Montecito Bank & Trust and Easy Lift Wrap Support around the Santa Barbara Triathlon
Honoring all of the individual and team athletes that endure the cold early morning ocean waters, the punishing hills of our surrounding neighborhoods on their bikes and the pounding pavement beneath their feet, Montecito Bank & Trust has also teamed up with Easy Lift Transportation to promote the event. Wrapped in brightly colored images of athletes as they “swim, bike and run”, a special Easy Lift “SB Triathlon” van has been traversing the Santa Barbara area for almost a year. During the upcoming event on August 26 – 28, the SB Triathlon van will see special duty in supporting the event’s myriad transportation needs.
“Collaboration among local organizations is nothing new here in Santa Barbara, but when personal passions mesh with community needs it is all the more special,” stated Montecito Bank & Trust President and CEO Janet Garufis. Currently Ernesto Paredes, Executive Director of Easy Lift Transportation and an Ironman competitor, is assisting with conditioning training for Triathlon readiness with a group called Moms in Motion. Paredes said, “It is great working with these women and extra special that Janet Garufis has made time to join the training and plans on participating in the Triathlon herself for a second year.”
“The Triathlon wrapped Easy Lift van has been such a special, extra benefit and I am very appreciative to Montecito Bank & Trust and Easy Lift for their creativity. It’s so true that the personal connections make our work and our lives that much richer. This being our 30th Santa Barbara Triathlon is a special milestone and it wouldn’t be possible without the community support I receive,” stated Joe Coito, the event’s founder and Director.
“But the event isn’t just “play,” notes Coito, “this event is about building, supporting and sustaining our community and our presenting sponsor, Montecito Bank & Trust, is the perfect partner to help bring that spirit to this event.” Each year the Santa Barbara Triathlon supports a nonprofit beneficiary, which this year, with the vision and support of Montecito Bank & Trust, was determined by members of the community through an on-line voting process within the Bank’s website. The winner will receive funds raised by the participating athletes and volunteers. From a field of five pre-selected nonprofits, this year’s Santa Barbara Triathlon Beneficiary, and overall winner in a closely fought voting completion, is Partners in Education. For more Santa Barbara Triathlon information on beneficiary support, event registration or volunteering, just visit its website at www.santabarbaratriathlon.com.
Montecito Bank & Trust, an S Corporation, is a locally owned community bank founded in 1975. It is known for its ongoing support of the community through unique giving programs such as Community Dividends® and Anniversary GrantsSM. The bank has branch offices in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Solvang, Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura and Westlake Village. It offers a variety of competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and consumers, including consumer loans, business loans and lines of credit, SBA loans, credit cards, merchant services, online and mobile banking, and cash management. Its Wealth Management Division, located in Montecito, Solvang and Ventura, provides full investment management as well as trust and estate services for all of the bank’s branch office markets.
