The Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) Foundation is pleased to announce that this year’s Hot August Nights raised an incredible $7,500 in support of the Infinite Possibilities Fund, which empowers the hospital to invest in innovation, enhance patient care, and save for the future new hospital.
Held every Tuesday night in August at Webers on Highway 11, Hot August Nights is a long-standing community event that showcases classic cars while supporting local health care through charitable giving. This year marked a new chapter for the event, with Oro Station Motor Circuit stepping in to carry on the legacy started by Jim and Pauline Pearsall, who founded and ran the event for many years with a dedicated team of volunteers.
Geoffrey Campbell, founder of Oro Station, an automotive innovation park, said the opportunity to take over operations of the event was a natural fit:
“Jim has known my father for years, and I knew the team at Webers, and I didn’t want to see the show end. It is such a great gathering of passionate car enthusiasts in support of a good cause. We wanted to see it continue, so we stepped up to carry it on.”
Despite some rainy evenings, the event saw strong attendance, with more than 400 classic cars rolling in nearly every night. Attendees enjoyed free ice cream vouchers from Webers, admired stunning vehicles, and participated in raffles and a 50/50 draw, all contributing to the fundraising total.
The charitable spirit of Hot August Nights has always been rooted in community care. Jim Pearsall, emphasized the importance of supporting Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital from the beginning.
“The hospital’s been number one ever since we started,” said Jim. “Tom, (owner of Webers) is a big believer in the hospital because everybody in this area uses it, everybody touches that hospital sometime in their life, so what better cause?”
That legacy continues with Geoffrey Campbell and the Oro Station team. Geoffrey shared his personal connection to the hospital:
“My son was born there just under two years ago, and we are two months away from our next one being born there. Soldiers’ Hospital has touched our lives, and we know it’s supported everyone around us.”
Jim and Geoffrey also wish to honour Barry Bird, a cherished friend of Hot August Nights who helped initiate the event and sadly passed away this year.
“We are deeply grateful to the Oro Station team, Webers, and the entire community who came out to support Hot August Nights,” said Perry Esler, President and CEO of the OSMH Foundation. “This gift will help us continue to invest in the future of health care in our region. Thank you for keeping this tradition going and for making a meaningful difference. We are already looking forward to next year!”
For more information about the Infinite Possibilities Fund or to make a donation, please visit www.osmhfoundation.ca.
