Santa Maria Celebrates 50th Anniversary!

Altrusa International, Inc. of Santa Maria will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, October 16, 2010, at the Santa Maria Inn.  The gala affair will bein with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. 

Keynote speaker will be Eddie Taylor, of the United Way, with other special guests throught the evening.

Altrusa is a world-wide community service organization that was founded in 1918.  The Santa Maria Club, which meets at the City library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., was chartered in 1960.  Some of the current and past projects include:

• Purchase of the first SMOOTH (Santa Maria Organization Of Transportation Helpers) bus for transporting the elderly.
• Start-up funds for the Orcutt School District's after-school programs.
• Creation of the Junior High School Outstanding Student Awards program.
• Scholarships for Allan Hancock College students.
• Support of various community projects, including:
• Altrusa Children's Theater at the city library
• Good Samaritan Homeless Shelter
• Visiting Nurses Association
• Salvation Army
• Santa Maria Independent Living Environment
• Association for the Mentally Retarded
• Vocational Training Center
• YMCA
• Books for Youth in Guadalupe
• Various senior citizens programs

Cost for the dinner is $50 and reservations are required.  For further information or to make a reservation, please contact Betty Baxter at (805) 937-4536.