Relentless Drive for Literacy Celebration

Heidi Strobel Hamels grew up in the small farming town of Buffalo, Missouri. She attended Drury University, where she received a B.A. in exercise physiology, physical education, and secondary education. After graduation, Heidi taught middle school. In 2002, she left teaching to join the cast of the wildly popular TV show Survivor: The Amazon, where she finished in fifth place. After Survivor, Heidi enrolled at West Chester University, where she received her Master’s degree in secondary education and where she is currently working toward her Ph.D.

Heidi met future husband Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher and 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player, after she threw out the first pitch at a game in Florida in 2004. Heidi and Cole were married in 2006, and honeymooned in Africa. Their experience in Africa inspired them to do something to help the impoverished children they encountered there.

In 2008, Heidi and Cole founded The Hamels Foundation. The Foundation’s initial focus was on educating and empowering African women and girls to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and abuse. In 2009, they brought the Foundation’s efforts to the local level in Philadelphia. The Foundation is dedicated to community outreach, educational programs, and providing assistance to schools in Philadelphia. The Hamels Foundation has awarded more than $650,000 in grants in Philadelphia.

About The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. From the dawn of the automotive era, racing has been used to demonstrate the superiority of one manufacturer over another. It is this “Spirit of Competition” that is celebrated at the museum. Assembled by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Frederick Simeone over a span of 50 years, the museum collection contains more than 60 of the rarest and most significant sports cars ever built. The Simeone Automotive Museum was chosen “Museum of the Year” by the International Historic Motoring Awards in London. The museum’s collection of vintage automobiles is valued at $200 million.