By Anna Skinner
May 7 will bring big hats, mint juleps and horse races to Westfield.
Thrive360, an Indianapolis-based association, will raise funds through a Kentucky Derby Party at Wood Wind Golf Club with money raised benefitting the Million Meal Marathon and Feeding the Hungry from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
“The goal is to engage people in coming to an event that we can reproduce year after year. It doesn’t seem as if there are a lot of Kentucky Derby-type celebrations in Indiana,” said Jill Madinger, executive director of Thrive360. “We get caught up in the Indianapolis 500 as soon as May starts, and I haven’t seen a whole lot that goes on to celebrate the derby, which is such a cool event.”
At the fundraiser, attendees will be able to watch the live running of the Kentucky Derby, participate in the best hat contest and the best dapper man contest and take part in a silent auction.
“There will also be a way for people through a raffle to make their predictions on who will win the race,” Madinger said. “It isn’t betting, it’s through a raffle which we will be using as a fundraiser. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.”
Tickets for the derby party cost $100 if purchased by April 29 and can be purchased through www.thrive3sixty.org. Tickets include complimentary beer and wine, southern hors d’oeuvres and music by Slammer Jaz. There will be a cash bar and souvenir derby glasses and mint juleps will be for sale.
“Our real focus is we want to engage people in volunteering and the positive outcome is we have these meals to be donated, we truly are about getting and engaging adults and youth in volunteerism,” Madinger said, encouraging people to attend the various packing events for the donated meals. “It’s a hands-on volunteer opportunity that young kids can do at our packing events.”
