We have created an environment of disposing of things that are no longer useful to us. Being 61 years of age, I have had the privilege of not being including with the Baby Boomer label. I am in that population that falls in between. This tends to give one a perspective slightly different from those caught up in status quo and grants one an ability to look at things from an outsider’s view, so to say.


As a young boy I still remember the great sense of accomplishment after spending all day collecting deposit bottles and getting 2 or 3 dollars when cashing them in at the local store. That was before aluminum cans and space age juice packets. We conditioned our children with disposal diapers, disposable razors, cups, plates, knives, forks, spoons, napkins, towels, containers of all kinds, cameras, lighters and countless other things.

That’s it, when you are done with it, just throw it away. When it no longer is of any use, just dispose of it.

Is it any wonder that this disposable mania has filtered its way down to the way in which we approach our actual relationships with one another?

At Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes, we are trying to bring back entitlements. Not the kind you hear about in the political arenas, but rather the entitlement to have someone care about your well being and the right to be treated with care and dignity.

We are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. You might say that the seniors and disabled who live here already have the only entitlements they need. Hogwash. We owe our seniors much more than that. Many of our residents have families who are just too busy and, of course, many of the family members come from a period where “Disposable” was the catching marketing miracle of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

At Pilgrim Terrace, we have embarked on a mission of self-preservation. Many of our residents volunteer and our entire Board of Directors are volunteers as well. Collectively we decided to offer social activities to the residents and to all seniors in the Santa Barbara area. The Board of Directors has engaged an activity consultant to help us with this mission. So far, with the help of Marsha Rosenblum, our newly contracted Activities/Fundraising Consultant, the activities have flourished and have taken on a life of their own.

Fundraising is another story. Because of the monies we receive from HUD, many foundations look at our finances and assume that we are not in need of funding. The monies from HUD can only be utilized for day-to-day operations and mortgage and interest payments. We are not allowed to earmark any of those funds for social activities. It is not up to our government to create a nanny state where all things given are dependent on government intervention. It is our responsibility, morally, to take care of the widows and orphans and not to just dispose of them when we feel that they are no longer useful. Being the administrator of Pilgrim Terrace for 11 years, I can tell you that if you think that the residents are not useful, you need a reality check. They are bright, experienced and more tenacious than most of the teenagers I know today. Please consider helping us with the only true entitlement program. It is the right to love, honor and receive social stimulation.

All donations are tax deductable and so much appreciated. For more information contact mroseblumptch@gmail.com or visit our Web site and see the progress we make every month.