2024 Derby Day--A Terrific Success

We’re excited to announce the success of Rockledge Rotary Foundation’s 2024 Space Coast Derby Day. Net proceeds were more than $37,000. The May fundraising event coincides with the running of the Kentucky Derby each year. Beneficiaries in 2024 included the Salvation Army in Brevard, Crosswinds Youth Services, the Children’s Hunger Project and the Brevard Zoo's Legacy Aquarium Project.

We held our Derby Day After Party at The Twisted Birch, which featured a live & silent auction and a party with heavy gourmet hors d’oeuvres, a bourbon-tasting area, a live stream of the Kentucky Derby and several fundraising activities.

History

Space Coast Derby Day started as Rockledge Rotary’s main fundraiser in 2004. Known as Rockledge Rotary Derby Day, the event was originally held at the Rockledge Country Club. It grew over the next few years until that venue was no longer large enough. We later became a fixture at the Holiday Inn Viera from 2007-2014. With the gaining popularity of the event, we chose a venue with virtually unlimited growth opportunities and moved to Wickham Park. At that time, we rebranded the event to be known as Space Coast Derby Day. As an indoor/outdoor event with live horse racing, we were able to almost double our capacity and provide Central Florida’s premier Kentucky Derby experience hence increasing the support we were able to provide our charitable organizations. In 2020, due to COVID-19, we transitioned to a live, virtual event which enabled us to continue to support charitable organizations despite the new challenges the year brought many. In 2021 and 2022, we hosted the event live again but at a new venue, The Twisted Birch. Proceeds from the 2023 Space Coast Derby Day Event exceeded $40k which was distributed between the charities, a portion of the funds stay with the Rockledge Rotary Foundation and are used to give to the local community throughout the year. In 2024, we are hosting a traditional Space Coast Derby event that the community has grown to love.

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Beneficiaries

The Children’s Hunger Project provides over 4,300+ children in Brevard at 60 schools with weekend meals who may be at risk of little or no available food. All meals are prepped, packed and distributed by our volunteers. Every Friday, The Children’s Hunger Project helps elementary school children by providing nutritional food packages to carry kid-friendly food home in their backpack. On Monday, the kids return to school but with a better and healthier foundation for learning. Thanks to many volunteers and supporters, we have served Brevard County children on school weekends without missing a single week, since 2010.

The East Coast Zoological Society is embarking on a historic campaign to build a world-class Aquarium and Conservation Center on Florida’s East Coast. This will serve as a regional conservation hub with an emphasis on restoring our coastal ecosystems, including the Indian River Lagoon, rehabilitating sea turtles and manatees and engaging children and families in conservation through fun, interactive, hands-on experiences further ensuring our quality of life continues for future generations.