Mark your calendar to save the date for the Great Train Robbery fundraising event, benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley. This special event train will board at 5:30pm and is scheduled for departure at 6:00 pm on Saturday, March 3, 2012. Upon boarding guests will first hustle through the BBQ buffet, provided by Laird’s Catering of Santa Paula, then claim a table in one of the four 1930-‘s-40’s dining cars. A full no-host bar is available onboard, provided by Fillmore & Western Railway.

Entertainment includes a ‘shoot out’ and ‘train-jacking’ by local desperadoes, played to the hilt by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Posse vs. the Frontier Gunfighter group. Many arrests will occur during the trip by Chief of Police Steve MacKinnon from Santa Paula. Judges for the night will be Fillmore Chief of Police, Monica “Blood Bath McGrath” and making a return appearance will be Sheriff, Tim “Hang ‘Em High Hagel”. Prisoners arrested, tried and sentenced will be held in a special onboard ‘jail’. The arrestees can be ‘bailed out’ after an appearance before the ‘traveling judge’. Passengers will also be encouraged to enjoy the music from a live band on the open-air dance car.

The route runs through the Heritage Valley departing Fillmore and traveling to Santa Paula. The entire trip will last approximately 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

Boarding tickets sell for $55 per person, and can be ordered by calling the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley at 805-525-7910. Advance sales are encouraged as seating is limited.

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley provides after school and Summer Camp programs for children ages 5 to 18, at the Club’s two locations; 1400 E. Harvard Blvd., Santa Paula and 565 First St., Fillmore. Club members pay a $25 annual fee to attend the Club, and no child is turned away for their inability to pay the membership fee. It costs the Club $560 per child annually to provide services for its members. The obvious gap between cost of services and membership is bridged by generous donations from local businesses, private donors and local and national grants. Donors interested in providing financial assistance to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley are encouraged to contact the Club at 805-525-7910. All donations, regardless of amount, are gratefully appreciated.