| A Letter from the Director |
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Dear Friends,
Bear with me for a moment as I do what I do best (or worst), overshare:
February is wrapped in hearts and flowers and Valentine’s cheer, and while we’re leaning fully into that spirit this month over here, I do need to acknowledge that the ache in my stomach is more than just too much chocolate. This Valentine’s Day, February 14th, marks ten years since my dad died. As someone who has dedicated my education and career to bringing light to end-of-life work, it’s painful to admit that my own dad’s final chapter was quite dimmed.
Toward the end of his life, there weren’t many people around him. There wasn’t much light or laughter filling the room as he transitioned to the other side. I try to believe that he didn’t know that; that maybe, in his mind, he imagined a hallway full of people, a parade just outside his door, quietly cheering him on as he closed this life and stepped into whatever comes next. He would have wanted that, so I choose to imagine that’s what was done for him.
As unpleasant as that is to imagine, and type out, there are few more motivating circumstances that I can think of to empower my work at Friendship Center. |
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| Here, no one leaves alone. Here, friendships are still being formed, sometimes quite late in life, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes quietly, but always meaningfully. Every person who walks through our doors becomes part of something larger. A growing parade. New faces, shared meals, laughter, music, inside jokes, moments of recognition and belonging that say, again and again: you are seen, you are known, you are loved and when your time comes…man, we are genuinely going to miss ya!
The world outside Friendship Center’s walls is really heavy, especially right now. But all of us at Friendship Center have a vocation to quite literally keep the parade going for our friends. To make sure that every single person who comes to Friendship Center knows they are surrounded by care and community, right up to the very end.
And maybe that’s what Valentine’s Day really asks of us; not just romantic love, but steadfast love. Showing up. Making room. Holding hands. Saving a seat and making sure that person knows that seat is and always will be held, just for them.
So this month, we’re celebrating love in all its forms. The sweet kind. The grieving kind. The loud kind. The quiet kind. The kind that shows up on ordinary days. The kind that grows with every new friend who joins the parade.
With love in all its forms to you and yours, |
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Kathryn Westland
MPH, Executive Director
(??my dad, Len) |
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IN THIS EMAIL YOU WILL FIND…
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- Key dates, events & closures this month
- Activity schedules for all programs
- Highlights of January in photos
- Supporter Spotlight: Gina Bell
- Meet the Team: Amy West, Associate Director
- Caregiver & Family Resources
- In Memoriam
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- February 3, 10, 17 & 24: Dementia Education Workshops @ 12:00 at Friendship Center (RSVP)
- February 4th: Valentine’s Day Party at the Downtown SB Memory Café
- February 13th: Valentine’s Tea @ 12:00 at Friendship Center
- February 13th: Visit the Friendship Center Tiki Bar at AgeWell Carpinteria’s Aloha Friday Hula Dance at the Carpinteria Veteran’s Hall
- February 16th: Friendship Center is CLOSED
- February 18th: Coffee for Caregivers @ 9:00 at Friendship Center
- February 19th: Friendship Center Closes @ 3:00pm (third Thursday of every month for staff training)
- February 26th: Brain Health Presentation by Kathryn for Carpinteria’s Men’s Longevity Group @ 5:45pm at the Carpinteria Veteran’s Hall
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February Program Activity Highlights:
- Monday 2/2: Ryan and Cookies the Pug Perform
- Thursday 2/5: Dancing with the Snapshot Band
- Friday 2/23: Valentine’s Day Tea
- Thursday 2/19: Erika’s Cuernavaca Travelogue
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Carpinteria Hub
9 am-3:30 pm, Every Tuesday & Friday
Friendship Center’s Carpinteria Hub @ The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center |
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Special event: Fridays @ 2pm
Starting Feb. 6th, just us every Friday at the Carpinteria Hub for an afternoon of music with Juan D. Mendoza. Juan is a traditional singer who brings guitar, harmonica, and a heartfelt collection of songs filled with the melodies we all love to sing and hear. Join us at the Carpinteria Hub for a nostalgic journey back to a time when music was an anthem of joy and celebration. This event is free and open to everyone! |
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February guest speakers include:
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Connections Social Club
10 am-12 pm, Every Tuesday & Thursday
Friendship Center Montecito
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- Tuesday Feb. 3rd: A Reading of “Beautiful Opps” by Barney Saltzberg, read by Kristina Calkins of the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center
- Thursday Feb. 5th: Adrienne Phillip, Manager Of Station Operations Alaska Airlines
- Tuesday Feb. 10th: Artificial Intelligence Tech with Aloha with Desiree Gentile, ImaginekAI
- Thursday Feb. 12th: Shyra-isms: Comedic Reflections on the World
- Tuesday Feb. 17th: Honoring the Life Story: The Stories That Stay with Casandra del Carmen, MBA, Certified Group Healing Facilitator, Founder of ART FAMILY LEGACY
- Thursday Feb 19th: Short Film Viewing & Director’s Discussion with Gareth Kelly, Executive Director of the Wild & Free Film Festival
- Tuesday Feb 24th: Expert Visit from the Santa Barbara Historical Museum
- Thursday Feb. 26th: Egyptian Life in America – Trials & Tribulations with Vivian Armanious
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Downtown SB Memory Café
9 am-11 am, Every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month,
Louise Lowry Davis Center, 111 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara
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| Special event on February 4th ???? |
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Herencia Latina
9 am-3:30 pm, Every Monday & Wednesday
Friendship Center Montecito
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- Wednesday, Feb. 4th: Field trip to the Downtown SB Memory Cafe @ the Louise Dowry Davis Center for the Valentine’s Day Party
- Wednesday, Feb 11th: Field trip to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum
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| Meet the Team
Amy West, Associate Director |
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Fun Facts About Amy
- She loves Halloween and dressing up in costume. She is particularly proud of her pun-based costumes, which cannot be named here 🙂
- She once ran her own landscape design business and loved the creative work (the business side… less so).
