The fundamental importance of the work of first responders and our almost universal gratitude and support for their work and well-being was the underlying theme at Saturday’s One805LIVE! benefit. Held, as it has been for several years, at Kevin Costner’s oceanfront estate in Summerland, the seven-hour extravaganza was a sonic mishmash of genres and eras that had something to offer for just about every musical taste, and even more critically, managed to convey one of most important underlying ideas behind the work of our first responders: When it comes to supporting our community, we’re all in this together.
A surprise appearance by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex — joined for just a moment onstage by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex — to present the Heart of the Community Award to the County Fire Department’s Peer-to-Peer mental health program, was quite moving. Firefighter Sam Dudley and his adorable rescue dog Rhonda accepted the award, and Prince Harry spoke eloquently about how important it is to remove the stigma about mental health problems.
The Prince also praised County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig for his work on behalf of mental health, which is one of the cornerstones of the services funded by the One805 nonprofit…