VENDY INVITED ELWOOD TO SAN BERNARDINO TO ATTEND MANY ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER OF 2002. AMONG THE EVENTS HE ATTENDED WERE THE CALIFORNIA TURTLE AND TORTOISE SHOW, MANY ELEMENTARY CLASSES, THE SPECIAL NEEDS RIDE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN CASA COLINAS, A DISTRICT BLOOD DRIVE, THE REGIONAL FINALS FOR THE LITTLE LEAGUE, A FAMILY VACATION CRUISE, AND A DAY AT YORBA LINDA TO SEE A STEEL BEAM FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

I HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO MY PATRIOTIC DUTY.

VENDY INVITED ELWOOD ALONG TO ASK KIDS TO FILL OUT TICKETS FOR A DRAWING (UNDER 12 YEARS OLD) TO WIN A BIKE. THERE WAS ONE BIKE FOR A GIRL AND ONE FOR A BOY. FIREWORKS WERE SOLD TO HELP THE CENTER FOR HEALING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. AS YOU CAN SEE, ELWOOD IS SHOWING THE ART OF SALESMANSHIP BY DEMONSTRATING THE CAPABILITIES OF THE BIKE.

WHILE ELWOOD WAS MAKING ONE OF HIS MANY VISITS TO CALIFORNIA, HE TOOK SOME TIME TO HELP WITH THE “POMONA VALLEY HARLEY DAVIDSON’S” ROCK AND RIDE CHARITY EVENT FOR CASA’S KIDS. IT WAS A GREAT DAY TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND HELP MAKE THE FUTURE BRIGHTER FOR SOME WONDERFUL CHILDREN. ONE OF THE FRIENDS ELWOOD MET THAT DAY WAS JIM HOGUE. HE IS THE INSTRUCTOR THAT COACHED ELWOOD THROUGH THE PRINCIPLES OF LIGHT AIRCRAFT.

IT WAS A ROUGH TAXI DOWN A GRASS AIRSTRIP, BUT ELWOOD FINALLY GOT INTO THE AIR. HE DID THE MANDATORY FLIGHT AND THEN DECIDED TO TRY A FEW BARREL ROLLS AND LOOPS. THEN TO FINISH THE FLIGHT HE DID A KAMIKAZE DIVE AT THE FIELD. ELWOOD NEVER KNEW JIM COULD MOVE THAT FAST, OR DIVE THAT FAR. ELWOOD WISHES TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT DONATED THEIR TIME AND THEIR KINDNESS TO THIS SPECIAL EVENT.