Drove out to Pierce College under dark grey skies.
Arrived at the Victory Blvd entrance at about 7:05 and joined a long line of classics heading into the parking lot.
As I got closer to the volunteer parking coordinator, I saw some Healeys covered with plushies and Phil Caliva’s pickup with the bed full of more sacks of stuffed animals. I pulled in next to them and Phil’s buddy, Sandy Bettleman, came over and told me to get plushies from the pickup and cover my BJ7.
Our British Motorcar group consisted of Sandy in his 1952 Alvis, Frank Nesta, wearing long pants and real shoes, in his early Morgan, the Kaytis’ in Clay’s 1960 BT7 roadster and Monica in her 1958 Bugeye, and me in my 1963 Mk II BJ7.
Phil was doing the heavy hauling with his 1956 pickup.
The morning continued with a constant stream of incoming cars coupled with loudspeaker announcements of donations of cash and toys. Of note was the HumVee Beast on display, owned by ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, and who donated 600 bicycles. Also on display was the Stars and Stripes, proudly displayed by the Los Angeles Fire Department, and static displays of law enforcement helicopters and vehicles manned by LA Sheriff’s Deputies and the Police Department.
Around 10am we started packing up the toys before delivering them to the volunteers, It had been a great morning seeing the generosity of the car community, the youngsters enjoying seeing the many varied classics, and the adults who all had a Healey story and wanted to share it with us.
The sun was finally up and burning off the overcast and time to hit the road and head for the barn.