The excitement of the 140th Kentucky Derby came to Brookside Country Club on Saturday afternoon where the Walsh University Women’s Committee held their annual Kentucky Derby Party.
Mary Jane O’Brien and Jacque Polnik co-chaired the event, which featured a silent auction, a Kentucky bourbon raffle, dinner, dancing and horse racing.
Honorary chairs Roger and Patty DeVille greeted guests who enjoyed the traditional mint juleps while discussing strategies for picking the winners.
Cousins Eric and Brad Belden went with the horses’ names, to the amusement of their wives, Cathy and Amy; Judge John Milligan liked a horse named Danza, named after an actor; but Dottie Kandel told her son, David, she researched the horses’ history on the Internet, and she picked the winner.
Irene Hammontree added a horse’s sound effects to her hat to win the hat contest; while Nicole Simyak’s flowered yellow hat was named most beautiful.
Pat Stayer, president of the Women’s Committee, wore a fascinator; as did Katie Hudic, who said her heirloom fascinator had belonged to her husband’s grandmother.
Emcee Michael Reed announced the races, and Brother Guy Roddy gave the invocation before dinner.
“I love this party,” said Eleanor Wingert as she enjoyed the event along with Tommy Kolp, Joyce Oliver, Teresa Griffin, Allison Vrabel, John and Beth Manse, Linda Ganser, Barbara Bennett, Mike and Cathy Taylor, Al and Alma Schumann, Jeremy and Katie Foltz, and George and Pat Seanor.
Walsh President Richard Jusseaume thanked the Women’s Committee for their work in putting on the party, which provides scholarships for Walsh students.
Stayer said the group donated $10,000 to the Endowment Fund and provided $5,500 in direct scholarships for Walsh University students.
Reed announced the video horse races, which continued after dinner, and then Country Artist Zach Paxson provided music for dancing.