Club History

The Temecula Valley Chapter was started in 2003 made up from several members that belonged to the Over the Hill Gang, North County Chapter in Escondido, CA These members wanted a Chapter located in the Temecula area rather than driving the 45 minute trip down to Escondido. There were about a dozen or so members that started the club and they met at a restaurant (since closed) in Old Town Temecula. The membership continued to grow over the years and the meeting location became too small for the group. The meetings were moved in 2008 to the Sizzler restaurant located in Murrieta, Ca. This facility provided the Club an excellent meeting location until the restaurant remodeled and removed its banquet room. The Club then moved to the other Sizzler restaurant located in Temecula in 2009 until it closed down in 2010.

Forced to move again, the Club now meets at Richie’s restaurant located in Murrieta, Ca. The club currently has a membership of approximately 70 with about 12 members being Charter Members since the beginning of the club in 2003. The membership is made up of approximately 1/3 from the Fallbrook area, another 1/3 from the Temecula area and the remaining 1 /3 spanning from Corona, Menifee and Hemet.
The Club donates to the Volunteers for Veterans Foundation; provides Thanksgivings donations to local families in need and supports local military children at Christmas with gift cards.

Over the years the Club has volunteered to help Habitat for Humanity maintain veterans homes, supported new mothers at Camp Pendleton with newborn baby supply’s, financially assisted veteran club members upon their needs, supported various car show organizations with program guidance, parking assistance and judging. Organized tours of automotive museums, vendor sites and manufacturing facilities as related to our passion for classic cars.

The Club has scheduled monthly activities where we drive our cars; coordinated car shows gatherings, progressive dinners, a summer picnic and Christmas dinner. For those that want to get together there is a standing Tuesday morning breakfast 8:00 AM at Moe’s Egg House, Lunch at Killarney’s and Metting 4th Thursday each month at 5:30pm.

Club Objectives

The objective of this Club shall be the promotion of friendly relations and social activities between it’s members and the dissemination of knowledge concerning Street Rods and 1972 and older vehicles, and use that interest for fund raising and community service to non-profit organizations and people in need.

Charities For Vets

Semper Fi & America’s Fund is dedicated to providing immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to our nation’s critically wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and military families.

Based on its 2023 tax return, we calculate that Semper Fi & America’s Fund spent 90.7 percent of its $49.6 million budget on programs and 9.3 percent on overhead. This meets our recommendation that a highly recommended charity spend at least 90 percent of its budget on programs.

Semper Fi & America’s Fund filed four transactions with interested persons. $82,000 was paid for employee compensation to Charo Bates, who has a family relationship with a charity director. $80,550 was paid for employee compensation to Cicely Kent-Warren, who has a family relationship with a charity director. $75,261 was paid for employee compensation to Matthew Rocco, who has a family relationship with a key charity employee. $89,105 was paid for employee compensation to Christopher Saylor, who has a family relationship with a key charity employee. $17,323 was paid for employee compensation to Brooke Guenther, who has a family relationship with a key charity employer.