Penisula Ford, Port Elgin were hosts for the March 23 Business After Hours event. Front row, left to right, Faith Holley, Senior Parts Consultant; Lori Lyman, Service Advisor; Susan Cooper, Receptionist; Scott Davidson, Sales Manager. Back row, Mark Askin, Sales Consultant; Shaun Schedler, Financial Services Manager.

Hub Staff

Approximately 50 people headed to Peninsula Ford in Port Elgin on Thursday evening, March 23, as they hosted this month's Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours (BAH) event for Chamber members and would be Chamber members.

Peninsula Ford, Port Elgin Sales Manager Scott Davidson spoke briefly of the dealership’s history and its renovations that took place last year. “This used to be the Fenton Garage here in Port Elgin,” said Davidson. “It was about 1975/76 when the dealership started and the dealership was basically like that up until February [2016].”

Davidson said that it had been completely renovated. “This place was gutted right to the walls. It was a big big job.” He explained that there had been new lighting and flooring and that the inside had been opened up more. “We're very excited about it.”

Davidson said that Ford has been the number one selling automotive brand in Canada for seven years running and it’s also the longest running automotive company in Canada. Davidson also spoke of the The F-Series trucks that have been the number one selling truck line for 51 years. “This year to last year there was a 22 percent increase and as you can see when you're driving around Saugeen Shores you see quite a lot of them.”

Pensinula Ford's charity of choice for the evening was the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF), raising a total of $310 from guests at the event. SMHF Executive Director Sally Kidson accepted the donation and spoke about the hospital expansion progression. She said that there had been a small delay as the original hospital walls had to be torn down and rebuilt.

“The old wall of the hospital did not have the structure that they expected to have,” Kidson explained, adding that they were still looking to open the ER section late summer. “It will probably finish by summer but it may not open until September when they get all the equipment in and all of the staff trained.”

She also praised one of the evening's guests, Christy Kelly of Investors Group Financial Services Inc. for her past work with the Foundation. “She doesn't work at the Hospital Foundation anymore but she has put so many hours in to making sure that the expansion happened a few years ago and we wouldn't have that without Christy,” said Kidson.

Next month's Business After Hours will be held on Thursday, April 20 at Shoreline Beacon in Port Elgin.

Left to right, Ayse Hogan of The Chakra House of Healing, Sally Kidson of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation and Christy Kelly of Investors Group Financial Services Inc. enjoying their evening at the Saugeen Shores Chamber's Business After Hours event.

Peninsula Ford's Scott Davidson (right) with Pat O'Connor (left) and Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith.

Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce's Carla Pepe (centre) and Peninsula Ford's Scott Davidson presented SMHF Executive Director, Sally Kidson with $310, donations to the Hospital Foundation from the evening's guests.

A multitude of door prizes donated by Saugeen Shores businesses were handed out to guests at March Business After Hours event.