Berea, Ky., 15 April 2014
It’s hard to believe, but Friday, May 2, will be the 11th time our community has gathered for our very own Derby Eve party.
Reservations are now open for the Gala on Derby Eve and can be made by calling 859-986-1500 or emailing hospice@hospicecp.org. Tickets are $100 and reservations should be made by April 25. The event is Friday, May 2, at EKU’s Keen Johnson Ballroom. Guests can enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 7:00 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7:30. Live music and dancing will continue until 11:30.
This year’s Gala features complementary valet parking, hors d’oeuvres, cocktail spritzers, dinner, open bar, live music by Klassyc Tymes, dancing, and a commemorative Derby glass for each guest. Suggested attire is black-tie optional. All proceeds go to Hospice Care Plus.
The Gala on Derby Eve got its start in 2003, when a dedicated group of Richmond women launched The Spring Thing to raise funds for Hospice Care Plus’s Compassionate Care Center, then just a dream on paper. When the Spring Thing ended, a new committee formed to continue the tradition, which then became the Run for the Roses Derby Eve Benefit. In 2013, the name was changed once more to the Gala on Derby Eve.
But, thankfully, a party by any other name is still . . . a party.
This year’s Gala is at a new location: the Keen Johnson Ballroom at EKU. Organizers say changing locations periodically is a good way to keep the event fresh.
“Every venue brings with it its own character and feel,” says Shelley Ward, the chair of the Gala on Derby Eve Committee and director of development at Hospice Care Plus. “It’s always exciting to see what we can do to transform the space into a great Derby party.”
Regardless of setting, Ward says the “fun factor” never changes.
“You will never see as many smiles or hear as much laughter as you do at the Gala,” says Ward. “The guests truly seem to enjoy themselves. The live music and dancing are always a big hit. It’s just a chance to have a great time, for a great cause.”
Another change this year is a new perk: each guest will receive a complementary, commemorative Derby glass.
“We love the idea of sending each guest home with a piece of Derby history,” says Ward.
To learn more about the Gala on Derby Eve or to make your reservations, contact Shelley Ward at 859-986-1500 or hospice@hospicecp.org.
Hospice Care Plus empowers those we serve to enjoy the highest quality of life, respecting their values, beliefs, needs, and goals through specialized care, education, resources, and grief support.
Our Service Area:
Our Home Hospice and Home Palliative Care programs serve you, wherever you call home, in the Kentucky counties of Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle.
Our inpatient care facility, the Compassionate Care Center, and administrative offices are located in Richmond, Kentucky.
Recent News:
Journaling Through Grief Series Hosted in Irvine
News & Events
To Renew Our Vows
Families and care teams form close relationships, especially when care begins early. Team members often ask what goals patients and families have. When they learn of special desires, they set about helping those dreams come to life.
Celebrating Sue Lunsford’s Retirement
On June 2, Sue Lunsford will retire from Hospice Care Plus after 33 years of service. An open-house celebration in honor of her retirement, Sue’s “It’s Bittersweet” Farewell, will be held May 26 between 11 AM and 2 PM at Hospice Care Plus & Compassionate Care Center on 350 Isaacs Lane in Richmond. All are…
National Healthcare Decisions Day
National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is April 16. Hospice Care Plus is honoring the day by offering free resources to residents of our six-county service area to help individuals make and document their healthcare decisions. Lisa Knicely, the Director of Outreach Programs at Hospice Care Plus and the organization’s lead social worker, says NHDD reinforces…
Bourbon, Boots & BBQ May 5
UPDATE: We are officially SOLD OUT of reservations for the Bourbon, Boots & BBQ Derby Eve Party. Madison County’s longest-running Derby Eve party has reached its 20th year, and reservations are available now through April 28. The Bourbon, Boots & BBQ Derby Eve Benefit will take place Friday, May 5, at 6 p.m., at Churchill’s,…