested that Talley create a similar event focused on world-class Pinot Noir. Talley went a step further and took inspiration from both Oregon’s International Pinot Noir celebration and Carmel’s Masters of Food and Wine to spotlight the Central Coast and international Pinots.

“I tried to mash up those two concepts, and that became the World of Pinot Noir,” Talley told me while pouring his two vineyarddesignate 2021 Pinots from Stone Corral and Rosemary’s vineyard.

The first WOPN was held at Cliff’s Resort in Shell Beach and continued there before moving in 2015 to the current location. With some 37 wineries, the first event was impressive, especially since the organization managed to snag wines from Burgundy’s famed Domaine Leroy.

“Many people heard about it, and the next year, we featured Domaine de la Romanée Conti wines, so we were on the map; people

recognized that we were serious,” Talley recalled. “We were off to the races.”

Domaine de la Romanée Conti makes the world’s most expensive Pinots, fetching anywhere from $4000-$8000 per bottle. The gathering also hosted its proprietor, the dapper Aubert de Villaine. The Pinot world doesn’t get star power any stronger than that.

“I will never forget seeing him [de Villaine] sitting next to the swimming pool at the Cliffs on a chaise lounge in a suit,” said a beaming Talley. “Not a bathing suit,” he clarified. “He brought the 1999 vintage. That was the highlight of my career.”

Thus, WOPN got a stellar start and has

continued as a highly sought-after celebration for Pinot fans. Aficionados wax poetic about the seductiveness of an elegant nose of red berry fruits and layers of warm earthy notes in a wine that can be at once graceful and earthy, musty and fresh, pungent and fragrant.

Even for an aficionado, though, there was too much Pinot and too little time, with some 100 wineries featured at each of the two grand tastings. True to its name, every year, the event draws a good many international wineries but generally leans toward Central Coast wineries.

“Maybe,” agreed Eric Johnson, Talley’s winemaker, and director of viticulture. “We’re trying to push more Oregon and Santa

Cruz Mountains [wineries] and more out of California.” Santa Barbara has the most, with Sonoma right behind, Johnson added.

California was well represented by its noted Pinot regions — Los Carneros, Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley, SLO Coast, Monterey County, and Santa Cruz Mountains.

From Monterey, at the Pisoni table, viticulturist Mark Pisoni offered 2022 vintages of Lucia from Sobranes vineyard and the Estate Cuvee. The latter is three vineyards combined, he said of this blend made from his family’s Sobranes, Pisoni

Bryan Talley (far right) co-founder of World of Pinot Noir with daughter Elizabeth and winemaker Eric Johnson. Photos by Mira Honeycutt

and Garys’ vineyards.

Another brilliant offering came from Naidu Wines & Vineyards’ 2022 Estate Pinot from Sonoma Coast. “It’s complex but approachable,” said owner Raghni Naidu.

From Santa Barbara, there were noted wines such as Au Bon Climat’s 2019 Knox Alexander, Alma Rosa’s 2021 El Jabali, Tercero’s selection of five Pinots highlighting different clonal elections, and a 2020 lineup of Hitching Post Pinots. Others among dozens of Santa Barbara producers included Lumen, Melville, Gogi, Foxen, Ampelos, Brewer Clifton, Sandhi, and Ken Brown.

Oregon’s justly renowned Willamette Valley was well represented by Adelsheim, Resonance, Domaine Serene, Domaine Drouhin, Evening Land, Erath, and more.

Burgundy’s Louis Latour table drew quite a crowd eager to taste two grand crus, the 2018 Corton-Perrieres and the 2019 Château Corton Grancy, along with the 2020 AloxCorton premier cru.

As I continued my sip-and-spit walkabout, I stopped by at The German Wine Collection table offering nine wines representing five of Germany’s 13 appellations, ranging from the Pfalz region to the Alsatian border.

“Germany is not just about Riesling,” insisted Jenna Fields, president of the collection. “Germany produced more Pinot

than the US in the 1990s.” Now it’s the world’s third largest Pinot producing country after France and the US.

