Event raises more than $750,000 for Gwendolyn’s Playground
Dancers, some of whom were classmates of Gwendolyn Strong, grace the Butterfly Ball, which raised more than $750,000 for Gwendolyn’s
More than $750,000 was raised at the Whimsical and Wonderful Second Annual Butterfly Ball Saturday for Gwendolyn’s Playground, an upcoming inclusive park in Santa Barbara.
More than 300 guests gathered at Dos Pueblos Ranch for the butterfly-themed event. The use of the ranch was donated by the Dos Pueblos Institute and the Himovitz family.
The event featured hand-made butterfly rope swings, which were eventually auctioned; hanging woven lamps; flickering candles, and plenty of flowers and orchids.
The guests were greeted by winged dancers and enjoyed craft cocktails by The Good Lion, wine by Artiste Winery, and an elegant dinner by Duo Events on the Estate Lawn.
The emcee was Andrew Firestone, who organizers credit for inspiring auction bids and pledges of support totalling more than three-quarters of a million dollars. The proceeds bring Gwendolyn’s Playground within $1.25 million of its $6 million fundraising goal, according to a news release.
Live auction items varied from — what else? — a three-dimensional butterfly painting with diamond dust and pop colors by PunkMe Tender to Mehera Blum’s multi-dimensional/multi-generational piece that featured butterflies painted by her late mother as well as hand-embroidered crystals, sequins and silk threads by Lesage in Paris.
The Sprague Family committed $200,000 as part of a matching incentive during the auction, and Nora McNeely Hurley of the Manitou Fund was recognized for her previous sponsorship of the Magical Tree for $1,050,000.
Victoria and Bill Strong started the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation in honor of their first-born daughter who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy. Gwendolyn thrived beyond expectations and was known for her vibrancy.
After a video about her daughter Gwendolyn, Victoria Strong appealed to guests with a speech that won her a standing ovation.
“Building Gwendolyn’s Playground is a powerful opportunity to be part of fostering a more compassionate and inclusive future…an opportunity for all of us to be better citizens of this world,” she said. “It sends a message to our children and proudly showcases to other cities our beliefs in who we are as a community; a shining beacon of kindness and acceptance.”
In partnership with the city of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation, the region’s first inclusive playground will be located on the 10-acre property, which includes Dwight Murphy Fields (also getting upgraded) near the Santa Barbara Zoo. Gwendolyn’s Playground will feature experiences such as a magical tree, inclusive swings, sensory spinning, a butterfly plaza, art sculptures, a musical garden, a slide hillside, climbing features and more.
“Playgrounds are our first community, our common ground, where the simple purpose is reveling in the freedom of play,” said Gwendolyn Foundation board member, Analise Maggio. “But if we’re not all there together — if we’re not sharing that magical space with children of all abilities and disabilities — then we’re limiting our life skills to only understanding those who are just like us. And the world is much bigger than that.”
Mrs. Strong discussed Gwendolyn’s Playground in an earlier interview with the News-Press.
“One of the things when Gwendolyn was little that we learned quite quickly is that playgrounds are not accessible,” Mrs. Strong said. “While we thought the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) established protections, we quickly learned that the bar is extremely low.”
She said the foundation looked at the best of what’s happening in the U.S. and Europe to create a new standard of play.
“The heart of the playground is the Magical Tree. It will be the first multi-story, fully accessible climbing structure,” Mrs. Strong said. “We’re creating it so that it will be fully accessible.”
Kids in wheelchairs or on walkers will be able to go up ramps inside the tree and go to the very top.
Just like other kids.
“The ramping will be functional and will look like vines and be very aesthetically pleasing,” Mrs. Strong said.
And kids will encounter storytellers in the Magical Tree. “We’ve already had authors volunteer to do readings for children and do book signings, all in the name of celebrating diversity and inclusion,” Mrs. Strong said.
She said Gwendolyn’s Playground will have the feel of a theme park. “Sometimes when I say ‘playground,’ people don’t realize how drastically different this space will become,” she said.
“We have partnered with the Grace Fisher Foundation, which is helping to create a music garden,” Mrs. Strong said.
The music garden is where kids of all ages can do things like striking up a melody by jumping around on a giant keyboard.
“There’s going to be these flower chimes, shaped life flowers that play beautiful music,” Mrs. Strong said, her voice growing more excited as she talked about the playground named after her daughter.
email: dmason@newspress.com
FYI
To donate to Gwendolyn’s Playground, go to nevergiveup.org.
