The Past Pleasures Car Club's 2024 journey came to a magnificent close with their much-anticipated annual holiday season toy drive. On November 1st, those who assembled in the parking lot adjacent to the Vons on Yucaipa Boulevard brought along unwrapped toys, ready to donate to local children. As more and more participants started arriving, the empty bins next to the raffle table began to fill up rapidly with presents, creating a festive atmosphere of socializing and showcasing classic cars.

Secretary's Insights

PPCC Secretary Art Berry shared, "This night is dedicated to the toy drive. The grand finale always revolves around the toy drive for the local fire station on Yucaipa Boulevard. We collect these toys for them, and they take it upon themselves to distribute them among the children." The Yucaipa Fire Department also made a grand appearance by bringing several of their fire trucks to display, adding to the excitement of the event.

Show's Hiatus and Return

This remarkable show, which is made possible by local sponsorship and is completely free of charge, will take a break during the winter months. However, it is all set to resume again in April 2025, promising more classic cars and heartwarming moments.

Attendee's Experience

John Hammer from Redlands mentioned that it was his second time attending the PPCC show. For this holiday drive, he brought three different kinds of toys to donate. He said, "I always participate in these fundraiser activities. In October, I also had the pleasure of attending a different car show fundraiser for the Lighthouse for the Blind in Redlands." He further added, "A lot of the same cars were present, but it was still a great experience."John brought a 1923 Ford Model-T to the PPCC show. He explained that his car has a 350 engine from 1985. He decided to put a Chevy engine in a Ford because "their engines are truly the best." He continued, "It's quite a speedster, and it can even perform those amazing pop-wheelies." He also mentioned, "It's not a restoration; I bought this Model-T from the widow of a collector in Arizona, and it already came painted orange. Now, I'm in the process of painting part of it black and working on it with a neighbor who has excellent mechanical skills." The colors of his automobile perfectly complemented some of the other cars that seemed to have a Halloween theme with their decorations.

Contests for Children

There were several exciting contests organized for children, including hula hoop, dance, and limbo. The winners were rewarded with trophies, and the children were overjoyed to receive Halloween candy as well. Throughout the evening, the DJ kept the energy high by providing music and giving away prizes for correct answers to trivia questions before the winners were presented with their well-deserved trophies.

Trophy Making Process

As a grand finale touch, the club created hand-made trophies all made out of hard wood. These were beautiful wall plaques. Berry mentioned that he donated the wood, and it was a collaborative effort by the club members. They got the plates for the plaques from The Trophy Store in Yucaipa and then crafted the trophies by cutting them out and bonding the plates together along with laser engraving. In the end, Berry took the time to sand and finish them, making them truly unique.

Toy Donation Impact

Berry also noted that the toy donation in 2024 seemed to be more substantial than the previous year, with approximately 14 bins filled with toys. He emphasized, "There are children nowadays who are facing hardships due to our economy. People have been incredibly generous, and we are truly grateful to the community for their support."To know more about the Past Pleasures Car Club, visit www.pastpleasurescarclub.com.