From Australia’s Yarra Valley, there was the 2022 Giant Steps, and 2021 Handpicked, both expressing crisp acidity. Nearby Tasmania’s non-vintage Jansz sparkling wine crafted in the traditional method was produced from Pinot and Chardonnay grapes.

Argentina was represented by Domaine Nico from Mendoza and Chile’s Concha Y Toro featured Amelia from Limari Valley.

The weekend seminars included: The New “Grand Cru” of California, a historical look at California’s Pinot vineyards from such AVAs as Santa Maria Valley, Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley. Bubbles and Bites Around the World and Global Wine Conversation rounded off the international touch.

The weekend’s tentpole was the five-course Vintage Burgundy dinner at a whopping price of $500. Other winemakers’ dinners spotlighted Anderson Valley’s Goldeneye Winery and Willamette Valley hosted by ten distinguished vintners.

Luncheon themes ranged from high altitude AVA of the Santa Cruz Mountains to honoring the women of Russian River Valley AVA in Sonoma County.

This year’s virtual auction raised $48,000.

In keeping with its overall mission, WOPN (a 501 C 6 organization), will donate a portion of the proceeds to non-profit institutions and/or scholarships that help

further educate and enlighten the world about the Pinot Noir grape. In recent years this has included donations to the Cal Poly Wine & Viticulture.

Raghni Naidu, owner of Naidu Wines & Vineyards.

Larry Schaeffer, owner/winemaker of Tercero Wines.

Weston Hartley and Keana Wiss.

LINDA JOHANSEN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

for children and adults to get a limited education,” Johansen continued. “The power of these two organizations is that they offer hope that it is possible to make a better life for themselves and their families. The welcoming environment at both of these facilities offers a safe haven from the horrific outside world in which they live.”

Following their site visits, they made the 1½ hour drive to Antigua, which would be their home for the next three nights.

“Drivers Stu Gildred and Bobby Brugnone communicated with each other by walkie-talkies, one operated by Allan Jones in one van and Art Kaslow in the other. It sounds crazy but it works. We had lots of comical dialogue and jokes between the cars all day long to keep us alert, on task with directions, laughing, and entertained while driving to our next work site,” said Johansen.

In Antigua, the group stayed at Common Hope, a nonprofit promoting hope and opportunity in Guatemala.

Johansen explained that the work of Common Hope is to end the cycle of poverty for children through a holistic, relationship-based model. While education is at the heart of their work, they believe a comprehensive approach to human development

is critical for children and families to reach their full potential.

“The compound facility was extraordinary, located behind closed and 24-hour guarded gates,” described Johansen. “The accommodations were excellent with a shower and restroom facilities and our own stocked kitchen for us to make our breakfast. At the work site a local lunch was usually provided and the team enjoyed a few nights out at excellent local restaurants as well as staff prepared dinners at the compound. Everyone stayed healthy with no stomach issues which can be an issue when traveling to certain countries, if not cautious.”

Johansen described what the team did during their stay at Common House.

“The dentists performed a full day of severe dental services pulling many abscessed teeth. Jan Clevenger and I assisted the dentists," she said. "The dental clinic was top notch as dentists from the United States work year-round and have stocked the facility with excellent equipment. They have teams that go down every month or every other month to this area, and next year we will definitely work three days in the dental clinic as there is a tremendous need for dental care in this underserved community. You have to understand that most of these people have no toothbrush or toothpaste, so dental care is vital for their health.

“We also built a two-room shelter in an impoverished area in Antigua. It was an amazing experience as we were able to meet the family members destined for the shelter and the hus-

band worked side by side with us on the build site. We provided mint green paint that was chosen by the family with supplies for them to paint their new residence, which lacks water, a bathroom facility or a kitchen. These other necessities will be outside and close to the shelter in some primitive form in the dirt.”

Johansen explained the educational system there and the language barriers.

