SANTA PAULA : Mansion Tour Will Benefit Hospice

Mary Iwasiuk is spending the day dusting and polishing century-old furniture and sweeping marble floors as she prepares to receive guests at her 5,000-square-foot estate in the hills near Santa Paula.

Iwasiuk is not giving a party, but opening her home to the public in an effort to raise funds for the Santa Clara Valley Hospice.

“We do it because it’s for a good cause,” said Iwasiuk, whose Tudor-style house was designed by her husband, Dr. Gosta W. Iwasiuk. “We hope somehow to make a contribution to the hospice.”

The 12th annual Santa Clara Valley House and Garden Tour is scheduled for Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will tour three mansions amid lemon and oranges orchards on the slopes of the Santa Clara Valley.

At the Iwasiuk mansion, guests will see a 200-year-old King Angra’s bed of carved mahogany, several rose gardens and a wine cellar that resembles an old Portuguese wine-storage facility.

The tour also includes a stop at the historical Rancho Abuelos, home to four generations of the Orcutt family. Among the ranch’s attractions is a gallery displaying paintings and sculptures, said tour organizer Molly S. King.

Guests will also visit the hilltop mansion of Sam and Pat Braslaw, which houses a collection of contemporary art, King said. In addition, guests will enjoy ice cream and possibly win a prize, King said.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the hospice office at 121 Davis St. in Santa Paula.

The money will benefit the hospice, a nonprofit organization providing free care to victims of life-threatening illnesses.