The Friendship Center — May 2021 Friendly Finch

May 2021

Contents

Cynder Sinclair, BOD

Intern Claire Arnold

Dine & Donate Congrats

Take Care Totes Thanks

Board Member Cynder Sinclair

Walks the Walk

by Laurie Mason

Program & Communications Coordinator

It all started with a small thing in the early 1970s when Cynder Sinclair was helping in her son’s classroom. “I noticed some of the kids were not dressed warmly enough for the weather,” she says.

Cynder was living with her husband and five children in the small farming community of Kingsburg, where it gets cold in the off season and the migrant workers don’t get paid.

Because she’s fluent in Spanish, her son’s teacher assigned Cynder to tutor the farmworker’s children.

Some of us see a problem and feel bad. We might talk to friends or post on social media. Others get busy and fix it. Cynder, chief executive of Nonprofit Kinect and Friendship Center board member is by nature firmly planted in the latter group.

Kids need coats? “I thought I could use my daughter’s Tri Hi Y Club, and one thing led to another.” Together with the volunteers she recruited, Cynder filled a garage with donated clothing for the migrant worker families to take home free of charge.

“What impresses me most about Cynder is that she walks the walk,” says Friendship Center Chief Executive Heidi Holly. “As a connector, she’s able to talk the talk, getting the right people together.”

Making People Part of the Solution

At the Kingsburgh clothing drive, Cynder hadn’t anticipated her customers being shy and uncomfortable. “As they drove up, the men were hunched down in the driver’s seats,” she says. “They seemed embarrassed. I realized they’d have to be a partner in this solution. They needed to feel they were contributing.”

The solution was to create a thrift shop with low prices and allow people to pay for their clothing. “It was nice that I was giving them clothing,” she explains. “But I realized it didn’t reaffirm their dignity. ”

Fixing an immediate problem is one thing. Creating a self-sustaining solution is another, which is where talking the talk comes in.

Q&A with FC Intern Claire Arnold

Community Connect Adult Program members are familiar with Claire Arnold’s graceful, kind presence on their Zoom screens. Claire, Friendship Center’s intern from Westmont College, graduates in May and recently completed her eight-month internship.

She’s been an asset to Friendship Center and a credit to Westmont College, and we will all miss her. While she is pursuing new opportunities in Texas, we remain hopeful that someday she’ll be back as she considers a career working with aging adults. Interning at Friendship Center, she points out, has given her a great foundation to do just that. The following gives us a glimpse into Claire’s experience.

Why did you choose to intern with senior citizens?

I’ve always had a passion for care and intentionality in relationships. In the past, that manifested in childcare. But soon after my grandmother’s passing, who lived with Lewy Body Dementia for over a decade, my attention shifted toward our older population. I knew I needed to seek a position where I could serve and learn.

Dine & Donate Hits Record Numbers to Support Friendship Center

by Sophia Davis

Advancement & Project Manager

April’s Dine & Donate Event was a fantastic success with over 110 dinners sold, making it our most successful Dine & Donate event ever! Heidi Holly, Executive Director commented, “We want to extend our sincere gratitude to SBAOR, and the CORE Committee for working their hearts out to support Friendship Center. The event was a great success and we eagerly await the next one, likely at the start of summer in June. We are so grateful to our loyal supporters, and we are looking forward to seeing all of your happy faces (in masks) at our next Dine & Donate event. Cheers and thank you all!”

Friendship Center’s first Dine & Donate April 21 served pre-ordered Mexican style family dinners from Los Agaves Restaurant. Every year, SBAOR selects a nonprofit charity as their beneficiary, and this year Friendship Center is the proud recipient. Volunteers from SBAOR staffed tables for drive-up & pick-up service, with pick-up times reserved at purchase via the online site. There was a happy buzz in the air as people gathered and eagerly awaited their food and margaritas; sharing some laughs underneath their masks with community friends at Los Agaves Restaurant on De la Vina Street.

Donors of both organizations were happy to support, and of course, enjoy delicious Mexican family style dinners and margaritas of generous portions! The menu options featured enchiladas, fajitas and tacos, all served with 2 large margaritas, beans and rice. Though advertised for two people, there was enough for four. The event was advertised publicly in the SB Independent, and through email communications with constituents of both Friendship Center and SBAOR, as well as posted on social media outlets.

Delicious Los Agaves meal!

Two gents having a good time!

Thank You

Take Care Totes Donors!

Because of You We Were Able to Deliver 42 Totes to Our Wonderful CCAP Members!

L,R: Esther Kratz, Judith Ewing, Kim Larsen, Ray Bocanegra, Executive Sous Chef, Rosewood Miramar Beach

Josette Uline, Fed Ex

Marilyn Berman, Home Instead Care

Sue Larsen, Community Supporter

Phil Gully/Sue Larsen, Gulley & Larsen Ins.

Terri Dimond, Berkshire Hathaway

Jennie Welsh/Peggy Renker, Senior Living Consult.

Rachel Palmquist, Oak Cottage of S.B.

Courtney DeSoto, CI Fiduciary Grp.

Nikki Ayers, Ayers Repairs

Cecily McGregor, 1 Heart Caregiver Svcs.

Cynder Sinclair, Friendship Center BOD

Jeanne West, Hospice of S.B.

Rick Fidel, Rosewood Miramar Resort

Lisa Martin, Bill’s Copy Shop

Esther Kratz, Friendship Center

Viviana Hernandez, Help Unlimited

Barbara & John Allcock, Community Partners

Cheri Bode, Mary Kay Independent

Karolyn Hanna, Friendship Center BOD

Walt Stephens, Community Partners

Dana VanderMey, Friendship Center BOD

Joe Wheatley, Friendship Center BOD

Kathryn Cherkas, Alzheimer’s Association

Ross Beardsley, Santa Barbara Zoo

Make Friendship Center Your Amazon Charity and Donate While You Shop! Amazon will donate .05% of your purchase to Friendship Center at no extra cost to you.

Virtual Programming Keeps Members Connected!

At Friendship Center, we foster strong partnerships with family caregivers at all times. During Covid-19 quarantine, this means showing caregivers how to help members stay connected via Zoom.

Keeping our members engaged with friends and activities ~ even while in the social distancing home stretch ~ is our continued goal. We are still here to make this possible. If you know someone who could use a break, and some technical help, in dealing with their loved-one with dementia, please contact us.

Contact Kim Monday ~ Thursday (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

(805) 969-0859, Press 2; kim@friendshipcentersb.org