This was $150,000 of good news

Hear the cheers Wednesday?

It was the good people who operate Catholic Charities’ family homeless shelter in Santa Rosa, reacting to news from Marcy Smothers.

She announced that directors of the recent Schulz Celebrity Golf Classic were struck by the story of Catholic Charities’ likely loss of $400,000 in federal grants. Such a cut would jeopardize the 138-bed Family Support Center on A Street.

“This is a critical need,” said Smothers, a prime mover behind the Schulz Classic, whose major donors include the hosting Mayacama Golf Club and Jeannie Schulz. “We decided it’s not something that can wait.”

Normally, leaders of the Schulz tournament make gifts each fall to organizations that serve youngsters. But they met Wednesday and agreed to give Catholic Charities $150,000 now.

“Oh, my gosh. It’s definitely an answer to a prayer,” said the agency’s Rebecca Kendall.

She said that thanks to the advocacy of auto dealer and radio station owner Lawrence Amaturo, Catholic Charities was assured earlier this year that later this year it would receive a $100,000 share of the Schulz Golf Classic proceeds.

To receive that and $50,000 right now is a blessing, Kendall said. She and everyone at Catholic Charities are thankful, too, for a $1,000 gift from students at Cardinal Newman High, and for a call from a woman who said she will donate stocks to help replace the lost federal dollars.

“We’re checking the mail eagerly every day.”

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WHAT A GAME that was at AT&T Park on Wednesday afternoon. For Sebastopol teacher Nicole Ellwood, I mean.

The Twin Hills Charter Middle School special-ed instructor and five other Bay Area teachers were invited onto the diamond before Tim Lincecum’s 4-0 no-hitter over the Padres. They were introduced to the crowd, then came the announcement that sent Ellwood into tears.

She was declared the Comcast SportsNet 2014 All-Star Teacher - and presented a check for $20,000 for her school.

Back in Sebastopol, Superintendent Barbara Bickford wasn’t at all surprised Ellwood hit it out of the park.

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THE HUMAN VOICE is about at its best when a chorus joins to sing tunes by the likes of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and the four mop-heads from Liverpool.

Sunday evening at Sonoma’s Jacuzzi Family Winery, a performance of some of history’s dreamiest songs will be music to the ears of some young people setting a course in life as they age out of foster care.

Accompanying the concert by the MusicWorks!Sonoma chorus will be high-end finger foods and a grand silent auction.

Proceeds go to the VOICES program for foster youth. For tickets, voicesyouthcenter.org.

The closers, honoring 50 years of The Beatles, may be worth the price of admission.

“Take a sad song and make it better .?.?.”

Chris Smith is at 521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.