California National Guard attends Super Bowl party

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A Super Bowl party in California was not about the Chiefs or the Eagles, but instead, it was about celebrating the National Guard for protecting the community during the recent fires.

In the middle of the Palisades Fire zone at Will Rogers State Beach, the California National Guard paused their duties for a moment to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday.

"When those TVs rolled in, the spirits of everybody just turned 180 degrees to the positive, they are not with their families this weekend, they are not at home hugging it out, like some of us are still doing, and we appreciate them," said Larry Vein, organizer for Palisades Strong.

It has been a little more than a month since an out-of-control wildfire tore through the Pacific Palisades, destroying thousands of homes and businesses and killing 12 people.

The California National Guard was immediately deployed to the area to ensure the safety of the community by providing security and assisting with the emergency response efforts.

"We evacuated this very street that night, and drove with fire on the side of us at 6 o'clock at night...that's the sadness, but this is the joy. This is the joy of seeing the amazing, amazing soldiers here to protect us, and seeing them have such a great time together," Vein expressed.

In an effort to show their gratitude, the group, Palisades Strong, threw together this special event for the troops. For Vein, he feels it offers a glimmer of hope during this difficult time.

"It was unexpected. They came and did this on their own accord, and to give us a sense of belonging to their community is just extremely heartfelt. I can't express...we're humbled by it," said James Smith, a National Guard Commander.

"It's nice to see the soldiers are being recognized for all the work they are putting into it, to be recognized by the residents of the area...they have been so supportive throughout everything," said Leticia Class, another National Guard Commander.

The troops have been stationed in the area for more than 30 days, longer than their typical deployment, and Vein says they wanted the troops to know they appreciated their support as they work towards rebuilding.

"We're so strong as a community, and Pali Strong is really who we are and we are going to get there right," Vein declared.