Biz Buzz

Dec. 11-17

By ANDREA ESTRADA

South Coast Beacon

Washington Mutual Bank vice president and manager Amy Brex presented a check for $1,130 to Lynette Meyer, principal of Brandon Elementary School in Goleta, and a check for $3,330 to Lisa Maglione, principal of Isla Vista Elementary School. The funds were produced from a corporate giving program called WaMoola for Schools, in which Washington Mutual sets aside one dollar for each checking account opened specifically for local schools.

Santa Barbara County Firefighters Local 2046 donated $2,000 toward the effort to build the South Coast Community Aquatic Center. An Olympic-sized swimming pool is proposed to replace the small, 40-year-old pool on the campus of Dos Pueblos High School. The new pool will serve the community as well as the school.

Casa Serena, Santa Barbara’s oldest women’s residential alcohol recovery home, has received a grant of $3,500 from the World Savings Bank, one of the first private contributors to Casa Serena’s year-end Matching Gift Appeal. Casa Serena’s Matching Gift Campaign started earlier this year when a generous anonymous donor offered to match each gift Casa receives, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.

The Santa Barbara/Ventura Counties Chapter of Fundraising Professionals celebrated National Philanthropy Day by honoring the following: Jack Gilbert, philanthropist of the year, Ventura County; Richard and Maryan Schall, philanthropist of the year, Santa Barbara County; Debra Arnesen, professional fund raiser of the year; Dottie Novatt, volunteer of the year, Ventura County; and Richard Welch, volunteer of the year, Santa Barbara County.