Despite The Heat Hundreds Show Up For Car Show

Photos and Story by Robert Thomas

It may have arguably been the hottest day of the year but that did not stop hundreds of exhibitors and spectators coming to the 6th Highway To Heroes Car Show on Saturday.

Put on by the Friends Of The Forces (formerly known as the 15 Wing Fellowship) the event raised money for a number of community organizations group which have an emphasis on military families and veterans.

In the five years the event has been held more than $120,000 has been raised through a 100 percent volunteer effort for various local Moose Jaw community organizations.

A Desoto was a popular car for spectators to admire and photograph - MJ Independent photo

It may have been a hot day but for exhibitor Francis Steele, who was sitting in the shade near his 1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL, attending the car show was not just about showing off his car but the number one thing was about coming out to help out the community.

“This is all about coming out and helping out charity and the community. We have shade and a good breeze it’s not too bad,” Steele said.

He said sitting out in the heat was well worth it to help support the community.

Francis Steele shows off his 1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL - MJ Independent photo

Steele, along with his son Ken, are regulars at local car shows.

Helping out local charities and groups in the community while focusing attention on the contributions military members, veterans and other groups make in Moose Jaw is a major focus of the event.

“The importance of this is it is a way of bringing the community and the (15) Wing together,” Roy LaBuick president of the Friends of the Forces and co-chair of the Highway To Heroes Car Show said.

Captain John Vincent from 15 Wing takes time to speak to the owner of a classic Ford Thunderbird while he was judging it - MJ Independent photo

“Even though we are not out at the base this year as we have been the previous years it is just so important to put that gap between the community and 15 Wing in a way to bring everybody together. Our military personnel are always here supporting our community,” LaBuick said, adding “they have kids in school, playing sports. Shopping in local retail outlets and eating in local restaurants and they utilize a lot of services in Moose Jaw as well.”

“It has just been so nice to bring this event back,” he said.

The car show has not been held since 2018 due to 2019 being a year when 15 Wing put on an Air Show. In 2020 and 2021 the event was cancelled due to the COVID - 19 pandemic.

A Ford tractor and a trailer from the Sukannen Ship Museum took car show attendees around the grounds - MJ Independent photo

Putting on the car show involves support from the community and 15 Wing as close to 100 people volunteer to make the event a reality.

“Everybody here is a volunteer and nobody is getting paid for anything,” LaBuick said.

In the 2018 car show - where there was 500 cars and 7,000 attendees - the group donated $50,000 back into local non-profit organizations that present and former military members utilize.

A 1950’s Chevrolet classic - MJ Independent photo

“Things like the (Moose Jaw and District) Food Bank, Transition House, there is an extended list of non-profit organizations that members of the military retired and current do use,” he said.

Funds from the car show also allowed four $1,000 scholarships - one for each high school - to be handed out.

The COVID - 19 pandemic though is largely responsible for the inability to hold the car show and fund organizations and the scholarships.

A Ford F 100 short box truck was one of the vehicles entered - MJ Independent photo

“These are things we just have not been able to do. Recently because of COVID but there is another reason for the car show not be held since 2018,” he said.

LaBuick explained that in 2018 the plan had been to alternate the car show every second year with an air show at 15 Wing. With an air show held in 2019 there was no car show.

“Some of the plan at that time was OK air show one year and car show the next year going back and forth. So the air show went in 2019 and then COVID hit and everything kind of got put on hold,” LaBuick said.

A stick of wood is used to dip the Ford tractor’s gasoline tank to ensure it had fuel - MJ Independent photo

This year’s car show was additionally impacted by the remaining COVID - 19 restrictions at 15 Wing meaning if there was to be a car show it had to be held at an alternative location.

The only alternative location that would allow the car show to be held in Moose Jaw - given what the requirements are - is the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds.

Although the Moose Jaw Exhibition Association usually charges for the rental of their grounds and facilities the Association graciously allowed the car show to use their facilities at no charge.

It may have been wishful thinking but there was no snow for the snowmobiles to head out on - MJ Independent photo

“This is great. I mean where else would you go? If the Exhibition Company didn’t step forward like they did there is really nowhere else where we could have had it,” he said.

