CABS Sponsorships
Nightlife Art Exhibition
In Spring 2025, CABS proudly co-sponsored Nightlife, a dynamic multimedia art exhibition held at the Big Sur Grange, spotlighting 14 California artists, including board member Peery Sloan. Conceived by Big Sur artist Sean Sweeney, Nightlife explored the transformative and contemplative qualities of the nocturnal world through diverse media such as sculpture, photography, writing, and sound. Alongside the exhibition, the week featured a range of community events (including yoga, a creative workshop, live music, and guided meditation) that invited visitors to engage more deeply with the theme. By supporting this initiative, CABS helped celebrate local creativity while showcasing the Big Sur Grange’s potential as a vibrant and inclusive community space.
California Coastal Trail - Big Sur Segment
Acting as a trusted fiscal sponsor and convener, CABS has played a vital role in the long-term, community-driven effort to align the California Coastal Trail (CCT) through Big Sur. Since 2007, this grassroots process has brought together Big Sur residents, landowners, and public partners—including the California Coastal Commission, California Coastal Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, California State Parks, Caltrans, Ventana Wilderness Alliance, and Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District—to navigate a complex planning challenge: how to develop a trail alignment that respects both the rugged landscape and the values of the Big Sur community. Initially proposed as a network of braided trails, the state’s concept was met with strong local advocacy for a single, continuous route using existing trails within public lands. With support from elected officials including Senators Bill Monning and John Laird, the Big Sur coastline was divided into six planning segments, each led by a local working group that built consensus with public agencies. In 2022, the Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy formally accepted the community-driven alignment—a major milestone for public engagement in state-level trail planning. CABS remains fiscal sponsor for this work and continues to support the vision of a coastal trail that honors both public access and environmental stewardship. Learn more here.
Pfeiffer Beach Pilot Shuttle Program
Following the 2017 collapse of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, an event that isolated parts of Big Sur and disrupted daily life for residents and businesses, the community began reimagining how to manage visitation in a more sustainable way. At the heart of this effort was young Big Sur visionary Weston Call, founder of Sur Transportation. Launched in 2016 to support event transportation, Sur Transportation became a vital community service during the 2017 Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge collapse. With support from the County, the program provided shuttles from Andrew Molera to the bypass trail on the north side and continued service south to Nepenthe, helping reconnect Big Sur during a critical time. Its success laid the groundwork for a pilot shuttle program to provide visitor access to Pfeiffer Beach via Sycamore Canyon Road (a narrow, privately maintained route with limited capacity). Weston partnered with CABS, Supervisor Mary Adams, and the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau (now See Monterey) to launch the demonstration project in 2018.
More than a shuttle, Weston’s project embodied a new model for public access: one that combined transportation with education, turning visitors into stewards by sharing Big Sur’s cultural and ecological story along the way. The program was proving to be a success, but tragically, Weston passed away unexpectedly that August. In his absence, family and friends carried the shuttle through to the end of the summer season. Today, CABS remains committed to carrying this vision forward through the U.S. Forest Service’s Visitor Use Management framework, supporting proposals such as improved signage, year-round staffing, and additional systems to protect this fragile corridor.
Visit The Big Sur Fund in Memory of Weston Call to honor Weston’s memory and continue his legacy of sustainable access and community care for Big Sur.
Upper Rocky Creek Road Repair
After the Soberanes Fire in 2016 and the record-setting rains that followed, a remote stretch of Rocky Creek Road—deep in Palo Colorado Canyon—suffered severe damage, cutting off over two dozen households. The 88-foot section was so compromised that vehicles over 5,000 pounds couldn’t cross, making it impossible for residents to receive emergency services, propane deliveries, or rebuild their homes—many of which had already been lost to fire. Facing a $600,000 price tag for permanent repair, this working-class community came together to raise funds through local donations, grassroots campaigns, and in-kind support. In 2019, CABS stepped in as fiscal sponsor, administering funds and contributing a pivotal $100,000 grant from the Soberanes Fire Recovery Fund. That support made it possible to hire local contractor Brian Patch, whose own family lived beyond the damaged section, to oversee the repair with Peninsula Drilling and Blaze Engineering. After six years of effort, the road was finally reopened in August 2022. This project stands as a powerful example of neighbor-to-neighbor resilience, and of how CABS helps translate community initiative into lasting infrastructure solutions.
Big Sur Big Share
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Sur residents Helen Handshy and Joseph Bradford asked a simple question: “What do we have to share today?” Starting with a humble roadside table offering fresh produce, their effort quickly grew into a vital weekly food distribution program serving the community. With CABS serving as fiscal sponsor, the Big Share expanded its reach and impact. By 2023, the Big Share incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3), continuing to build on its grassroots origins while receiving community support and donations to sustain its mission.
The Big Share is much more than a food pantry—it’s a hub of connection, resilience, and mutual care in our remote and often isolated community. Every Monday at the Big Sur Grange, rain or shine, volunteers distribute fresh produce and pantry staples to hundreds of residents, many of whom deliver food to neighbors who can’t come in person. When storms and landslides disrupt access to food and fuel, the Share organizes vital resupply missions to ensure no one goes without. With a focus on “Grow More, Share More,” the Big Share encourages a culture of sharing and sustainability that strengthens the entire community.
Emile Norman Arts Foundation
In 2020, the Community Association of Big Sur (CABS) took on a new and unique role as fiscal sponsor for the emerging Emile Norman Arts Foundation. This marked the first time CABS would oversee real estate—specifically the purchase of Emile Norman’s historic home and extensive art collection on Pfeiffer Ridge Road. Thanks to generous anonymous donors and partnerships with the Community Foundation for Monterey County and Chicago Title, the $2.1 million purchase closed escrow in February 2021, securing Emile’s legacy for future generations.
The Foundation’s mission is to celebrate the cultural influence of Big Sur through the visionary work and philosophy of American artist Emile Norman. By preserving his handcrafted mid-century home and art collection, and historical archive, the Foundation offers a unique space for exhibitions, concerts, and gatherings, highlighting the profound connection between creativity and place. Artists, musicians, and writers are invited to live and create in Emile’s home, drawing inspiration from the rugged, fragile beauty of the coast.
In November 2021, CABS transferred ownership of Emile’s home and collection to the newly formed Foundation, marking a milestone in local arts stewardship and demonstrating the power of collaboration between nonprofit organizations in Big Sur.
Big Sur South Coast Fire Foundation (BSSCFF)
With visitor numbers surging in Big Sur starting in the mid-2000s, wildfire risk along the South Coast became a growing concern. In response, the Community Association of Big Sur (CABS) began collecting data on visitor impacts—such as illegal campfires—through a paid data collection effort, which later evolved into volunteer patrols by locals concerned about fire safety.
From this grassroots effort, the Big Sur South Coast Fire Foundation (BSSCFF) was formed by Lindsay Romanow, James Keefe, and Connie McCoy, with James also serving as treasurer, financial advisor, and sponsor. CABS proudly served as the fiscal sponsor during BSSCFF’s formation as an independent 501(c)(3).
BSSCFF is dedicated to wildfire prevention along the South Coast of Big Sur, including areas of the Los Padres National Forest, through routine, non-enforcement patrols. Volunteers monitor high-risk areas, distribute fire safety handouts, post fire restriction orders at campsites, and report hazards in real time—often directly to the local USFS law enforcement officer. Thanks to the commitment of local volunteers, BSSCFF has significantly reduced fire risks and continues to play a vital role in protecting the South Coast’s forests, public lands, and rural communities.