Source: County of Santa Barbara

Local elected and community leaders are organizing a vigil for Montecito following Tuesday morning’s devastating flood event. The vigil will take place Sunday, January 14th from 5-6pm at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara.

“My heart aches with the pain and destruction caused by the disaster in Montecito. Our community has been through so much over the past two months with the upheaval and damage of the Thomas Fire and now the unbearable pain that comes with the loss of life,” said First District Supervisor Das Williams, who represents Montecito. “We are blessed with a loving and supportive community that comes together in times of peril and that community is so desperately needed at a time like this.”

Montecito’s elected representatives are working together to organize the vigil. The elected officials participating include: Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams, Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo, Santa Barbara Fourth District City Council Member Kristen Sneddon, Assemblymember Monique Limón, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, and Congressmember Salud Carbajal. Members of the faith community will also be present and counseling services will be provided by the Santa Barbara County Emergency Operations Center and Hospice of Santa Barbara.

Vigil for Montecito Program

5:00pm - Opening Statement from First District Supervisor Das Williams (3 minutes)

-Recognition of Montecito’s leaders in attendance:

Montecito Planning Commission Chair Joe Cole, Vice Chair Charles Newman, Commissioner Donna Senauer

Montecito Board of Architectural Review Chair Claire Gottsdanker

Montecito Union School District Board President Gwyn Lurie

Montecito Fire Protection District Director Abe Powell

5:03 Elected Official Remarks (1 min each)

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley

Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors Chair Joan Hartmann

Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo

Santa Barbara 4th District City Council member Kristen Sneddon (representing Coast Village Road)

Assemblymember Monique Limón

State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson

Congress member Salud Carbajal

5:10pm Faith Leaders speak (2 min each)

Pastor Ian Noyes, Montecito Covenant Church

Reverend David Moore, New Covenant Worship Center

Rabbi Arthur Gross Schaffer, Montecito Community Shul

Rabbi Steve Cohen, B’nai Brith

5:20 Alana Walczak, Executive Director, CALM

How to take care of yourselves and others in tragedy (3 mins)

5:23 David Selberg, Executive Director, Hospice of Santa Barbara

Announcement of counseling services (1 min)

5:24 Performance of Irish Blessing by Fratelli