On October 7, about 275 supporters of Special Olympics Santa Barbara Region (SOSBR) came out for the 4th Annual Fired Up Dinner co-hosted by SOSBR, the S.B. County Firefighters, and S.B. City Firefighters at the Carriage and Western Art Museum. The event raised funds for the SOSBR’s year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and its other programs.
Guests were greeted by several of the Special Olympics athletes and mingled inside the museum and on the scenic grounds. County firefighters served drinks, Knights of Columbus members grilled tri-tip and chicken, and a host of local dignitaries schmoozed with the crowd, including U.S. Congressmember Salud Carbajal, State Assemblymember Monique Limón, Police Chief Lori Luhnow, Mayor Cathy Murillo, District Attorney Joyce Dudley, Council members Gregg Hart, Eric Friedman, and Jason Dominguez, Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, former County Fire chief Eric Petersen, City Fire Interim Chief Lee Waldron, Lt. Ugo "Butch" Arnoldi from the Sheriff’s Office, former City Fire chief Pat McElroy, and former sheriff and former County Fire chief Pat Thomas.
In the keynote address, McElroy shared that his brother Matthew participated in Special Olympics programs for four decades and that Special Olympics was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. McElroy pointed to the socializing aspect and the pride and confidence the programs instilled in him.