People looking to shop, snack or share some money with local charities all have reason to celebrate this weekend, as the Pepper Tree Inn hosts its 12th annual Holiday Boutique in downtown Santa Barbara.
The event, located in the Tree Top Room of the inn at 3850 State Street, takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 17, 18 and 19. Proceeds from the sale will go to a variety of charities, including United Cerebral Palsy, the Red Cross and the Dream Foundation. Pepper Tree Inn General Manager Chivaun Clark said the sale will feature holiday-themed goods and food from local vendors and artisans.
Cindy Glover, Pepper Tree Inn gift shop manager, said the boutique will sell a wide range of items at the sale, including holiday gifts, crafts, hot apple cider and cookies. Glover said she expects to see a large turnout for the event.
“It’s one of the biggest boutiques in Santa Barbara,” Glover said. “We get a good amount of people – about 500 people turned out last year.”
The event is an important fundraiser for the Dream Foundation – a Santa Barbara-based charity that helps terminally ill adults fulfill their final wishes – said foundation Program Director Jackie Waddill. She said Pepper Tree Inn has been donating money to the Dream Foundation for almost a decade.
“The Pepper Tree Inn has been helping the Dream Foundation for the past eight years,” Waddill said. “They’re a huge supporter of ours.”
Proceeds from the sale will also go towards the Red Cross and the United Cerebral Palsy organization – a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy and support group for people with cerebral palsy. Founded in 1949, United Cerebral Palsy provides services such as housing, therapy and medical referrals to more than 30,000 children and adults suffering from cerebral palsy nationwide, according to the organization’s website, www.UCP.org.
Pepper Tree Inn also supports the Dream Foundation, as well as other local charities, by donating some of its rooms to people in need, Clark said. He said the inn has given free lodging to the parents of disabled children who need a chance to relax for a while, and to people who are in Santa Barbara to fulfill their wishes with the help of the Dream Foundation.