As adults, we know there’s more to Christmas than just gifts. The holidays give us a chance to catch up and reminisce with family members and friends we haven’t seen in months or even years. They offer us time to look back on the year and all of the blessings we’ve experienced.
However, let’s face it: when you’re a kid, your mind is on those sweet, sweet toys that are under the tree, wrapped in that frustratingly opaque wrapping paper, restrictive ribbons, and bows that add time to getting to the prize inside.
Sadly, a lot of children don’t get to enjoy that anticipation and the pleasure of opening that toy they’ve wanted for months at Christmas. AutoNation Chevrolet and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station in Southern California are out to change that. The two organizations kicked off their 11th annual toy drive on Wednesday, December 2 at AutoNation Chevrolet in the Valencia neighborhood of Santa Clarita, California. There were holiday goodies, entertainment, and performances by 10 children’s choirs.
All of you SoCal folks near the Santa Clarita Valley have until Sunday, December 20 to drop off your toy donations at any of more than a dozen spots (hit the Hometown Station link below to see them all). The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station will distribute them to families in need (and kids in want) in the area.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
