LeMay Collection ‘Blast to the Past’ party takes you back to 1963
A salesman’s model of a 50-year-old bomb shelter is being brought to the former Marymount Military Academy for a gala event Aug. 24 and the 36th Annual LeMay Car Show Aug. 31.
Vintage automobile rides, dinner & auction among the many attractions
The Cold War is coming back to Spanaway, Wash. In what might be the oddest project ever undertaken by LeMay Restorations, a salesman’s model of a 50-year-old bomb shelter is being brought to the former Marymount Military Academy for a gala event Aug. 24 and the 36th Annual LeMay Car Show Aug. 31. Sponsored by the LeMay Family Collection Foundation and the USO Northwest, the “Blast to the Past” Party will include the opportunity for guests to ride in Cold War-era vehicles, auctions, fine food and tours of one of the most unique museum relics in Western Washington.
“People think about the LeMay collection as just being about cars,” explained Doug LeMay, LeMay Family Collection Foundation board member, “But we have so much more than that. This is just another nice example of Marymount’s growth as a history museum in South Pierce County.”
It’s believed to be one of a very few fully restored Civilian Defense shelters in the United States. The LeMay Collection’s shelter is a 1960s home bomb shelter that was meant to be buried underground. Thought to be manufactured by Radiation Technologies, it seems to be a sample display from the late 1950 or early 1960s. “Our goal is to be able to realistically interpret a wide-range of 20th Century history through guided tours and fun events,” added Trudy Cofchin. “The cars are great, but they really just tell a story as part of a bigger history and the bomb shelter is just another layer to the story.”
The LeMay "Blast to the Past" Party on Aug. 24 is a journey back in time for charity. The event will be held at the LeMay Collection at the Marymount Event Center, 325 152nd St. E. in Spanaway. The evening will begin at 5:30pm with a cocktail hour and the opportunity to view the LeMay Collection from the backseat of a LeMay collection vintage vehicle and an opportunity to bid on silent auction items. Dinner will be served by the Chef Bill from the Adriatic Grill; followed by fun entertainment by “Keys on Main,” dueling pianos playing hits from the 1960’s and beyond.
Tickets: $100 Single, $1000 Table for 10. Summer cocktail attire encouraged. Proceeds will benefit the LeMay Family Collection Foundation and the USO Northwest.
About the LeMay Collection: The LeMay Family Collection Foundation at the Marymount Event Center is a non-profit organization, with the vision of preserving and showcasing America's artifacts for future generations. From its roots as the original automotive collection of Harold & Nancy LeMay, started in the 1960's, the LeMay Family Collection Foundation (LFCF) is an expression of the continued growth of the LeMay Collection and a desire from the community to preserve the amazing LeMay Collection for the future. The LeMay family collections include over 1,500 vintage vehicles, plus related Americana (dolls, toys, antiques, farm equipment, etc.) and much of that is located at Marymount, a distinct campus with a unique history all its own. For more information, go to www.lemaymarymount.org.
