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Organizers of star-studded Santa Barbara County event for first responders say it made $800,000+

Oprah Winfrey with Santa Barbara County firefighter Sam Dudley at the ONE805 concert in Summerland September 22.
Lance Orozco
/
KCLU
Oprah Winfrey with Santa Barbara County firefighter Sam Dudley at the ONE805 concert in Summerland September 22.

Maroon 5, Oprah, Ellen, Kevin Costner, plus Prince Harry and Megan Markle were all a part of the benefit concert in Summerland.

It was a star studded fundraiser for Santa Barbara County’s first responders, with rock and pop music stars, and celebrities like Oprah and Kevin Costner. Now, organizers say it was a big success.

The band Maroon 5 headlined the September 22 concert in Summerland, which raised money to support Santa Barbara County first responders.

"We did very, very well. Our donors were incredibly supportive. We have netted to date around $800,000," said Kirsten Cavendish Weston-Smith, who is is the co-founder, and CEO of ONE 805.

ONE805 organized the September event.

She says the County’s law enforcement and fire chiefs decide the priorities on how the money is used.

 The goal is to provide support the agencies don’t get through tax dollars.

One of ONE805’s major efforts is a free, confidential counseling program for firefighters in Santa Barbara County.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.