A Ghoulish Night to Remember: Friendship Center’s Dress Up & Wine Down raises funds to enhance adult day programs for those with dementia

On November 1, Friendship Center held their 12th Annual Wine Down at The Arlington Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. This sold out event raised nearly $60,000 in order to enrich the adult day program activities offered for older adults with dementia at Friendship Center. 

This year, Friendship Center’s Wine Down took a ghoulish twist, acting not only as a time to raise funds for the programs, but also as a time for community members to come together in costume and have some fun—hence the event name Dress Up & Wine Down. The 130 guests enjoyed food, beverages, live entertainment, dancing, and so much more. This new approach to Wine Down helped draw over 50 new supporters of Friendship Center.

Friendship Center Executive Director, Kathryn Westland, was pleased to note how this event joyfully reflected the type of organization Friendship Center is. “At Friendship Center, we’re all about having fun, so seeing our guests all dressed up while dancing in a conga line (a favorite activity of ours at the Center) was amazing! It was a joy to celebrate with both long-standing friends and new supporters who share our passion for providing dignified care, love, and connection to the beloved older adults in our community. We had fun and funded a new program for our members, what more can we ask for?!”

Due to all of the support from this event Friendship Center has already begun funding a new program called Herencia Latina. This exciting new program offers culturally enriching activities for spanish-speaking members, celebrating their vibrant heritage.

Friendship Center is thankful for everyone who helped make Dress Up & Wine Down a success. Because of the incredible community involvement the event raised funds and awareness for the uplifting work being done at Friendship Center, providing care for older adults with dementia. For more information about Friendship Center visit us at fcsb.org or find us on social media @friendshipcentersb.