“Before leaving Antigua we visited the private nonprofit school, Suenos, which teaches the indigenous children Spanish so that they can hopefully continue their education in the public schools. There are 28 different dialects of the Mayan language, so rarely can the different communities communicate with one another and they can’t speak or understand Spanish, which causes a lot of issues,” she said. “The vision of Suenos is to provide the educational, social, and emotional tools for these children to complete primary education and acquire a skill set to achieve some sort of economic stability. Stu Gildred sponsors a young girl named Lettie at this organization who we were able to meet last year.”

After visiting Suenos, the team drove a long distance to meet up with ASOCAVIVA, which is an organization based on faith and Christian principles. Their main goal is providing safe drinking water to remote areas in Guatemala.

“ASOCAVIVA drills water wells and tries to improve the lifestyle and health of the communities,” said Johansen. “They

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(Left and center) Dr. Art Kaslow, DDS, and Linda Johansen are shown in Antiqua at the Common Hope, where they performed a full day of severe dental services. (Right) Jan Clevenger holds a smiling infant she met during the group's trip to Guatemala. Photos Courtesy of Linda Johansen.

do this by sharing their health and hygiene programs, including basic personal hygiene and water preservation. In all of the remote villages fecal matter contaminates the water down usually past 150 feet. Clean, fresh, and healthy water is a basic necessity of life and should be available to everyone and that is always a huge part of our mission.”

Johansen said that the team stayed in the same local hotel as the drill crew, ate breakfast and dinner with them, and the villagers prepared all snacks and lunch at the well dig site.

“The days are long, waking up very early for breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and leaving the hotel by 6 a.m," Johansen said. "The Village is almost 1½ hours from the hotel, so again we navigate by walkie-talkies between the two vans, but at least we can follow the workers trucks out to the Village on the very remote dirt roads with little or no signage. Visitors never frequent these impoverished villages, so there is a lot of commotion when we all arrive.”

The men concentrated on the well dig, and the women in the group taught classes to about 30 children and their mothers in the Village.

“We taught oral and personal hygiene, nutrition, health and well-being, and water preservation,” explained Johansen. “We teach in English so they can hear the English language spoken, which is then translated into Spanish. This is all done with skits, song, dance, crafts, and interaction with our eager students.

“We ladies absolutely loved this experience and are eager to go back to help another village. The children, as well as the mothers, were all excited to learn and we also taught them English nursery songs and rhymes which they loved,” said Johansen. “It was a beautiful experience, loving on all these beautiful children and mothers. There were a lot of tears and such warm, loving, and long heartfelt hugs when we left. I still have a lump in my throat thinking about all of them and haven’t made it through one story about them without tears.”

The water well came in very late that night to everyone’s relief, Johansen relayed. The Solvang Rotary Foundation com-

mitted $5,000 towards this project to help defray expenses as the drilling of the water well project is $8,400 alone. A plaque with Solvang Rotary and Linda Vista Foundation will be placed at the well site.

“Usually there is a communal celebration with the Villagers, but that didn’t happen this year as the well dig was difficult with lots of sludge and volcanic rock. It took twice as long as last year to hit the water and it came in late, so unfortunately our team didn’t get to celebrate with the Villagers as is usual,” said Johansen.

“It is difficult and demanding both physically and emotionally, but the personal rewards are many, so heartfelt that they utterly feed and fuel your soul.”

To round off the trip, the group flew to Tikal to experience the ancient Mayan ruins in the rainforest.

“Tikal is 222.4 square miles of lush jungle surrounding the beautiful Mayan ceremonial center and archaeological remains of the ancient Mayan civilization. It was declared a World Heritage UNESCO site in 1979 and much of it still remains to be unearthed,” Johansen described. “It was so spiritual and awe-inspiring and what we all needed to calm our emotions after this philanthropic mission.”

“We stayed at Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel which is incredible, situated right on the lake. We visited Monkey Island where a monkey named Margarita boarded our boat, making herself at home. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the hotel as well as in Flores and many of us went kayaking on the beautiful lake. It was a wonderful ending to a very emotional, work-filled week,” said Johansen.

