Westside Boys and Girls Club Gets Chumash Donation
By NORA K. WALLACE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians donated $100,000 to the Westside Boys and Girls Club last week.COURTESY PHOTO
September 25, 2012 2:04 AM
The Westside Boys and Girls Club —struggling with budget issues —got a major financial boost last weekend from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
The club, managed by the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara, received a $100,000 donation from the proceeds of the tribe's annual Chumash Classic Golf Tournament held in August.
According to a Chumash press release, the United Boys and Girls Club, which also manages four other clubs, "shared its dire financial woes earlier this year, suggesting cuts to program funding and employee payroll that would devastate the Westside club, which already faces its own budget deficit."
The West Anapamu Street club offers after-school programs, as well as career development advice, community service options, gang prevention education, music appreciation, nutrition and cooking, character and maturity guidance, sports and recreation and summer camping opportunities.
Tribal chairman Vincent Armenta presented the check at the club's annual "Stand Up for Kids Auction and Dinner" at Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara.
"Every day our tribe tries to find organizations to support whose goals and missions are the same as ours," Mr. Armenta said in a statement. "We not only contribute to nonprofits through our foundation, but we do it through a golf tournament that we hold each year. Our tribe had heard about the struggles and budget restraints the Westside Boys and Girls Club was experiencing, so we decided this year to make them the sole beneficiary of our golf tournament."
Club director Magda Arroyo was thrilled with the tribe's support.
"There really are no words to express how grateful we are for this donation," said Ms. Arroyo, a Santa Barbara native who has directed the club since 2009 and also serves as director of development.
The Chumash golf tournament took place Aug. 16 at the Alisal River Course in Santa Ynez. It is the first time in the eight-year history of the tournament that all the proceeds were directed to one organization.
Last year, the approximately $90,000 raised was donated to Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang Senior Center and the Buellton Senior Center. In 2010, the $113,000 raised was given to the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County and the Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA.
Since its inaugural year, the tournament has raised some $650,000 for local charities and nonprofits.
According to the tribe, its Chumash Foundation has donated more than $16 million to "hundreds of groups, organizations and schools in the community and across the nation as part of the Chumash's long-standing tradition of giving."
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