Valentine’s Day has always been a special day for Leon Scott Baxter: On Feb. 14, 1990, the San Lorenzo Valley native shared his first kiss with his future wife, Mary. But after this year, it might also be remembered as the day Guinness World Records came calling.
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, Baxter — a Santa Barbara-based author who calls himself “America’s Romance Guru” — will host an event he calls Kisses For Cancer. The top three couples from two separate tryouts will try to set a world record for most kisses in a minute, all to raise money for children’s cancer research.
Baxter — the professional pseudonym for Leon Scott Baxter Lewandowski — grew up in the San Lorenzo Valley and is a 1987 graduate of SLV High School. In his high school yearbook, he was named most likely to host “Saturday Night Live” by 1999. He has not hosted the show.
According to Baxter, there is no record for most kisses in one minute, and to qualify for the record books, couples would have to land no fewer than 117 kisses in the allotted time.
“I can’t guarantee that there’s going to be a world record, but I would bet highly on it,” Baxter said. “We surpassed that easily in the tryouts.”
Baxter said that Guinness’ stringent rules for official recognition of the record would require witnesses, media coverage and video recording. That has kept him busy working the phones, auditioning contestants and generally spreading the word.
“It’s a whole laundry list we have to do,” Baxter said. “We’re just trying to make this a fun event.”
The smooch fest is planned as a benefit for Kidz for a Cure, an organization founded five years ago by Baxter’s then-8-year-old daughter, Madison, to raise money and awareness for children dealing with cancer.
“She’s a pretty giving young lady,” Baxter said of his daughter. “I’ve become a lot more philanthropic because of her.”
He described how, as an 8-year-old, Madison raised $3,000 in a year for cancer research. In the five years since then, Baxter said, Kidz for a Cure has raised more than $16,000.
The main event, set to be held at Tremblay Financial Services offices in Santa Barbara, will also serve as a premiere of sorts for Baxter’s third book, “The Finance of Romance.”
“I thought it would be a good opportunity to get my book out there, but also promote my daughter’s philanthropic enterprise,” he said.
He splits his time between teaching third grade and writing books and hosting seminars designed to help couples find and keep love in their lives.
Baxter said his journey as a romance expert began in high school, giving advice to his friends.
“I’ve always been naturally a romantic guy,” he said. “Guys would sometimes ask me, ‘Hey, what can I do that’s romantic for my girl?’”
That trend continued when he attended University of California, Santa Barbara, where he said his advice was well received.
“People started telling me, ‘You should do seminars, write a book,’” he said.
He took that to heart, and soon after, he wrote “Out of the Doghouse,” which is described on his website as a “Cliff’s Notes to love” for men.
His second book, “A Labor with Love,” advises couples on ways to fuel their romance while expecting a baby.
Baxter said his latest, “The Finance of Romance,” encourages couples to see romantic actions as an investment in their partnership.
“We want couples to invest as much in their relationship as they do in their finances,” he said.
For information: www.couplescommittedtolove.com or http://kidzforacure.org/
