Young woman sees her super Bowl dream come true

Santa Barbara-based Dream Foundation arranges for San Bernardino resident to go to Sunday’s big game

MORE iN sidE

Santa Barbara entrepreneur David Bolton and his company are again producing the Super Bowl broadcast for Latin American viewers. A5.

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

Kellirae Cox couldn’t help but smile.

The 21-year-old San Bernardino resident was a school cheerleader throughout her life at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, and she has always loved watching football. Now she gets to attend her first NFL game, and it’s not just any old NFL game.

On Wednesday, the student body at the school for the deaf gathered at a pep rally and watched as one of its alumni, Miss Cox, found out she’s going to the Super Bowl Sunday with her mother, aunt and former cheerleading coach Stacey Hausman.

That’s thanks to efforts by the Dream Foundation.

The Santa Barbara nonprofit makes dreams come true for terminally ill adults. Miss Cox,

FYi

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County has reached its $20 million fundraising goal to purchase and outfit its new Sharehouse in Goleta.

Of the $20 million, $1.5 million came from federal funding procured by U.S. Rep. Carbajal, DSanta Barbara, who advocated for the project and appeared Friday morning at a news conference with Erik Talkin, the Foodbank’s CEO, at the Sharehouse.

“The rest of the funding came from a variety of sources,” Mr. Talkin told the News-Press during an interview. “Mostly from local donors; up to about $15 million came from the Santa Barbara community.”

“The bulk of the remaining funding (not federal funding) came from an assortment of private foundations, other individuals’ contributions and other charitable sources,” Judith Smith-Meyer, the Foodbank’s senior communications manager, told the News-Press. Noted Mr. Talkin, “It has been eight long years since we started looking to secure this and begin the building work. It is difficult to find usable property in Santa Barbara that doesn’t cost millions. We were lucky to find a place that was reasonably priced.”

The Sharehouse is intended to enable the Foodbank to better address food insecurity countywide and ensure that all county residents (and anyone stranded here in case a disaster closes Highway 101 and State Route 154) will have food during a disaster.

“It serves the entire county, but is situated in the South County. A major benefit of the increased capacity is in case of disaster,” said Ms. Smith-Meyer. “In cases where the South County is cut off from the North County, when we are cut off from our usual food sources, we will have ample food ready. We will have one million pounds of food available in the warehouse at all times for disaster response.

COURTESY PHOTO a San Bernardino resident with melanoma that has metastasized, has a life expectancy of six months. But she’s at peace with her diagnosis, and in the eyes of those who know this young

Kellirae Cox, who’s now 21, was a cheerleader throughout the years when she attended the California School for the Deaf in Riverside. Thanks to the Santa Barbara-based Dream Foundation and the NFL, she, her mother, her aunt and her former cheerleading coach will attend the Super Bowl Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.

Please see DREAM on A4