CALM’s 22nd Annual Celebrity Author’s Luncheon

CALM-logoCALM’s (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) 22nd Annual Celebrity Authors’ Luncheon last weekend was, as always, a rousing success, thanks in large part to the dynamic duo of Sharon Bifano and Stephanie Ortale, who have co-chaired the event every year since its inception in 1987.

Board president Meredith Scott gave a lovely tribute to retiring executive director Anna M. Kokotovic, PhD. That, along with a moving video presentation produced by Surf Media Communications, brought the work that CALM does in the community to the forefront of the luncheon–to prevent, assess, and treat child abuse by providing comprehensive, services for children and their families–inspiring the approximately 500 supporters at the luncheon to dig deep into their pockets to help abused children.

Retired KEYT anchor Debby Davison and Borders Books’ Kate Schwab interviewed an interesting panel of authors: Lisa See (Peony in Love), Andrew Klavan (Damnation Street), Deborah Rodriguez (Kabul Beauty School) and Gary David Goldberg (Sit, Ubu, Sit).

See’s book follows the lives of two young Chinese women in remote 19th century China. Her comparison of the tortures of female foot binding to the “plastic boobs” of today’s women (“they’re both painful things done to women as status symbols for men”) had the mostly female crowd in stitches.

When asked about the vivid characters he creates, Klavan said, “I really enjoy the fact that people are immensely different.” Another vivid character was Rodriguez herself, a hairdresser from Michigan who went to Afghanistan as a relief worker and ended up training Afghan women to do modern beauty treatments. “I mean Taliban are but this perm was really bad too,” said Rodriguez, describing the woman who inspired her to start the Kabul Beauty School.

“I couldn’t believe that you could make a living doing what I got to do,” said (Family Ties and (Spin City creator Goldberg, who spoke about writing a memoir about his life as a television writer/producer.

They joined the ranks of more than 70 authors interviewed over the years, including Sue Grafton, Jane Russell, Barnaby Conrad, Michael Crichton, Julia Child, Ray Bradbury, Fanny Flagg, Maria Shriver and Jonathan Winters.

In addition to purchasing books by the interviewed authors (with a portion of the proceeds going to CALM), authors Mindy Bingham, Polly Bookwalter, Joe Bruzzese, Jack Canfield, Kathryn Cushman, William Davis, Karen Finell, David Gersh, Beverly Jackson, Susan Jorgensen, Jennie Nash, Katie Nuanes, Sissy Taran and Flavia Weedn were also on hand to sign books and donate part of the proceeds to CALM.

For more information about CALM, visit www.calm4kids.org.

Originally published in Noozhawk on March 12, 2008.

Sarah House Lights Up The Night with “The Artizans’Ball”

Sarah House Artizans Ball 2010

Sarah House Artizans Ball 2010

Noted artists Hank Pitcher, Rick Schloss, Matti Berglund, Jane Sun, Brad Nack, Michael Drury, Tom Henderson, Kathleen Elsey, Anthony Ocone, Larry Iwerks and Barnaby Conrad are but a few of the more than 100 artists who have donated their work to assist Sarah House and AIDS Housing Santa Barbara at their annual holiday Light Up The Night benefit at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club on Saturday, December 8, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Sarah House is the only “social model” home in the nation offering hospice care for low-income or homeless individuals who are in need of a place to die with appropriate care and dignity. Named for the late Sarah Shoresman, whose daughter, Linda Lorenzen-Hughes, remains active on the board of directors, Sarah House does not receive government funding, but relies instead on donations to keep the facility open for those in need.

This year’s fundraiser theme is “The Artizans’ Ball,” which centers on the silent auction of works of art and tabletop holiday trees and wreaths, as well as spectacular vacations in Tuscany, Hawaii, and Careyes, Mexico. This is a different twist for the 16th annual Light up the Night, which has traditionally auctioned off holiday trees designed by local artists and supporters.

“We feel like it’s always good to reinvent yourself,” says chair Kerrie Kilpatrick-Weinberg, who is herself an artist and the founder of Artwalk for Kids. “We’ve done Light up the Night for several years and there’s other people doing trees now, so what this will be is a ball, music, lovely food and drinks, but more importantly art everywhere…It’s very much an auction centered around art energy in Santa Barbara, with the artistic community donating to Sarah House.

The only thing that will be silent will be the auction. The evening includes entertainment by Cats’ N’ Dogs with Lois Mahalia, Tom & Gabe Lackner; the national award-winning San Marcos Madrigals choir; the Living Muses, Buddy Winston, and a surprise or two. Food will be from New West caterers, with local wines from Buttonwood Farm Winery and Alma Rosa Winery and a special bar featuring original concoctions by the Wildcat Lounge, such as a Cosmo Van Gogh and Warhol-on-the-Rocks.

Costumes are optional but everyone is encouraged to come dressed as their favorite artist or in something inspired by a work of art. Tickets are $100 suggested donation. To purchase tickets call 882.1192 or visit www.Sarahhousesb.org

Originally published in Noozhawk