- She appreciates all kinds of music as long as it’s good, and her dream concerts include Prince (if only!) and Lenny Kravitz.
- She has traveled on her own to some incredible places, including Turkey.
- She has a goal to learn how to use AI… and promises to use her skills for good!
- She wants to visit as many U.S. national parks as possible.
Amy’s journey into caregiving and leadership started early. Born in Los Banos, one of her very first jobs was helping an older woman by cleaning her house, though the house was already spotless. What her client really wanted was companionship. Amy would run small “errands” (like picking up a box of Kleenex from Rexall Drug… plus picking up a chocolate malt from the soda fountain) and spend afternoons watching soap operas together with her ‘client’. It was an early lesson in something Amy still believes deeply: sometimes presence matters more than tasks. |
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| Amy came to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB and, like many before her, found herself unable to leave. (“Where do you go after this?”) Amy went on to study basically everything the university had to offer: she started with speech and hearing sciences, dabbled in religious studies, English, environmental horticulture, and ultimately earned her degree in public sector management, and later completed her Master of Public Administration at CSU Northridge. She completed her MPA while working full-time at Devereux in Goleta, where she dedicated over 20 years of service.
Amy joined Friendship Center in December 2021, drawn immediately to the organization’s locally led model, strong team, and clear mission. “My first experience here was yessss—I want to work here,” she recalls. The beautiful space, time spent outdoors, and the trees and nature sealed the deal.
What she loves most, though, is the people. Interacting with members is the highlight of her day, seeing someone smile or laugh and watching that joy ripple through the room. “It’s infectious,” she says. “When one person smiles and laughs, we all smile and laugh.”
For Amy, that kind of authentic happiness is the point: being safe, having a good time, and feeling connected. She’s proud that her work helps make that possible, and Friendship Center is incredibly lucky to have her. |
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| CAREGIVER & FAMILY RESOURCES |
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| We believe that no caregiver should have to walk alone. Friendship Center is proud to share our incredible Caregiver Resource Hub — a curated page of tip sheets, checklists, how-tos, videos, and reliable facts from reputable sources designed to support you at every step of your caregiving journey. We also encourage caregivers to reach out to our team so we can connect you with other individuals in similar life stages. One way we do this is through our monthly Coffee for Caregivers gatherings; this month we will meet at Friendship Center on Wednesday, February 16th for a shared cuppa with friends. All are welcome!
We also now offer multiple caregiver support groups throughout the week. This is a vital space to share experiences, build connections, and find encouragement with others who truly understand. All groups are currently open to those supporting a loved one living with dementia. To register, please contact kim@friendshipcentersb.org.
Support Groups held at Friendship Center:
- Every Monday, 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm with Gina Bell
- 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm with Joe Wheatley
- 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 9:30 am – 11:00 am with Jeffrey Krutzsch
- Every Friday, 10:30am – 11:30 am with Gina Bell
*New* Virtual Caregiver Support Group held via Zoom
- Every Friday, 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm with Gina Bell
This month, don’t miss our four-part education series led by Gina — a special opportunity to dive deeper into caregiving topics, gain helpful tools, and connect with others in our community. Sessions are held weekly in February from 12:00–1:00 p.m. and are facilitated by Gina Bell, M.A., a clinical psychology professional with over 20 years of experience in education and community mental health. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch and attend one or all sessions.
