(August 16, 2008) -- Over 500 people turned out on Saturday (Aug. 16), with an estimated 400 joining in teams of twenty to donate thousands of dollars to Special Olympics Southern California for the opportunity to pull a 158,000 pound Fed-Ex 727 aircraft 25 feet down the LB Airport tarmac.

LB's Second Annual "Plane Pull" was webcast live (streaming video/audio) via NowLive.com, which LBReport.com carried atop our front page with an enlarged image on an LBReport.com special event page.

Still-image of live webcast via NowLive.com as seen on LBReport.com

Vice Mayor Val Lerch was introduced at the opening of the webcast coverage [image captured in midstream]

Still-image of live webcast via NowLive.com as seen on LBReport.com

Also attending was 5th district Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske (momentarily on webcast, too quick for us to capture).

Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal was also present (in photo below with NLB community advocate/volunteer Dave San Jose).

Councilwoman Lowenthal came from across town where she attended the LB Junior Chamber of Commerce "Children's Shopping Spree" at CityPlace. (Children matched with Jaycee volunteers can purchase school uniforms, shoes and other school supplies; additional donations provide notebooks, pencils and other back-to-school supplies). "It's a great event," Councilwoman Lowenthal said...and commended organizers and participants in both events.

Multiple teams of twenty Plane-Pullers came up with a tax-deductible minimum of $1,000 to enter.

Among the "Plane Pull" teams, this one from LB Airport (below):

Other teams included CHP, a police team from Cypress/Seal Beach/Laguna Beach, the state Parole office, LA County Sheriffs, LA Unified School District and "Cathy's Team" (an all-woman team) plus a team of Special Olympics Athletes.

Special Olympics So Cal spokesperson Kim Pine says a final tally isn't complete yet, but it's estimated that this year's event raised approximately $25,000...a significant increase over last year's first "plane pull" which brought in roughly $16,000.

The Second Annual Plane Pull's sponsors were Tesoro Corporation (Elite Class Sponsor); Long Beach Airport and Long Beach Special Events and Filming (Presenting Co-Sponsors); U.S. Bank; and Wescom Credit Union.

Yes, there were prizes in various categories:

Still-image of live webcast via NowLive.com as seen on LBReport.com

Fastest plane pull overall: FedEx-LAX. Time: 7.41 seconds

Still-image of live webcast via NowLive.com as seen on LBReport.com

Slowest plane pull time - Cathy's Team (the all-woman team): 17.66 seconds

[And yes, all of the Plane Pullers are winners in our book.]

The beneficiary of their efforts is Special Olympics Southern California, "a year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. 12,500 athletes in 11 counties train and compete in 18 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to develop fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with other athletes, their families and the community. There is no cost to participate in Special Olympics."

There's further information on Special Olympics Southern California's website at www.sosc.org.