Eastcoastin’, Firebirds Pull Into The Shack With Xmas Deliveries

The Shack, The West Hills community center, has become half-toy shop thanks to the generosity of holiday donors. 

Organizers of the Eastcoastin motorcycle event Gabe Canestri and Sal Fusco partnered with West Hills Alder Honda Smith to donate hundreds of toys to her annual Winter Wonderland Toy Drive happening this Saturday.

The duo were joined by friends Ryley Lewis and Geoffrey Lyn to unload a overflowering 8.5 foot by 20 foot trailer with holiday gifts for New Haven youth. 

This is the second year in a row that the Eastcoastin crew partnered with Smith to provide toy donations to the Winter Wonderland event. 

“We go bigger and better every time,” Canestri said. 

Eastcoastin’s donation included ten bikes, five children’s ATV bikes, ten skateboards and dozens of basketballs, footballs, and barbies. A check and gift cards were also handed over to Smith in support of the event. 

The Eastcoastin organizers plan to branch out to helping additional local events to ​“give back to my hometown,” Canestri said. 

In recent years Eastcoastin has become a sponsore for the Annex Little League Canestri said. 

The crew collected toys this past Sunday on Forbes Avenue. Monetary donations were used to purchase giftcards for older kids. 

“We know a lot of people are going through hard time and don’t always have spare money to get kids a bunch of toys,” Canestri said. ​“Hopefully this will help.” 

While unloading the trailer the team of motorcyclist pointed out their favorite toys including mini Harley Davison Motorcycle figurines, child size ATVs, and RC cars. 

“I would he pumped to get this,” Canestri said while bringing a childrens ATV into the center. 

Firefighters Answer the Call - For Toys

In addition to a donation from Eastcoastin, the New Haven Firebirds also stopped by The Shack to drop off a delivery of toys for the Winter wonderland event.

Firebird President Lt. Ernest Jones and secretary Shy Floyd dropped off dozens of toys for youth of all ages. Their donations included board games and foam pogo sticks. 

“It’s our goal to take care of the community,” Jones said. ​“Every child should get a toy in their hands for the holiday season.” 

Jones and Floyd purchased the toys and gift cards Wednesday morning and dropped them off to The Shack in the afternoon. 

The firebirds plan to make a few more toy donation deliveries before Saturday arrives. 

“We’re accustom to answering the call,” Jones said.

The Wednesday donation was funded out-of-pocket by the Firebirds. 

In addition to supporting Smith for the past three years with Winter Wonderland the Firebirds annually help the community with student scholarships, turkey drives, and coat drives. 

The Firebirds also helped to keep Smith’s kitchen stocked during the pandemic’s peak when she and partners served 10,000 weekly fresh meals to the seniors of ward 30.

“They found me and I’m so grateful,” Smith said of both the Firebirds and Eastcoastin organizers. 

The Winter Wonderland event will happen this year by appointments for registered families throughout the city. From 9 a.m to 8 p.m families will be asked to report to the Shack at their appointment times and pick out a few gifts per child. 

To register to pick up gifts for your children families can call 203 – 691-7169 to make an appointment for Saturday. 

So far 80 families have registered which includes more than 300 kids total. 

Toni Harp and Toni Walker joined Smith at the toy drop offs Wednesday in support of the 25 year long annual tradition that started with Smith, Harp, and Walker. 

For 23 years Harp was Mrs. Clause that the event when in-person. This year the trio will celebrate the 25th anniversary of ​“community helping community.”