Friday night's San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program's annual drive, co-sponsored by Caffe Trieste and the North Beach Business Association, was a huge success, raising nearly $7,000 and bringing in 10 barrels of toys.
"It was one of the biggest turnouts" ever, said Trieste co-owner Ida Zoubi. "A lot of people stopped by from the neighborhood." She couldn't recall how many years Caffe Trieste has hosted the drive, but it's become a cherished holiday event attracting a huge crowd of regulars throughout the night. People squeeze into the tables inside and spill over to the sidewalk, and everyone runs into someone—possibly several people—they know.
Dorol Conrad as Elvis.
The evening was fun for everyone, from the children who got to climb on the vintage fire truck to the adults who enjoyed live entertainment inside the cafe. Rene Sevieri, Ned Boynton's Surfer Roma and Elvis impersonator Dorol Conrad kept toes tapping. Supervisor Aaron Peskin showed up to meet and greet neighbors and constituents.
Rene Sevieri on accordion, Ned Boynton on guitar, Joe Girardi on drums and Dave Jess on bass.
Raffle tickets were sold for a long list of donated items, from gift certificates to local businesses to food baskets and a four-hour limo ride. A live auction included lunch with Peskin at Original Joe's (which raised $250) and a ride on the San Francisco fire boat for 10 people ($800).
If you missed the drive, toys can be donated for infants through age 12 at any San Francisco Fire Department station, which are open 24 hours. More details, including donation suggestions and ways to donate online, are on the toy program's website.