The group also had its own ways to pass the time.

“We cemented our friendships with nightly games of ‘Left, Right, and Center’ on the trip and for those lucky enough to win, that was $33 a game! I know all of us are much better people for having had this opportunity to serve our fellow man,” Johansen stated. “I know all of our hearts were touched in the most profound ways, and

I know we will remain committed to doing philanthropic work again. It truly was a magical trip in so many ways, connecting with the people of Guatemala again.”

Many people helped make this philanthropic trip a success by their generous donations.

Kaslow and Brugnone donated dental supplies and instruments, and Katherine Streegan, DDS, donated toothbrushes and toothpaste for 100 children and June Martin Sr., philanthropy officer of the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation sent 50 fans for the women in the remote villages to help with the heat and to keep insects off of their babies.

Rotarians Ellen Albertoni, Tresha Sell, and Dave Dennee also each contributed $100 which was used to buy paint and supplies for the house build, and additional school supplies and toys for Suenos. The remaining $150 was donated to Potters House. The group took an extra suitcase filled with 80 pounds of supplies that were distributed and used.

“Once you commit yourself to helping the impoverished, it definitely becomes one of the most gratifying things you will ever do, and that will always be an important part of your life," Johansen said. "There are many tears of frustration but more tears of pure joy because you see the impact that you can make by giving and sharing of yourself. You validate the lives of those that you are helping and let them know they are of value and matter and that you absolutely care about them and their well-being. You aren’t giving them a handout; you are giving them a hand up and hope. It is a small and easy gift to give and one that fills my heart with so much joy and purpose.”

Future trips will be scheduled to Guatemala, Columbia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and other areas where service is needed.

For more information, email Johansen at lindyjo2003@ yahoo.com.

(Left) The Rotary group is shown doing some repair work at a home in Guatemala. (Right) The entire Rotary team is shown at Tikal National Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in the rainforest of Guatemala.

CALENDAR

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 9 A.M.

County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara

For more info: countyofsb.org

MONDAY, MARCH 21

SOLVANG DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE, 5 P.M.

At Solvang City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang

For more info: cityofsolvang.com

SANTA YNEZ COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT, 5:30 P.M.

At Community Services District Building, 1070 Faraday St.

For more info: sycsd.com

MONDAY, MARCH 25

SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL, 6:30 P.M.

At Solvang City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang

For more info: cityofsolvang.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

LOS ALAMOS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT, 6 P.M.

At LACSD Board Room, 82 Saint Joseph Street, Los Alamos

For more info: losalamoscsd.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

BUELLTON CITY COUNCIL, 6 P.M.

At Council Chambers, 140 West Highway 246, Buellton

For more info: cityofbuellton.com

MONDAY, APRIL 1

SOLVANG PLANNING COMMISSION, 6 P.M.

At Solvang City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang

For more info: cityofsolvang.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 2

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 9 A.M.

County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara

For more info: countyofsb.org

EVENTS

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

YMCA MASQUERADE BALL, 5:30 TO 9 P.M.

Join us for a magical evening of dancing and bonding at the YMCA’s Father Daughter Masquerade Dance on Friday, March 22 at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to don their most enchanting masks and twirl the night away. Get creative at our mask-making station, where kids can design their own mysterious masks to wear throughout the evening. With lively music, delightful refreshments, and an atmosphere of joy, this event promises to create unforgettable memories for families of all kinds. Don’t miss out on this special occasion — everyone is welcome to join in the fun! Tickets are $50 for parent and child and $20 for each additional child.

At Stuart C. Gildred YMCA, 900 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez

For more general and ticket info: www.ciymca. org/events

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

EINSTEIN DAY, 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

The Santa Ynez Valley Family School is holding this FREE community event celebrating craft, science and creativity. Event includes food, a bake sale, activities, and family fun! Activity Booths open from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Zoo to You makes appearance from 1 to 2 p.m. At Santa Ynez Valley Family School, 5300 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos For more info: www.syvfamilyschool.org

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

COTTAGE HEALTH OPEN HOUSE, 4 TO 6 P.M.

