A sellout crowd of more than 100 guests helped celebrate the 142nd Kentucky Derby when Rotarians joined with the Community Center to host a fundraising party on Saturday, May 7 at the Rotary clubhouse.

Tickets for the event went quickly and were sold out within 10 days. Recent weeks of rainy and cold weather had only served to heighten the party mood on Saturday evening and event originators Debbie Graves, Irene Fowle and Joy Ward were pleased with the enthusiasm.

The idea for the party began as the three Rotarians were making corsages for the club’s Valentine’s party. Conversation turned to the community center and ways that the Rotary could help to support the new facility. “So we decided to have a party for them,” Irene Fowle explained. Finding a theme for the party took only a bit longer. The club’s board of directors approved the idea.

Debbie Graves praised Jane Good and the center’s team, saying that they were delighted with the idea and joined with Rotarians in three months of hard work to make the party a success. “We had a good showing of Rotarians and a great partnership with the center. Everyone wanted to help.”  

Among those helping were local businesses (Conley’s, Boothbay Harbor House of Pizza, Hannaford, Mr. C’s and the local thrift shops) which contributed food, tablecloths, flowering trees and shrubs. Hats were available for those who did not have their own but most party-goers didn’t stint when it came to millinery. Men wore straw boaters. But the ladies stole the show with exuberant and multi-hued hats that created a constantly moving eyeful of color like spring flowers in a breeze. Donna Morey received the “best hat” award.

Mint juleps and “betting” sheets in hand, attendees dropped raffle tickets into buckets labeled with the name of each horse. As race time approached, a snafu prevented the wide screen “feed” from the track, but Boothbay’s Pam Utley took up the reins. The former resident of Louisville, Kentucky, led the group in singing “My Old Kentucky Home” and then served as sportscaster for the crowd. Utley provided immediate coverage of who was leading and lagging using the live webcast from her cell phone.

According to Good, the center’s director, $2,200 in funds were raised through the entrance fee ($10), sales of additional tickets and a silent auction on a number of items.