By Erika I. Ritchie
The Orange County Register
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — For at least a decade, the Laguna Beach Fire Fighters’ Union has been flipping pancakes on Memorial Day to raise money to restore the city’s first dedicated fire engine, a 1931-era Seagrave.
This holiday, while preparing their ingredients for yet another year of cooking flapjacks and selling Laguna Beach Fire Department swag, they got an unexpected surprise when a Laguna Beach resident visited Fire Station 1 next to City Hall and handed over a $20,000 check.
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The donation from Anita Rosenstein was earmarked for the association and specifically for its efforts to restore the town’s oldest and first fire engine, Laguna Beach Fire Capt. Pat Cary said. He said that Rosenstein told him and others at the station that she was so impressed with the department and she appreciated its recent response to one of her close friends who needed the firefighters’ help.
Cary introduced her to Fire Chief Niko King and others in the department, gave her a tour of the firehouse and told her about the project to restore the engine.
“She thought it was an amazing project,” he said.
Later, when he called to thank her again by phone, Cary said that Rosenstein told him she would double her donation, making it $40,000.
“I was blown away, it was so generous,” he said, adding that the money from Rosenstein is the largest donation the restoration project, which is expected to cost $250,000, has gotten.
The engine was in service from 1931 to 1962. After its retirement, it was a staple at community events, the annual Patriots Day Parade and it was Santa Claus’s transport during the town’s annual Hospitality Night kicking off Christmas festivities. Six years ago, its engine failed, and since then, it has sat dormant.
The firefighters’ association has hosted the pancake breakfast for 25 years, with some profits going toward the Seagrave. Ten years ago, Cary said all the holiday breakfast gigs began to be earmarked for the restoration project.
About another $125,000 is needed for its full restoration.
The engine is running, but more needs to be done on the chassis and the exterior. The goal, Cary said, is to get the engine restored for the city’s 100th birthday celebration next year in June.
“This is the momentum we need,” he said, “to get it over the finish line.”
To learn more about the project or donate, go to LBFFA.org.
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