In 1963, Toni Armistead started the Bloomer Brigade as a way of saying thanks to all of her good friends. Every year in the first week of October Toni would take the group of, "65 gals," as she words it, to Catalina on her 63 foot yacht "Glissando" with full time skipper Bill Campbell at the wheel. Toni makes it clear that this was a once a year ladies day and men were not allowed except for staff. Arriving in Catalina the boat would be greeted by caterers with breakfast and Bloody Marys. Each year a different, "sumptuous lunch," with music comedians and dancers was the bill of fare according to Toni. One year Toni took the Bloomer Brigade to a male stripper club in Los Angeles. Another year she took them to Ireland where they marched in the St. Patrick's parade. They won first place, and were invited to the Mayor's Manner. Toni decided in honor of their tenth crossing to Catalina, "If they lived through it," she would give each Bloomer a solid gold pendant with a diamond in the center of it. And she did. At every annual get together, the girls write the names of Bloomers who had passed away on balloons, say a prayer and let the balloons go