FORT IRWIN, Calif. – The Inland Mopars, a group of car enthusiasts from in and around the California Inland Empire, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, brought a bit of extended Christmas joy to Fort Irwin families January 6, 2024, as they partnered with the Fort Irwin and the local community to deliver hundreds of toys to children, here.
Brandi Crist, Department of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) director, helped organize the event and was there with her team unloading, processing, and handing out toys.
“This event is an excellent opportunity for us to give something back to the community and demonstrates a fantastic community-wide effort,” Crist said. “We are so grateful to Mopars and all of our volunteers out here for helping to give Fort Irwin kids Christmas in January.”
Mike Keller, Inland Mopars toy drive coordinator, said the organization collects sports equipment, bicycles, books, dolls, skateboards and more at car shows and events throughout the year to bring joy to military families living on and near Fort Irwin each January.
According to Keller, this year he drove a 24-foot trailer loaded “end-to-end” with gifts and toys, representing a value of nearly $50,000 which was collected by Mopars over the past twelve months.
“Every year we start collecting [donations] heavily in May at various car shows and events we do just so we can make this event happen and help give families here a great Christmas,” Keller said. “It means so much to be able to do this… we want to make sure every child gets a toy.”
A volunteer dressed as the Grinch was on hand to oversee the event, displaying uncharacteristic holiday cheer as he directed traffic and merrily waved at families as their vehicles were guided through the drive-in donation area by Fort Irwin Military Police.
Families turned in wish lists to “Santa’s helpers” consisting of volunteers from all over post, including Fort Irwin garrison headquarters, Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers (BOSS), 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 916th Sustainment Brigade, Operations Group, and the Fort Irwin Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) and family members, who delivered basketballs, skates, dolls, and bikes to the grinning children in cars and trucks waiting to take them home.
“This is a special event for us,” said Keller. “We love being here every year to see the kids’ faces… and to be a part of giving back to Soldiers and their families… and when we leave here, we’ll be ready to start collecting for next year!”