Local philanthropist seeks volunteers to help with annual 'STOMPing Out Hunger' Event ARTS & NONPROFITS

By Pamela Dozois Contributing Writer

Local resident and philanthropist Teri Harmon will once again sponsor “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 di erent care points, such as orphanages, schools, homes, churches, and community feeding centers within each country.

“ is will be our third Stomping-ing Out Hunger gathering and we have once again partnered with ‘Kids Around the World’ to assemble meals, which will be sent to children living in impoverished villages in Uganda and Equador,” explained Harmon. “ e program is called 'OneMeal' and is one of three programs sponsored by ‘Kids Around the World’ a 501(c) (3) nonpro t, which empowers groups to be a part of the solution of child malnutrition. Families in these impoverished areas can qualify to receive the vitamin-forti ed meals, which we will be assembling on Saturday, April 15, at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church Family Center in Ballard.”

Kids Around the World provides all the ingredients, such as rice, lentils, freeze-dried vegetables, and vitamin packets to be assembled by her team of volunteers. She explained that all these ingredients go into one bag and one bag contains six meals. irty-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.

“I’m hoping to beat last year's record of 130,000 meals packed last year — but I need help,” said Harmon.

Each assembly table will have an team of at least eight people that will scoop or pour the ingredients into the packets, then seal and put them into a box that is then loaded back onto the truck bound for the container in which it will be shipped. Chaperoned kids age 10 and up along with adults up to 99 years old are asked to volunteer at this fun and worthy event.

“You can form your own team and wear matching out ts shirts or hats, or face paint if you want, or not; do whatever you want to help get into the spirit,” said Harmon. Let’s do this together — 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.”

Harmon explained how the process works.

“If you are planning on running your own team, you will need 8-plus people. One will need to be the designated the Table Captain and will communicate directly with me before hand to con rm your team member names and participation,” she said. “At the Family Center, your team will be briefed by our Kids Around the World event organizer (takes just 5 minutes), on how to easy it is to prepare and measure the ingredients correctly for packing. Trust me, this is easy stu — anyone can do this and you will have lots of help.

"Eight people per assembly line is optimal, but it can be done with fewer, if need be. ere’s a rice person, a lentil person, bag and vitamin person and a vegetable person although the bag and vitamin person can double as this is pretty easy, two-sealer people, which is the most important task (not great for your children), a sticker and box person. It’s a scoop, ll, seal and pack assembly line with breaks for snacks, etc. Some people can stand while others sit and you can switch o .”

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. ere 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 15 and up) to help set up at 8am and help during the STOMP event. ese strong kids are very important to the success of the event and preservation of our backs!

Because the need to order the packing supplies and materials early, Harmon will need your RSVP info before March 25, preferably sooner. If you cannot make the event but would like to contribute, visit give.kidsaroundtheworld. com/stomp or sent 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

Happy Endings

CONTINUED FROM PG.1 rm that the horses are in generally good condition, that abuse or neglect are not factors, and determine that there are no seriously underlying health issues before they accept them as recipients. When all of the conditions are met, Happy Endings provides hay, equine senior feed, necessary farrier needs, and non-surgical veterinary care, within reason. at’s almost double the price," she said. " e prices of everything have gone up from food to medicine, veterinary costs, even gas for the truck. ere is not one single thing that hasn’t gone up in price that I know of. If you would like to contribute funds to o set some of these sky-high prices, we would be most grateful.”

Bonita Sargeant is Happy Endings’ grant writer and heads up the Rescue Program and also volunteers to care for the horses.

“I have horses on site and horses in foster care,” said Beaudette-Wellman. "I have horses in Buellton, down the street at the neighbor’s ranch and in Santa Ynez, all cared for by Happy Endings and their volunteers.

According to Beaudette-Wellman, higher expenses had made the sanctuary's job more di cult.

“Last year, at this time, one bale of hay was $24. I just ordered some hay and it is now $39.99, which will last one horse ve days.

Beaudette-Williamson said her facility provides a safe place for people to place their horses if they can't care from them.

“It is well-known in the rescue world that people give up their animals because they can’t a ord to keep them, so they either euthanize them or place them in shelters.

For the most part, placing horses in a rescue facility is next to impossible. Some will only accept horses with nancial support attached, such as a trust fund,” she explained. “Lately, it has been rather problematic with people creating fraudulent rescue facilities, asking for donations, and applying for grants, but they are not legitimate. ey take the money and the horses are sold to ‘kill buyers’ and transported to either Mexico or Canada, who then buy them by the pound. We want to support people who want to keep their horses in their loving homes so that’s why we started this program.”

If horses are neglected, Beaudette-Wellman will try her very best to nd foster homes to place them; if she can’t or the owner is unwilling to relinquish, the case gets sent to Animal Services.

“But it takes a lot of money to rescue these animals and rehabilitate them properly, so we rely on grants from foundations and caring individuals from our community,” she said. "During the COVID period we were unable to hold our annual fundraiser, ‘Rock for Horses.’ But, this year, our event will be happening in early September. So please come join us for a fun- lled evening.”

Happy Endings invites all seniors with horses, if they are struggling nancially, to call Happy Endings at (805) 448-7138 and take advantage of its Rescue Program now. eir funding is limited, so please don’t delay if you need help.

“We are very humbled to be of service to our community and will continue, by the grace of God, to do so,” said Beaudette-Wellman in conclusion.

For more information about the organization and the many programs Happy Endings o ers, visit www.HappyEndingsAnimalRescueSanctuary.org.

Government Meetings

TUESDAY, MARCH 21

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

At County Administration Building, Fourth Floor, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara

For more info: countyofsb.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 23

BUELLTON CITY COUNCIL, 6 P.M.

At Council Chambers, 140 West Highway 246, Buellton

For more info: cityofbuellton.com

MONDAY, MARCH 27

SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL, 6:30 P.M.

At Solvang City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang

For more info: cityofsolvang.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

LOS OLIVOS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT, 6 P.M.

At St Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, Stacy Hall, 2092 Nojoqui Ave, Los Olivos

For more info: www.losolivoscsd.com

MONDAY, APRIL 3

SOLVANG PLANNING COMMISSION, 6 P.M.

At Solvang City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang

For more info: cityofsolvang.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 21

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

At County Administration Building, Fourth Floor, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara

For more info: countyofsb.org

Events

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22

PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT KAENA WINERY, 10:30 A.M. TO 1:30 P.M.

Are you looking for something unique to do in Santa Barbara County Wine Country?

Why not join us at the picturesque Kaena at the Ranch in Solvang to grab a glass of wine and a paintbrush? Not just another paint and sip class, this is a full-sensory experience. Our painting in the vineyard classes provide a beautiful, stress-free environment that will