Five lithesome L.A. Laker Girls added sparkle and fun to the inaugural Toys for Tots golf tournament on Sept. 8 at the Santa Maria Country Club. The Central Coast Toys for Tots held the outing in order to shore up their sagging coffers before the holidays.
“This event will be a giant help to Toys for Tots,” Central Coast Area Director Lou Barnes told me. “We aren’t getting donations like we did in, say, 2007. We expect a shortfall this year.
“The count of toys that we get might not be as big as it used to be,” he added. “Cash donations are a help. We can buy toys to make up the difference.”
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, which provides new toys to children in families with very limited resources. Founded in 1947, the program grew and grew and now boasts chapters all over the United States.
Lou is a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine, I was told). His sidekicks—Jim Pickens, SLO coordinator, and John DuMong, deputy director for the Central Coast—are also Marines.
One hundred and forty-four golfers participated in the $150-a-ticket event, which included a day of golf, complimentary bloody Mary’s before tee-off, canvas Lakers bags, a Mexican buffet, a live auction, and raffle items.
The day began with the appearance of a Marine Corps color guard, which pleased all of the Marines on the putting green. Many drink stations along the way kept the golfers hydrated—or at least enthusiastic. They provided such amenities as margaritas topped off with premium orange liqueur. After one of these drinks, I felt like swinging a putter myself.
Debbie Mansfield, Nipomo Mesa Toys for Tots coordinator, masterminded the event. Her good friend Lisa Estrada, a former Santa Maria resident, is now the head Laker Girl, and is known officially as director of game operations and entertainment for the L.A. Lakers. Former Laker Girl Lisa brought up five members of her team to entertain and delight the golfers and their guests.
“We were flabbergasted that the tournament filled up so quickly,” Santa Maria Coordinator Anita Pomerantz told me. “We were sold out before we knew it.
“We will be putting out collection boxes for toys in October,” she added.
Golfers who brought a new, unwrapped toy were treated to being photographed with the Laker Girls. A possible result of this enticement was three huge barrels filled up with toys.
One of the great live auction items put up for bid by auctioneer Jim Glines was an L.A. Lakers gift package, which included four game tickets with VIP parking and four passes to the Arena Club.
Golfers came to participate from Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, and Orange County. I was told that a few women were among the participants, so this wasn’t a strictly all-guy event.
Pomerantz told me that this year, Santa Maria’s Toys for Tots is trying something different. The organization will showcase the toys for distribution at Charlotte’s Closet in the Good Samaritan Shelter and allow parents to “shop” for toys for their children. She added that they give two or three toys per child in families that qualify for the help.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 2, 2008.