Above / John Ball, Mayor Steve Chirico and Deanna Losurdo pitched horseshoes during the 2016 Kentucky Derby Party, a fundraiser to benefit Hesed House. (PN File Photo 2016)
The 6th Annual Kentucky Derby Party to benefit Hesed House is slated to run against homelessness from 3-10PM Sat., May 6, at Embassy Suites, Chicago /Naperville. After the formal presentations at 4PM and thoroughbred racing thereafter, live dancing begins at 7PM.
The Kentucky Derby Party is open to the public with advance reservations. Everybody is welcome!
Tickets are $150 per person/open seating and $1,500/reserved table of 10. A portion of every reservation is tax deductible under current tax law.
A limited number of seats is still available, said emcee Ray Kinney.
“We’d love to know who all is coming,” said Kinney. “But at this stage, last-minute guests are welcome to pay at the door.”
Kindly leave an RSVP at cfairbanks@hesedhouse.org. Then pay at the door.
Saturday’s Schedule begins at 3PM…
The Kentucky Derby 2017 is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky, always on the first Saturday in May.
In Naperville, the Derby Party begins at 3PM Sat., May 6.
Hats off and on for pictures taken with the beautiful horse – White Cloud!
Formal presentations with tributes from Hesed House to honor exceptional donors in the race against homelessness, and more, start at 4:15PM.
The post time for the 143rd Run for the Roses is 5:34PM.
The National anthem will be performed by Harry Connick Jr. See it all broadcast on the big screens at Embassy Suites, Chicago/Naperville.
In addition to the Derby, raffles, silent auction and live auction, one of the many creative activities during the event is the popular Derby Diva Hat Contest, a time when men and women can show off the stuff on top of their head for fun, prizes and bragging rights.
Note: PN readers have been using the search tool on this website looking for “Derby Hats” this week. Find wide-brimmed hats locally at women’s shops, Bed, Bath & Beyond, J. Crew, Target and discount department stores. Then adorn with a band of polka dot ribbon (polka dots are part of the Churchill Downs tradition), colorful silk flowers coordinated with dress, and add other trinkets available at craft stores to personalize the fun of the Derby Party.
Dancing to Live Music begins at 7PM
Finally, dancing to the live music of the Waterdawgs, one of Naperville’s favorite party bands, begins nonstop at 7PM. Over and out by 10PM.
For reservations, call Carolyn Fairbanks at (630) 897-2156 x 514 or cfairbanks@hesedhouse.org.
Hesed House
The mission of Hesed House is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and give people the chance to hope again.
According to its website, Hesed House is a national model for ending homelessness – one person, one family at a time. It is the culmination of nearly three decades of strategic evolution from a formerly acceptable model of “eats and sheets” to a Comprehensive Homeless Resource Center – a campus of centralized highly skilled professionals collaborating to provide the tools necessary to help individuals and families break free of the shackles binding them to homelessness.
