Chairman Letter
Dear Keeneland Concours Supporters,
As we close 2007, I have LOTS of great things to report to you. That most constant of things in life—CHANGE—causes us to think of new ways to present an event that is unique, place specific, and exciting. With that in mind, the first big change is our date. Please mark your calendars for:
July 17, 18, 19, 20, 2008!
Show day Saturday the 19th
We believe this new time period will give our automobile exhibitors a great date that has some breathing room relative to other shows. We hope you like it too, and we are hoping for a little cooler weather as a plus.
The second change is that beginning in 2008, Kentucky Children’s Hospital will be the sole beneficiary of the Keeneland Concours. Following a three-year commitment to WUKY, the Board voted to return to “our roots” in an effort to maximize our contributions. We have appreciated the valuable support from Gail Bennett and her staff at WUKY and hope to continue our relationship as media partners in the future.
I also want to thank the many, many exhibitors, spectators, and volunteers who have taken the time to write to me. Your comments let us know how to make a better event, and for that I am thankful. I want you to know your suggestions are taken seriously and passed on to the various individuals responsible for the many elements involved in putting on the best Concours possible. THANKS FOR THE INPUT!
Detailed plans for this year’s events are underway, but we do know that the 2008 Gala will be held at Keeneland in the very prestigious Phoenix and Lexington rooms. The layout of the rooms will afford us the luxury of having a large dining area with other areas designated for dancing or just having a quiet conversation. The views of the track and show area are most impressive and sure to please our out-of-town guests. A HUGE thank-you to the folks at Keeneland for offering us this opportunity.
There are some items that bear mentioning under the heading of “just so you know:”
- At the end of 4 years, the Keeneland Concours has been responsible for $400,000 in donations to Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
- We “pass through” 72% of the funds we take in—a much higher percentage than the national average.
- There is not one paid position in our organization. Our working Board consists of 14 people. We had approximately 250 volunteers working the day of show in 2007. Thousands of hours are donated throughout the year and during the 4-day event.
As much fun as this whole “car crazy” thing is, I am constantly reminding myself that we are doing this so Kentucky’s children who have medical problems can have a fair chance. The people at the hospital who make that happen day in and day out are the real heroes in this grand scheme of things. To them, a big THANK YOU. The work you do is amazing!
Retention is always a sign to me that you might be doing something right. Over the first 4 years, we have retained 95% of our sponsors, our board, our exhibitors, our judges, our volunteers, and hopefully YOU, the audience!
Finally, take a moment to visit the “Contact Us” page for information on how to get in touch with Committee members. We welcome your comments, so please don’t hesitate to stay in touch! Otherwise, we’ll see you in JULY!
Zoom, zoom
Tom Jones
December 2007