Dream Foundation Celebrates Flower Empower
The Californer/10343913

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Californer -- Rosewood Miramar Beach was buzzing yesterday with more than 250 guests who raised more than $250,000 for Dream Foundation's Flower Empower program. The yearly event celebrates and honors the devoted donors, volunteers, and flower professionals who have kept the program thriving for more than 20 years.

Volunteers of the Year Pat and Joe Boris have been delivering bouquets every Saturday for the past two and a half years and cherish the special connections they have with the recipients. Volunteer of the Year Jennifer Davila has been volunteering since September 2022 and has always loved the joy that flowers evoke. Recently, her husband and daughter also started volunteering for the program.

Treat Donors of the Year Jill and Jean-Michel Carré have been generous supporters of Dream Foundation since 2008, just one year after they opened Chocolats du CaliBressan. In 2025 alone, they donated more than 3,500 pieces of chocolate to the Flower Empower program. After nearly 30 years, the Carré's are retiring, entrusting their legacy to Herb and Jennfier Weigel and their daughter, Sarah, who will continue their tradition of chocolate craftsmanship and dedicated support of Dream Foundation and Flower Empower.

Youth Volunteers of the Year Stella Mast and Natasha Hurvitz are both seniors at San Marcos High School. Over time, Flower Empower has shaped Stella's understanding of service. In college, she hopes to create spaces like Flower Empower where people come together to make something beautiful and remind each other that they matter. Natasha first began volunteering to spend quality time with her older sister. She never realized how much she would learn about the power of human connection and the joy a simple act can bring.

Program Sponsors Robin & Roger Himovitz have been supporting Flower Empower since its inception, baking chocolate chip cookies to accompany each bouquet. To date they have baked and donated almost 150,000. Always proponents of Dream Foundation's mission and its programs, the Himovitz's hosted the first Flower Empower Luncheon and have been committee members ever since. The Thornton Foundation began supporting Flower Empower beginning in 2022. Their continued support has brought joy to thousands.

Program Growers Florabundance, Gallup & Stribling Orchids, Maximum Flowers, Myriad Flowers, Por La Mar Nursery, Trader Joe's, Westerlay Orchids, and Westland Floral are vital to the program's success.

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The event's success was in great part due to the raffle where three lucky winners received either a Gorjana diamond Tatum necklace, a Westerlay Orchids arrangement, or a stay and taste courtesy of Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort and Talley Vineyards. A robust silent auction featured more than one hundred items, including an extravagant New York City adventure, beauty treatments, and a sunset kayak tour for two. An animated live auction led by Andrew Firestone and surprise guest Layla Khashoggi featured adventures in St. Barth's, Maui, the California's central and southern coasts, an excursion on the high seas for twenty-five, and the ultimate game experience with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Redolent from the flower bouquets that adorned each table, courtesy of event florists, Blue Blossoms, ella & louie, EmmaRose Floral, Margaret Joan Florals, PacWest Blooms, The Well Gardens, The Twisted Twig, and Wild West Florals, attendees enjoyed a scrumptious three-course meal while learning about the program and its unique and powerful features.

Special guest, Flower Empower volunteer and recipient, Jennifer Drury, shared a heartfelt story about her experience with the program and the perspective she gleaned about giving and receiving. Her words evoked a standing ovation and compassionate tears from many.

Despite their luck in the raffle, silent and live auction, attendees departed with their hearts overflowing and their hands full thanks to media sponsor, Santa Barbara Independent, RevitaLash who gifted their Lash Triple Threat Collection, a selenite heart and gift voucher from the Well Gardens, a chocolate chip cookie from Robin Himovitz, and a handmade card from boys team charity.

The luncheon was possible thanks to the hard work of the event committee and the generosity of event sponsors.

Event committee: Rebecca Borgioli, Shannon DiPadova, Sheri Dirksen, Lynette Hall, Robin Himovitz, Jenny Johansson, Tammy Kronen, Margaret Lloyd, Amy Love, Joanne Ohlman, Carolyn O'Mara, Crosby Slaught, David Sparer, and Serena Weddle.

Event sponsors - Magnolia: Apollo & Adara Alday, Robin & Roger Himovitz and Nancy Barasch, Elizabeth & Kenny Slaught, and Southwest Airlines. Peony: RevitaLash Cosmetics. Rose: Colleen Barnett-Taylor & Michael Tayor, Holly & Bob Murphy, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and Sprigeo. Orchid: Liz & Andrew Butcher, Casa Dorinda, Nathan C. Rogers, Rogers, Sheffield & Campbell, LLP, and Scott St. Germain. Daisy: Jacob & Daniela Ahrens, Jeanne Anderson, Arlington Financial Advisors, Bob's Discount Furniture, Kate & Arthur Coppoloa, Fauver, Large, Archbald & Spray, LLP, Montecito Bank & Trust, Frederick Oshay & Teresa Kuskey, Claude Raffin, Lee & Vic Sher, Trudy Smith, and Sheryl Zimmerman & Philip Sloan. Media: Santa Barbara Independent.

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Underwriters: Tim & Louise Casey, Elisabeth & Greg Fowler, Peggy Gaebe, Karen Heimberg, Robin & Roger Himovitz, Jennifer Liebeskind, Catherine Macaulay, CPA, Judd & Katherine Malkin, Missy & Chuck Sheldon, Lori Singleton, VNA Health, Beth & Lawrence Wagner, and Carlene Van Pelt & Steven Young.

Event in-kind sponsors: Amy Love, Blue Blossoms, Crosshatch Winery, ella & louie, EmmaRose Floral, Lena Britt Photography, Lynette Hall & Carpinteria Wine Company, Margaret Joan Florals, PacWest Blooms, Rincon Wine Group, Robin & Roger Himovitz, Rosewood Miramar Beach, TOAST Santa Barbara, The Twisted Twig, Wild West Florals, and Ysidro Sake Spritzer.

Live auction in-kind sponsors: Aloha, Maui! – Four Seasons Maui Resort at Wailea and Alaska Airlines. Bonjour, St. Barth's! – Hotel Le Toiny, Janine Cifelli Representation Tradewinds Aviation, and Elizabeth & Kenny Slaught. Fair Winds and Following Sea – Christine Healy, Mystic Whaler/Mystic Ocean Adventures, and Cheese Shop Santa Barbara. It's Time For Dodger Baseball! – Gregory & Rochelle Kushner. Love, California – Mattei's Tavern, Whiskey & Rye, Stolpman Vineyard, Grimms Bluff, Highline Adventures, Serena Weddle, Jonata. Town & Country – Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Ranch at Laguna Beach, and Niguel Botanical Preserver.

And a very special thank you to the dozens of silent auction in-kind sponsors.

Dream Foundation's Flower Empower program is a Santa Barbara-based, volunteer-driven program that delivers floral bouquets, fresh-baked cookies, fine chocolates, and cards to people in hospices, cancer centers, and their homes every week. Since its inception in 1994, the program has made more than 146,000 of these special deliveries. A recipient can be anyone in the Santa Barbara area who needs a little extra cheer.

To learn more about the program, please visit http://www.dreamfoundation.org/flower-empower/.

About Dream Foundation:

Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults, fulfills final Dreams that provide joy, comfort and closure at the end of life. With the support of a nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, health care organizations and committed donors, the organization has served more than 35,000 final Dreams over the last thirty-two years. Dream Foundation has Charity Navigator's four-star rating—its highest—for sound and transparent fiscal management ensuring its donors and partners that their investment will be used wisely. Dream Foundation receives no state or federal funding, relying on individual and corporate donations. To support the mission please visit DreamFoundation.org/donate.