Effort to Help Fire Victims Carries Disappointments : Relief: Traffic stymies a plan to use a caravan of cars to take donations to Malibu. Once there, few show up to say thanks.

Kevin Sheahan had a grand spectacle in mind when he organized Saturday’s Neighbors to the North event--something on the order of 100 cars, led by a shiny red, antique fire engine loaned by the city of Oxnard, chugging down Pacific Coast Highway to deliver toys and clothing to the suddenly destitute of fire-ravaged Malibu.

But it turned out PCH was jammed, both with residents and looky-loos. So the Federal Emergency Management Assn. called Saturday morning to ask please, could he not add to the traffic mess?

Instead of a dramatic caravan, a mere trio of vehicles followed the fire engine and a lonely Navy truck, packed with two tons of supplies, down the sun-swept coastal highway from Oxnard to the sheriff’s station in Malibu.

The arrival, too, proved a disappointment. “There were some fire victims there,” Sheahan said, “but they were mainly browsing through the bookshelves, looking for something to read. I don’t think the word got out to them.”

A solitary minister--Pastor Scott O’Neal of the Malibu Christian Fellowship--met the northern contingent at the door of the sheriff’s station. After chowing down on some donated pizza and coffee, Sheahan and friends dropped the supplies off and went home.

Sheahan hopes that the needy people who do pick up clothes and toys are as grateful as the city clerk was last week, when he dropped off some candy and stuffed animals on the assumption that Malibu children were mourning their lost Halloween.

“When I donated the items, the lady down there in City Hall started crying,” he said. “She said she didn’t realize people up here in Ventura knew the extent of what was going on.”

Inspired by last week’s City Hall encounter, Sheahan organized this week’s trip. Most of the donated supplies came from west Ventura County residents, who dropped off bags filled with discarded clothing to a Seabees truck parked at Channel Islands Harbor from 8 to 11 a.m.

“We went through our closets and took the good stuff,” said Glenn Hening of Oxnard, who dropped off supplies at the harbor Saturday morning with daughter, Tara, 6. “We tried to find stuff that would be useful.”

Hening and his family moved to Ventura County from Malibu last year. Although his former house was not touched by the fire, some neighbors were not so lucky. “But for the grace of God, that would’ve been me,” he said.