‘Yachts of Love’ Raises $156,000 for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

Friends and supporters of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care gathered at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club to celebrate the 9th Annual “Yachts of Love” Charity Regatta. The event benefitted Serenity House, and successfully raised $156,000 for the organization’s 18-bed inpatient residential hospice home.

Before the first gun went off to start the race, the Harbor Patrol did a ceremonial ‘Fire Dance’ complete with fire hoses to send the racers on their way. Nearly 30 sailboats competed in this year’s Charity Regatta, and in the end, Prevail came in first for the “A” fleet, captained by Celebrity Skippers Todd Pazier and Hugh Montgomery (both with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department). Jim Rampton, Battalion Chief of the Carpinteria/Summerland Fire Station, steered Bullet into first for the “B” fleet.

After the race, guests made their way back to the Yacht Club for a delicious barbecue dinner, and a final chance to bid on the silent auction items.

 

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is the leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive in-home health care. The mission of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is to provide high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents, including those unable to pay. It serves the greater Santa Barbara area, and Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys and  is one of Santa Barbara’s oldest nonprofit organizations. For more information click here or call 805/965-5555.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 20, 2013.