Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., has joined forces with Families Forward, an Irvine-based nonprofit organization, to support the group’s annual Holidays Gift Drive for local families in need. The goal is to provide gifts — toys, books, games, gas and grocery cards, etc. — to thousands of children and their parents during the holidays.
The museum, a showcase for vintage military aircraft and automobiles, welcomes gift donations through Sun., Dec. 12. Each visitor bringing one or more new presents — unwrapped, store-packaged, minimum value $10 — will receive free admission. The goal is to “Jam the Jeep”— pack one or more of the Museum’s 1.25-ton 1940s Ford GPW Military Jeeps with loads of toys and gifts.
“We are pleased to be helping Orange County families in need,” said Mark Foster, president of Lyon Air Museum. “Our museum is all about putting smiles on the faces of our visitors, many of whom are children. By donating a gift in exchange for a paid admission, both the visitor and the museum help contribute to putting smiles on young faces throughout the county.”
Families Forward offers an array of year-round programs and services to low-income and homeless families in Orange County.
“We want to thank General Lyon, Mark Foster and the visitors to Lyon Air Museum for their generous contribution to our Holidays Gift Drive,” said Margie Wakeham, Families Forward Executive Director. “By donating gifts each December, magnanimous donors help to make the holidays a little brighter for local families in need. For many of the children in our program, we are the ONLY source of gifts for the holidays.”
The 30,000-sq.ft. Lyon Air Museum opened in December 2009. The facility represents the fulfillment of a dream of Maj. Gen. William Lyon, USAF (Ret), who held the position of Chief of the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1975 to 1979. Currently, Gen. Lyon is Chairman of the Board and CEO of William Lyon Homes, Inc., Newport Beach, Calif. His passion for aviation history and youth education is the driving force behind Lyon Air Museum. In establishing the museum, he sought to create a world-class facility that would be available to the local community and would offer educational exhibits designed to inspire young people. The museum has on exhibit some of the world’s rarest operational aircraft and vehicles.
For more information: 714-210-4585 or LyonAirMuseum.org
