Women of Purpose Events

On May 20, 2010 Hillside House hosted its 7th annual Women of Purpose benefit luncheon.  The weather was perfect for this lovely and inspiring afternoon, held in the exquisite gardens of El Mirador Estate in Montecito, made possible through the generosity of owner, Tita Lanning.  Thanks to the exceptional generosity of our many friends and sponsors, we raised more for the residents of Hillside House than ever before. Without the proceeds of this event, many of our most vital services and programs would not be possible.  We are truly grateful to all who participated.  Thank you!

This year we featured inspirational speaker, author, and former tennis champion Roger Crawford, who has been interviewed on CNBC, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and in USA Today, among other places.  Roger was engaging, funny, warm and inspiring, focusing on the importance of a positive attitude, resilience, and "lagniappe"--giving a little something extra wherever you can.  He is someone who truly has not allowed his physical circumstances to limit his sense of what's possible.

Roger was born with a rare disease that left all four limbs impaired.  His arms and legs are shortened, he has no palms, a thumb-like projection extends directly out of his right forearm, and a thumb and finger grow out of his left forearm.  He has only three toes on his right foot, and he wears a prothesis on his left leg.  Despite these physical limitations, Roger developed his own way to hold a tennis racket and competed against 80 able-bodied players to become one of nine on his high school varsity tennis team, one of the top prep teams in the nation. His personal record during those four years was 47 wins and only six losses.  He went on to play on the Loyola Marymount University team in Los Angeles with an impressive record of wins. Crawford is the only athlete with four impaired limbs to become certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association as a tennis professional. 

Then he became a world-class speaker, who has now inspired more than 3,000 audiences. His third and most recent book, THINK AGAIN! Discover the Possibilities Hidden in Plain Sight, was released in 2007.

At this year's luncheon we recognized the contributions of Earl Armstrong to the Santa Barbara community by granting him the Man of Purpose Award.  Earl has served on the Hillside House Board of Directors for 13 years, including 8 years as President, during which time the organization turned around its financial performance and developed a dynamic plan for its future.  Earl has been President of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of the Goleta Valley Hospital.

We enjoyed a wonderful charitable auction as part of the luncheon. Our winning bidders will be enjoying a 5-night stay in a 5-star condominium in New York City, a gourmet dinner for 6 in Montecito, and an original watercolor painting by an award-winning artist.  Thank you to Jim and Marcia Wolfe, John and Laurie Tilson, and Ruth Ellen Hoag, who so generously donated to make this auction a key to this year's success.

Our luncheons are open to the public - men and women - and we encourage all to attend and help make a difference for Hillside House.  If you would like to receive an invitation to the 2011 Benefit Event please contact Curt Lauber in the Development Office: clauber@hillsidehousesb.org or (805) 687-0788 ext. 15.

We would be delighted to share this special occasion with you.

To watch a slideshow from the 2010 and 2009 luncheons, click here.

We want your feedback!

If you attended this (or any year's) luncheon, we would love to hear from you. Your suggestions and responses help us make improvements each year.  Please write Curt Lauber in the Development Office: clauber@hillsidehousesb.org or call (805) 687-0788 ext. 15. 

Special thanks to our event sponsors:

PRESENTING SPONSOR:  Hutton Foundation
MAJOR SPONSORS: Marborg Industries, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
"ONE DAY" SPONSORS: Bryant & Sons Jewelers, Chapman Financial Group, Venoco, Inc.
COMMUNITY SPONSORS: Herban Essentials, Debbie's Delights, Best Western Pepper Tree Inn, Brighton Collectibles, Por La Mar Nursery, Ferrara Air Conditioning, Valley Flowers, Parameters Custom Framing
AUCTION DONORS: Jim and Marcia Wolfe, Joan and Laurie Tilson, Ruth Ellen Hoag