The WiSH Education Foundation hosted its third annual “WiSH Upon a Car” fundraising event last weekend with 85 cars participating at the Valencia Town Center.
With rows and rows of unique old-school cars, guests were able to look more closely at how the engine was built, when a vehicle was made, and if it was featured in the entertainment industry, and guests could get the opportunity to speak with the owners of each car.
“It feels amazing. We’ve worked about nine months on this to get it off the ground, and I’m so happy that it’s here. I’m happy that there’s many cars here, many people are coming,” said Christy Alben, vice chairman of WiSH.
Alben said that the proceeds go to help fund programs for students in all the schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District.
“I love that we have a family event where, you know, we support students in the district. And families can come with their students and participate and walk around to see the cars. It’s just a relaxed event,” Alben said.
She added that events like this are important because they bring the community out, and whether it is the car community or the motorcycle community, there are all kinds of communities that come out.
Alben grew up loving cars because her uncle and grandfather loved them.
“My grandfather and my uncle loved cars when I was little, and I was around them. And so, I just have a love of cars. I love to look at them. I love to see them … I know just enough about them to be dangerous, but I just love cars, and I love old cars,” Alben said.
Roy Dayton brought his 1956 yellow Oldsmobile and 1941 red Ford to the event because he feels like people looking at old cars are becoming a dying breed. Dayton said that he has been collecting cars since he was 8 years old.
“Just to bring the cars out, let the young people see the old cars. You know, it’s a dying breed, all the people that own these cars are old and they’re dying off. I don’t know what’s going to happen. The younger generation just isn’t into it, you know,” Dayton said.
Les Rune echoed this sentiment and brought his family – his wife Collette and his two daughters, Blair and Nicole.
“They’re tagging along with me, but I’m also trying to get them interested in cars because I think it’s something that we’re losing, where we’re, our current kids are not as interested in old cars like we are. And I think it’s something I’d like to see come back and them get interested in,” Rune said.
Rune came out because he loves seeing old cars in the area and wanted to support a good cause like WiSH.
When asked if he owned any old cars, he said no, but he told his family to pick which one is their favorite and they can try and put something together as a family.
The car they said they liked best was the 1955 Chevrolet Nomad.
