After two long years with no Cruiser’s Cruise Nite for residents and visitors to stroll about and enjoy down at the flagpole every Thursday night in the summer, the event returned this year with its engines revving.
For 28 years (including 2 summers with no shows during the pandemic), the weekly display of classic cars has become a long standing tradition for not only the community but for vacationers and car enthusiasts from all across the province.
The weekly show has drawn car owners from all over the region and beyond to put their vehicles on display for the crowds who pass through during the evening. Along with the fantastic array of cars to admire, the weekly 50/50 draw always puts a smile on the face of the lucky winner. The 50/50 proceeds from the weekly draw all summer long were designated to go to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Bring TOM to town CT scanner campaign.
Since its inception 28 years ago Cruiser’s Cruise Nite has raised nearly $286,5000 for the hospital foundation via the 50/50 and donations made by those displaying their cars each week. This summer the event continued its strong fundraising tradition and raised over $12,000; combined with the events funds from 2019 the total donated to the CT scanner was roughly $25,000.
Mr. Cruiser himself, event creator and founder Gary Brown, was happy to see the annual event return this summer, stating “this event isn’t a one man show, there are so many people who help every week and make sure that it runs smoothly and everyone has a great time. The community support of our event has always been outstanding; we wouldn’t have been able to raise $286,5000 without the people in our community and everyone who comes to town to see the show.”
Brown went on to thank the many people who help make the event the success it is. “I’d like to thank Duncan McCallum for being our greeter every single week and Merle Rath for coordinating the volunteers and the 50/50 draws and all the volunteers deserve a big thanks for helping to run the weekly draws. We also thank Saugeen Shores Sunset Cruisers along with Dave Middleton and his wife Adele who really helped to lend support to the event this year and promote it in the community. The Saugeen Shores Corvette Club and the Town of Saugeen Shores are also groups I’d like to thank for their support. Thank you to Mowbray’s Canadian Tire for sponsoring our 50/50 again this year and most of all I’d like to say thank you to the community and all the vehicle owners who came from far and wide to take part in our weekly display.”
The last Cruisers’ Cruise Nite may have gotten rained out last week but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the event organizers and volunteers who are all eager to return next summer and keep the tradition rolling into its 29th year.
Or contact Tracy Murray, Executive Director of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation 226-930-111