A posse of 150-plus modern-day cowboys and cowgirls ponied up to the luxurious Canary Hotel on Feb. 23 for the Garden Court Endowment Fifth Annual “Home” Fundraiser benefiting local seniors in need and honoring Michael Towbes for his contributions.
The Garden Court Endowment, established in 2000 through grants from the Hutton Parker Foundation, the Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation and from Hotel Andalucia, now the Canary Hotel, is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable rental housing and services for low-income seniors who live independently in Santa Barbara.
Funds from scholarships and private donors bestowed to the endowment help ensure the continuation of medical and dental treatment and on-site wellness programs to 150 low-income seniors residing at Garden Court on De la Vina, a 98-unit apartment building at 1116 De la Vina St.
This year’s fundraiser also aimed to raise capital for a second Garden Court facility that will include a licensed assistant-living component.
“Assistant living is not really available for low-income seniors in our community,” said Detlev Peikert, Garden Court’s board president. “So a new facility similar to Garden Court would extend the residents’ ability to live semi-independently rather than going into a nursing home, which is often like the end-of-life scenario for a lot of our tenants.”
Peikert, owner of Peikert Group Architects who designed Garden Court, said that as the residents of Garden Court continue to age, and become increasingly frail and susceptible to impending health issues, the current facility is not equipped to assist them with necessary on-site care.
“We are unable to provide the services to help them because we are not a licensed facility there, so that’s one of our goals,” Peikert said. “We are looking a several sites right now, so we hope by next year to have plans under way.”
The festive event was also held in honor of Towbes, a philanthropist who arrived at the western-themed affair with his wife, Anne, who was stylishly dressed for the occasion in a brown suede jacket, plaid shirt, denim jeans and, of course, cowboy boots.
Towbes, a successful businessman and financier who owns and operates numerous properties around town and has helped develop more than 6,000 residential units in Santa Barbara County, said he was pleased to be honored by an agency that he deeply admires.
“I’m very happy and pleased that Garden Court is expanding,” Towbes said. “I love Garden Court, and I think they are doing a marvelous job. Hopefully, we can do more of that kind of housing to further assist the senior community.”
As the sun began to set, the silent auction was in full swing inside the main bar and lounge of the hotel, decorated as a saloon-type setting complete with bales of hay, anticque light fixtures and live country music.
Guests rubbed shoulders and tipped their hats as they mingled and surveyed tables that stretched throughout the length of the room with bottles of fine wine, jewelry, gift certificates, arts and gift baskets and enjoyed a variety of cocktails and tasty hors d’oeuvres.
Rona Barrett, an advocate for the elderly for more than three decades and founder of the Rona Barrett Foundation, which provides affordable housing for the elderly, spoke excitedly of plans to develop The Golden Inn and Village senior housing facility in the Santa Ynez Valley. She also stressed the importance of Garden Court’s ability to provide safe and affordable housing for seniors in Santa Barbara County.
“Garden Court is one of the best places in Santa Barbara for the elderly who are in need and require financial assistance,” she said.
Later, the posse was rounded up for a hearty homestyle buffet dinner that would tame any cowpoke’s heart. Some of the chow favorites included slow-roasted barbecue chicken breast, grilled pork ribs, corn on the cob and spicy baked beans.
As folks settled down to eat, the awards presentation commenced and Peikert thanked everyone in the room for their contributions and explained how seniors within the community needed the support more than ever before.
“In our region, we have more then 5,000 seniors over age 75 living on a Social Security income of about $850 per month in an area where rent for a simple studio apartment is about $1,000 per month,” Peikert said. “At Garden Court, we are able to provide a safe, dignified and beautiful home for seniors for about $350 per month. And on top of that, we offer residents three square meals a day for an additional $350.”
Peikert acknowledged that the remaining dollars barely cover daily allowances, which is why the endowment program is so important. Many seniors often exceed their means with little or no money left to cover urgent needs, such as medical or dental expenses or veterinary care.
“With seniors now living longer and a dramatic increase in the number of seniors with disabilities coupled with the economic problems that we have been experiencing, more and more seniors find themselves in hard times,” Peikert said. “With the money raised tonight and with the endowment, we are able to help this vulnerable population in times of urgent need, both at the Garden Court and in the wider community.”
Robert Pearson, executive director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, shared a brief video highlighting Towbes’ many accomplishments and countless services to the community.
After the video, dignitaries including Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider each presented Towbes with a certificate validating his years of achievement and leadership in the community.
Capps presented Towbes with a Certificate of Excellence from the House of Representatives as she proclaimed, “This community has an imprint from one individual with a style and a standard of excellence in development that is without parallel anywhere, and it’s Michael Towbes, who continues to make a difference in our community.”
Schneider awarded the honoree with a Certificate of Achievement and Leadership by stating how the night was about Towbes and to thank him for so many years of leadership.
“It’s not just about homes but the type of homes that you provided,” she said. “It’s the affordable rental housing that is so needed in the Santa Barbra that is not easy to finance. We couldn’t have the diverse and beautiful community throughout the county without that option. That has been a part of your legacy, and I really do appreciate that on top of everything else you do in the community.”
After a standing ovation in his honor, Towbes faced the adoring crowd of admirers and supporters as he shared his sentiments.
“I’ve been involved with development housing for decades, and being an advocate for housing is not always an easy task, but it is a rewarding one,” Towbes said. “Providing affordable housing for the community is very important so that Santa Barbara doesn’t evolve into just a community for the rich.”
The evening was topped off with a live auction hosted by John Palminteri that featured a five-day stay at a private home in Baja and four seats at the 50-yard line for the 42nd Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
After the auction, guests crowded onto the dance floor to kick up some dust dancing to the music of The Foss Brothers.
The Garden Court Endowment offers special thanks to the donors who made the event possible:
» Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Montecito Bank & Trust, The Towbes Group Inc., Canary Hotel Santa Barbara, Hollister & Brace Attorneys at Law, Felisa and Mark Manion, Price Postel & Parma LLP, Merrill Lynch, GEM Insurance and Thomco.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