- February 3: Alzheimer’s & Dementia – Warning signs, myths, and when to seek help
- February 10: Alzheimer’s vs. Other Dementias – Brain changes and dementia subtypes
- February 17: Communication & Behavior Challenges – Practical strategies and role-playing
- February 24: Planning Ahead – Preparing for legal, financial, and family conversations
Space is limited. Please RSVP for one or all sessions by email: info@ourjourneytowellness.com |
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| Legal Aspects of Caregiving (Live Webinar Training) with Caregivers As Partners in Care Teams., Event: February 25th @ 12:00-1:00pm:
This live course provides practical guidance on navigating the legal and planning issues that frequently arise when working with patients and their family caregivers. Early identification of the legal roles of caregivers and knowing who matters to the patient facilitates better care. The course is for interprofessional care teams, with a focus on primary care. Click here to Register
Santa Barbara Parkinson’s Association Class Schedule: Click here for the current schedule. |
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| REMEMBERING OUR FOREVER FRIENDS |
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Meyer Louis “Lou” Browdy
12.19.1940 – 12.10.2025
Obituary
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Gloria Nelson McManus
Longtime Supporter
07.22.1945 – 1.26.2026
Obituary
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Lupe (Ortiz) Luera
11.2.1934 – 11.12.2025
Obituary
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Tom Banks Carvey Jr.
Longtime Supporter
04.12.1922 – 1.08.2026
Obituary
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Check out this news story from Tom’s 102nd birthday party at FC in 2024!
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Oswaldo D. Lopez
Community Friend
1.21.1952 – 12.25.2025
Obituary
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Pictured below:
Halloween 2023
Arlo (Oswaldo’s nephew’s son) celebrating his first Halloween dressed as a military pilot next to Tom Carvey, a 101yr/old WWII pilot!
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| Including Friendship Center in your will or estate plan is a powerful way to honor the memory of a loved one and ensure our work continues for generations.
It is a promise that compassion will outlive us. It ensures that long after today, people will still find connection instead of isolation, dignity instead of despair, and friendship when they need it most. By including the Friendship Center in your legacy, you turn a lifetime of values into a future of hope, community, and lasting impact. Your generosity becomes a story told in lives changed—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
Your legacy can be friendship.
A legacy gift to the Friendship Center carries your care forward, creating a future where everyone has a place to belong. |
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| Long after we’re gone, love, connection, and community can remain—
because of you.
To learn more, contact our
Legacy Liaison, Heidi Holly, at legacy@friendshipcentersb.org |
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SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT: GINA BELL
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| My connection to the Friendship Center is deeply personal. After losing two family members to dementia, I experienced firsthand the emotional complexity, exhaustion, and uncertainty that caregiving can bring. During that time, I gained a profound appreciation for the kind of support, compassion, and resources the Friendship Center provides to families navigating this difficult journey. It is work that truly matters, and it has shaped my desire to give back in a meaningful way.
Becoming involved with the Friendship Center has allowed me to channel my personal experiences into purpose. I have been continually inspired by the dedication of the staff, volunteers, and fellow community members who show up each day with empathy and commitment. This community reminds me that caregivers should never feel alone and that shared understanding can be a powerful source of strength.
Looking ahead, I see the Friendship Center continuing to grow as a place of hope, connection, and practical support for families facing dementia. I hope to remain involved by advocating for caregivers, offering encouragement, and helping create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported. My call to our community is to stay engaged and compassionate — whether by volunteering, reaching out to a caregiver you know, or simply learning more about dementia.
Every act of involvement helps lighten the load for someone else, and together we can continue building a community rooted in care and understanding. |
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| Gina Bell has an accomplished career in the field of education and counseling with extensive history of community volunteerism and leadership achievement. Skilled in evaluating systems, enhancing program quality and influencing ideas at the highest levels, Gina is particularly interested in the aging population and advocates strongly for elderly rights and mental well being. Her work spans across various settings, including inpatient and outpatient environments, residential treatment centers, and non-profit agencies. She has worked extensively with individuals, families, and groups, addressing issues such as severe mental illness, substance abuse, and grief.
At Friendship Center, Gina leads support groups, educational workshops and is now providing 1-on-1 counseling for family caregivers.
Read more about Gina and her work at Our Journey to Wellness |
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Friendship Center Leadership & Partnerships
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| Officers
President
CYNDER SINCLAIR
Vice President
JOE WHEATLEY
Secretary
ZANDRA CHOLMONDELEY
Treasurer
JEFFREY KRUTZSCH
Member-at-large
JACQUELINE DURAN
Directors
SUE ADAMS
VIVIAN ARMANIOUS
NATHAN BERO
PAT FORGEY
GRETCHEN HEWLETT
KATHY MARDEN, MFT
GERRIE SHAPIRO
MONICA VIDGER-TRENT
Executive Director
KATHRYN WESTLAND, MPH |
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Follow our social media pages, linked below, for regular posts about the day-to-day happenings at FC!
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