Facing possible closure because of financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville earned a reprieve through the rest of the year when a car-show benefit cleared more than $16,000.
Hagerty.com reported museum director Sue Bridges was relieved about the generosity:
“We were blown away by the support,” Bridges says. “We had cars wrapped around the museum—over 300 hundred cars and motorcycles. This will keep us going until January, even with the museum dark.” […]
As the July fundraiser neared, Bridges sounded hopeful … and also seemed to predict what might happen.
“The car clubs around here have been very supportive over the years,” she said, “and we’re hoping it continues.”
Here are images from the fundraiser:
If you missed the event, you still can donate directly to the museum through PayPal at cart66musm@gmail.com.
Checks also can be mailed to:
California Route 66 Museum
P.O. Box 252
Oro Grande, CA 92368
Earlier in July, Bridges said the museum had suffered from a cash crunch created by the pandemic and the European travel ban.
Only $1,200 in revenue arrived in June, and the museum had only $2,200 left in savings by July. A typical summer month would generate $13,000 to $15,000 in revenue.
The California Route 66 Museum opened in 1995 in what was the Red Rooster Cafe, a site for the 1980 Neil Diamond movie “The Jazz Singer.” It’s one of the oldest Route 66 museums.
(Hat tip to Dave Todd; image of the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville via Wikimedia Commons)