Asked if the Moose Jaw Town and Country Mall could not have been another alternative LaBuick said it would not be because the need to erect barricades in order to control entry and exit from the event. Plus given the COVID - 19 pandemic’s effect on business it would not be fair to them.

A spectator and and an exhibitor talk about a Ford Mustang Cobra which was entered in the car show - MJ Independent photo

“They have got businesses there. I assume the Mall would be very accommodating if that had to be but the last thing you need to do is to put barricades around a business. I think there has been enough barricades around business the last two years.”

The 2022 car show was planning on having 300 vehicles and 2,500 people attending the event. At press time the final tally on the numbers that attended and cars entered is unknown.

A snow leopard helped attract attention to a classic Cadillac sedan - MJ Independent photo

Additionally the Exhibition Company used their relationships with the Real Canadian Superstore and Canadian Tire to allow attendees to park for free in their respective businesses’ parking lots for free.

“The local business community right around the Exhibition Company has been very welcoming to see this event here.”

A brightly painted green and silver Chevrolet V8 short box truck - MJ Independent photo

Asked if he would like to add something LaBuick said he would like to thank the volunteers and local businesses that helped out.

“I am really appreciative to all of our volunteers here and all of our supporters in the business community that donated money, donated prizes. Donagted whatever they could to help us get this going again. We really do appreciate it because the last couple of years has been very hard on a lot of businesses and they are not able to donate as much. We are very pleased with the donations and the sponsorship we got this year for the first time in four years,” he said.

Immaculate paint and polished chrome of a Desoto entered in the car show - MJ Independent photo

Response From A Member Of The Military

Captain John Vincent, a Harvard training aircraft pilot as well as the operations office for NFTS (NATO Flight Training School, said the car show went beyond duty.

“Although it is a duty for me to attend today I am also here as a fan and as an enthusiast. So when I am not doing my day job usually I am in my own garage taking car of vintage cars and motorcycles. I have been doing that for about 30 years. So I get the chance to kind of mingle around and be a judge at this show amongst people love to do the same things that I do,” Captain Vincent said.

“So I am quite thrilled to be here,” he said.

An engine is as pristine clean as the outside of a vehicle entered in the show - MJ Independent photo

Asked about the fundraising component of the event Captain Vincent said it was “absolutely great.”

“I know that Friends Of The (Forces) Fellowship has done a great deal of fundraising not just for families at 15 Wing but families of armed forces and all of its many extensions for a number of years now,” he said, adding “anytime we can support that is a good time.”

A spectator checks out a vehicle’s interior - MJ Independent photo

Asked how important funds were to people at 15 Wing Moose Jaw through its Military Family Resource Centre - one place car show proceeds have been donated to - he said he could not provide specifics but every donation is helpful.

“Budgets are always thin everywhere and anytime there are booster organizations like this that help thinly stretched organizations or families in need it is a good thing.”

Walking down the row of vehicles brought a smile to the face of one of the spectators - MJ Independent photo

The Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) provides members of the military and their families a wide range of services and programs that are designed to improve the quality of life for military families.

Some of the services provided are Volunteer Leadership and Community Involvement, Child and Youth Development and Parenting Support, Family Seperation and Reunion, Prevention, Support and Intervention plus Personal Development and Integration

The ever famous rumble seat of days gone by - MJ Independent photo

One important area NFRC assists is helping forces personnel and their families with their frequent moves from base to base which can be disruptive to not only adults but also to children who, because of the moves military families often make, have their lives uprooted in such things as school and finding new friends.

“MFRC is a great organization. There is a lot that they do that we don’t see. You don’t get to know unless you are moving in or moving out that is when we tend to see it.”

“From day to day they are there and unless you are dealing with a big change or a crisis of your own you don’t necessarily know the depth of what they have. Which is quite vast. But also that depth requires a lot of support.”

A spectator speaks with the owner of one of the cars - MJ Independent photo

When he spoke at the volunteer orientation on Friday Captain Vincent additionally thanked the many volunteers who made the event possible.