DEL MAR, Calif. — Closing day at the San Diego County Fair is on July 4th. The Guest Services Department is in overdrive trying to return hundreds of lost items to their rightful owners. In this Zevely Zone, the fair's staff showed me some of the belongings waiting for fairgoers at 'Lost and Found'.
A dedicated staff wants you to know when you lose something at the San Diego County Fair all is not lost.
"You know I get keys, lots and lots of keys and glasses, lots and lots of glasses," said Gail Tompkins. She is the director of the San Diego County Fair's Guest Services Department.
If you lost something at the fair, there's a chance Gail has your stuff. "I have lots of wallets, purses and jewelry," said Gail. "This is what we get every year, and you wonder how someone gets home when we have their keys, you know how they do that?"
Gail keeps a detailed log of everything turned in. "65 people have said they lost their cell phones," said Gail. After working at the fair for 21 years, she has seen it all. "It's a saber, you know one of those light sabers," said Gail showing me some of the items. "We had a brain scan one year; I mean why would anyone bring a brain scan to the fair?" asked Gail.
The belongings range from sentimental to strange. Gail has pictures of children riding ponies and even a large wheel that fell off a stroller. "I feel bad for the baby that was in that stroller," said Gail. We all know that horrible feeling when you lose your wallet. "A young man came in and he was visibly shaken, I mean visibly with tears," said Sue Mellado. She and Barbara Abeyta from Guest Services were able return that boy's wallet filled with his graduation money. "He was so happy, he started crying and he made me cry too and I was so happy to give it to him," said Barbara.
"A lot of baseball caps too," said Gail. Many hats are lost when they fly off the heads of fairgoers on rides. "Lots of Padre hats," I said looking at the collection. One visitor called in tears about a very special visor she lost. "Her father gave it to her right before he died," said Terry Francy. Terry walked the Fun Zone until she found it. She showed me a picture of the woman grateful to have the visor back. She was wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers' visor. "We are even helping Dodger fans in Padre country?" I asked. "Yes, we are," said Terry.
We could not have planned what happened next. The fair's Marketing Director Jennifer Hellman who helped us set up this story found her set of keys that she lost. "She just found her keys," laughed Gail. "It's a miracle," said Jennifer.
Let's here it for guest services!
If you think you lost something at the fair, you can contact the Guest Services Department by calling 858-794-1124.
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