Dot Kelly, left, the Assistance League of Santa Barbara’s longest-serving member in attendance at the open house, with newest league member Linda Metelka and public relations chair Susan Engles. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk photo)
  • Dot Kelly, left, the Assistance League of Santa Barbara’s longest-serving member in attendance at the open house, with newest league member Linda Metelka and public relations chair Susan Engles.
    Dot Kelly, left, the Assistance League of Santa Barbara’s longest-serving member in attendance at the open house, with newest league member Linda Metelka and public relations chair Susan Engles.
  • Assistance League president Carolyn Dennis, left, with Ammon Hoenig, who prepared all of the food for the celebration.
    Assistance League president Carolyn Dennis, left, with Ammon Hoenig, who prepared all of the food for the celebration.
  • Guadalupe Gonzalez, left, and Yaniva Reyes.
    Guadalupe Gonzalez, left, and Yaniva Reyes.
  • Las Aletas members Patti Beal, left, and Mary Anderson with their puppets.
    Las Aletas members Patti Beal, left, and Mary Anderson with their puppets.
  • The Assistance League’s Ukulele Lulus perform at the event.
    The Assistance League’s Ukulele Lulus perform at the event.
  • Member Julie Harris, left, Phyllis Cox, door prize ticket announcer Agris Petersons and Ethel Martin.
    Member Julie Harris, left, Phyllis Cox, door prize ticket announcer Agris Petersons and Ethel Martin.
  • An example of the 700 fully supplied backpacks distributed to needy schoolchildren by Las Aletas.
    An example of the 700 fully supplied backpacks distributed to needy schoolchildren by Las Aletas.
  • Neighbor and media maven Rebecca Brand.
    Neighbor and media maven Rebecca Brand.
  • David Bet-David and Zy Mercer.
    David Bet-David and Zy Mercer.
  • Assistance League Thrift Store shoppers stream over to the party.
    Assistance League Thrift Store shoppers stream over to the party.
  • The buffet table centerpiece.
    The buffet table centerpiece.
  • The celebratory cake.
    The celebratory cake.
  • Assistance League banners.
    Assistance League banners.

iSociety: Rochelle Rose

The Assistance League of Santa Barbara and its auxiliaries, Las Aletas and Assisteens, hosted Community Appreciation Day and an open house Saturday to celebrate their 70 years of service to the Santa Barbara community.

The event also was a thank you to the community for supporting the Assistance League Thrift Shop with item donations as well as purchases.

The Assistance League sponsors 17 philanthropic programs, which have expanded through the years to meet the needs of the community. The programs are funded entirely through donations, grants and proceeds from the Thrift Shop.

A couple hundred people stopped in at the open house and enjoyed cheese, crackers, cookies and birthday cake while being entertained by the organization's own Ukulele Lulus band. The Lulus started entertaining and playing together in 2003, and the band now is 30-women strong. The familiar tunes got guests singing and clapping hands.

Members also hosted informational tables about the league, its auxiliaries and their many philanthropies, including Operation School Bell, which provided more than 700 fully supplied backpacks, clothing and shoes to Goleta schoolchildren. Other philanthropies include Friendship Luncheons, Prom Dress, Bear HUGS, Fun in the Sun and many others.

“I recently joined the league for several reasons,” the Assistance League’s newest member, Linda Metelka, told Noozhawk. “I enjoy working with a lot of my friends there, and I feel that our many programs are so helpful for the less fortunate.”

Dot Kelly, the longest-serving member in attendance, told Noohawk: “I joined in 1992, 26 years ago, because I wanted to give back to the community. AL has so many philanthropies that help the less fortunate. I also served as a board president and started our scholarship program.”

Las Aletas members Patti Beal, left, and Mary Anderson with their puppets.
Las Aletas members Patti Beal, left, and Mary Anderson with their puppets. (Rochelle Rose / Noozhawk photo)

The Assistance League of Santa Barbara has about 350 members who volunteered more than 50,000 hours last year to support and implement 17 philanthropic programs. It’s an all-volunteer organization with no executive director or paid staff.

The board of directors, which is comprised of the officers and committee chairmen, are elected annually. Carolyn Dennis is chapter president. Nationally, 24,000 Assistance League members in 29 states in 120 chapters donate more than 2 million volunteer hours each year. The local chapter was established in 1948.

The chapter’s auxiliary Las Aletas (Little Wings) was formed in 1964 for the daughters and daughters-in-law of members, but it soon opened the membership to all interested women.

Along with Operation School Bell, members also volunteer their time and talent to Kids on the Block puppet shows that entertain and educate children, and Operation Book Shelf, which provides homebound individuals with reading and audio material.

The Assisteens auxiliary provides teenagers with opportunities to serve those in need, develop a sense of responsibility and community spirit, and learn leadership skills. The 50 boy and girl members develop their own philanthropic and fundraising programs.

Membership provides an opportunity for teens to complete community service hours required for high school graduation, and the skills and experience they acquire reflect favorably on their college applications.

Click here for information about membership or donating, or call 805.687.9717. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

— Noozhawk contributing writer Rochelle Rose can be reached at rrose@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.