Sarnia Street Machines’ support for Pathways tops $300,000

A long-running partnership between a Sarnia car club and an agency helping children has marked a milestone.

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Sarnia Street Machines has been supporting Sarnia’s Pathways Health Center for Children since 2005 with proceeds from its car shows, and other events, and recently broke through the $300,000 mark in total donations.

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“It’s really exciting,” said club president Jerry Stephen. “We’ve been working really hard over the past few years.”

The mission of the approximately 125-member club, along with cruising and having fun with their cars, is raising money for its chosen charity, Stephen said.

“We’ve been excited to reach the $300,000 mark,” he said.

Its annual car shows – Cruise in the Park in June and Hot Night, Cool Cars in August – are the club’s main fundraisers but it also makes other donations to Pathways.

“The relationship with Sarnia Street Machines is a beautiful thing for kids in this community,” said Pathways CEO Alison Morrison. “We’re really proud of this relationship and very grateful for what this allows us to do in the community.”

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Pathways provides therapy and other services for children and youth with physical, developmental and communication needs.

The center receives government funding but also counts on fundraising and donations to meet the local needs for its services.

The center served more than 4,000 children last year, which was a seven per cent increase over the previous year, Morrison said.

“We continue to look to the community for kind donations that help us deliver services above and beyond what we’re funded to do from government funders,” she said.

Pathways is hoping to raise $180,000 this year from events and donations, she said.

Morrison said the pandemic, which was challenging for the center and families it serves, also has been challenging for community service clubs.

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“Over some pretty challenging years, the members of Sarnia Street Machines have been able to do what they do” and reach the more than $300,000 mark in total donations, she said.

The club’s car shows paused during the pandemic but have since returned and have been attracting about 325 to 350 vehicles, as well as 1,500 to 3,000 spectators, Stephen said.

About 30 volunteers from Pathways help at the club’s shows, serving food and collecting donations.

“We have a lot of fun with Sarnia Street Machines,” Morrison said. “This put us in connection with some pretty caring people in our community.”

Stephen said the club began in 1985 and supported other children’s charities before forming the partnership with Pathways 18 years ago.

In 2018, the club was inducted into the Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame in recognition of its promotional efforts and community work.

It began holding its Hot Nights, Cool Cars show the same year it began supporting Pathways, and two local bands – Scott Manery and the Barnburners, and Borderline – which played that first year are still part of the event, Stephen said.

A long list of local sponsors also help the club stage its annual shows, he said.

“We have a big celebration coming up in 2025,” Stephen said. “It will be Pathways’ 50th anniversary, our 40th anniversary.”

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