CALM CEO Alana Walczak, board chair Liam Murphy and board vice chair Caroline Powers at the ninth annual CALM at Heart fundraiser. 
Luncheon committee members included, from left, Janis Salin, chair Bobbi Didier, Andrew Fitzgerald, Caroline Powers and Pati Clark, among others. 
Roberta Collier, left, CALM Auxiliary president, and Nancy Van Gelder. 
Stephanie Wilson, left, with Janet Garufis, CEO of sponsor Montecito Bank & Trust. 
CALM supporters Alison Turner, left, and Dianne Duva. 
CALM Auxiliary members Christian Zampeze, left, Julie Phillips and D’Arcy Cornwall. 
Marcia Wolfe, left, and Edie Zalazny. 
Santa Barbara School District board member Laura Capps, left, with auctioneer Geoff Green of SBCC. 
Diana MacFarlane, left, Dan Bifano and Donna Fisher. 
Speaker Andria Ruth, M.D., pediatrician at Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, addresses the crowd.
CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) of Santa Barbara hosted its ninth annual CALM at Heart with the theme of “Stepping Stones” on Nov. 7 at the Coral Casino at The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore.
This year’s theme celebrated the collaborative work CALM has done with local partners to forge a healthier and happier community.
The mission-driven event raised funds to support CALM’s childhood trauma prevention and treatment programs.
“This year, CALM at Heart raised $230,000 for children and families in Santa Barbara County,” public relations and grants manager Denise Crosby told Noozhawk.
Santa Barbara City College Foundation CEO Geoff Green orchestrated a spirited paddle raise. He reported that an anonymous donor who was unable to attend the luncheon had pledged $10,000. That amount was quickly matched by Deckers Brands.
Luncheon committee members were chair Bobbi Didier, Pati Clark, Andrew Fitzgerald, Susan Henry, Ann Levine, Ashlyn McCague, Caroline Powers, Michelle Reiter, Janis Salin and Sara Wilcox.
Major sponsors included Alliant Insurance Services, Casa Dorinda, Deckers Brands, Carolyn and Andrew Fitzgerald, Cindy and Steve Lyons, Montecito Bank & Trust and many more.
Speakers included Andria Ruth, M.D., pediatrician at Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, and CALM CEO Alana Walczak, who described adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, as stressful or traumatic events that take place during childhood.
Such events can include abuse, neglect, caregiver mental illness, incarceration of family members, domestic violence, substance abuse, and parental divorce or separation. They have been shown to be significantly associated with poor mental health outcomes and numerous physical health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and asthma.
“As we learn about the potential effects of ACEs on the physical and emotional health of children, we understand that the pediatrician's office can be a unique place to educate families about both prevention and treatment,” Ruth said. “Through a unique partnership with CALM, we have been able to screen for ACEs and provide education and resiliency-focused interventions for children and families impacted by trauma and adversity within the familiarity of their medical home.”
Sponsors included:
Climbing
Anonymous
Running
Alliant Insurance Services
Casa Dorinda
Deckers Brands
Carolyn and Andrew Fitzgerald
Cindy and Steve Lyons
Montecito Bank & Trust
Skipping
Arlington Financial Advisors
Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf LLP
City National Bank
Bobbi and Paul Didier
HUB International Insurance Services
Carrie Towbes and John Lewis
Mission Wealth Management
Janis Salin
SBCC Foundation
Kenny and Elizabeth Slaught
Bob and Leah Temkin
Stepping
Allstate Insurance, Alain Welty
Jacki Belt and Fred Clough
Cottage Health
Fell, Marking, Abkin, Montgomery, Granet & Raney LLP
Chana and Jim Jackson
Anna and Petar Kokotovic
Amanda and Travis Lee
MK Group
Lois Moore
Mutual of America
NS Ceramic Inc.
Maryan Schall
Village Properties
Next year, CALM will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a series of events, including Crabfest: Get Crackin’ for CALM on Jan. 18 at the Carriage and Western Art Museum. At 3 p.m. March 28 at The Granada Theatre, former child abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart will speak on “Courage and Resilience.”
CALM was founded in 1970 to reach stressed parents before they hurt their children. CALM continues to be the only nonprofit agency in Santa Barbara County focusing solely on preventing childhood trauma, healing children and families, and building resilient communities.
Click here for more information about CALM, or contact Denise Crosby at 805.965.2376 or dcrosby@calmforkids.org.
— 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.