Please join us for an Open House at Cottage Primary Care – Old Mission Road and Pacific Diagnostic Laboratories’ (PDL)Patient Service Center.

• Meet the Primary Care physicians and care team

• Free blood pressure screening

• Free Take-home Stool Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening (FIT Kit)

• Tour the facilities

• Light refreshments

• Giveaways

Walk-ins welcome, but RSVP suggested.

At Cottage Primary Care, 1992 Old Mission Drive, Suite 140 and 120, Solvang For questions, please contact Leslie Church at lchurch@sbch.org. To reserve a spot, go to www. eventbrite.com/e/open-house-at-cottage-primary-care-old-mission-road-and-pdl-tickets

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

EASTER

EGGSTRAVAGANZA, 10 A.M. TO 12 P.M.

The 33rd Annual Solvang & Buellton Easter Egg Hunt returns to River View Park in Buellton. It’s the valley’s biggest hunt followed by activities, games, Easter crafts, and more! Kids hunt starts promptly at 10 a.m. Get there early! At River View Park, 151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton

EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 31

EASTER BRUNCH BUFFET AT VEGA VINEYARDS, 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M.

Vega Vineyard & Farm is holding an Easter Brunch Buffet at its property. Food will include a salad station, a breakfast station, an entree station, and a dessert and fruit station. Cost for meal is $59 per person/$55 for club members (up to 2 tickets per membership), and $30 for kids under 10. Children under 3 are complimentary.

At Vega Vineyard & Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton

For tickets, go to www.exploretock.com/vegavineyard

ONGOING

TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS STORYTIME AT SOLVANG LIBRARY, 10:30 A.M., TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS

Join us indoors on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Come to enjoy songs, stories, movement, and a warm welcome. Please make a reservation at cityofgoleta.org/city-hall/goleta-valley-library

At Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang

For more info: Solvang Library (805) 6884214

WEDNESDAYS SOLVANG FARMERS MARKET, 2:30 TO 6 P.M.

Each week, the farmers in the marketplace display a colorful bounty of agricultural products grown right in our backyard. Seasonal diversity is available year-round rain or shine. Come. Shop. Socialize. Certified — the only way to buy! Join us in downtown Solvang every Wednesday on First Street, between Mission Drive (Highway 246) and Copenhagen Drive.

WINE

WEDNESDAYS IN BUELLTON,

4 TO 8 P.M.

Please join us for an evening out with family fun for all in Buellton, hosted by Esfuerzo Wines and The Birria Boyz. This event will take place each Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Each week we will have guest food vendors, live music and much more to be announced. We hope to see you there!

At 140 Industrial Way, Buellton

For more info: info@esfuerzowine.com

BINGO IN BUELLTON, 6 P.M.

Starting Wednesday, Feb. 21, Firestone Walker will be hosting Bingo in our taproom every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Space is first-come, first-serve and free to all ages. We will offer multiple games and prizes for participants. See you there!

At Firestone Walker Brewing Company, 620 McMurray Road, Buellton

For more info: firestonewalker.com

SPORTS AND RECREATION

ONGOING PICKLEBALL, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS 6:30 TO 8:30 P.M. Pickleball — part Ping-Pong, part badminton, lots of momentum — is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. The games can be fast-paced and deliver a good workout. 2 person teams/ or singles. All are welcome!

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

DROP-IN ADULT BASKETBALL, YEAR ROUND, MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS 6 TO 7:15 A.M.

Start your day with a pick up game of basketball with friends.

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

OPEN BASKETBALL, ONGOING, MONDAYS, 7:30 TO 9:30 P.M.

Start your day with a pick up game of basketball with friends.

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

For info on these and other programs, go to buelltonrec.com