Derby Days Raises $10,000 for County Youth
They sipped mint juleps, played croquet and celebrated the Kentucky Derby, WindMark Beach style.
Over 150 people attended Derby Days on Saturday, an annual event sponsored by the Junior Service League of Port St. Joe.
This year, the league teamed up with the St. Joe Company to host a day of family fun in the new village center at WindMark Beach.
The event began early on Saturday with a 5K run and one mile fun run/walk at 8 a.m.
From 9 a.m. - noon, children enjoyed croquet on the lawn and jumping in an inflatable jumping bean.
Athletic tots, aged 18 months to three years also participated in a 25-yard toddler trot.
In the afternoon, the adults got in on the fun, playing croquet, enjoying live music from Tom and the Cats, feasting on heavy hors d'oeuvres and beverages and participating in a silent auction.
In the main event, sponsored businesses advanced wooden horses in a mock Kentucky Derby race, while attendees viewed the real thing on television.
The event raised over $10,000 for Junior Service League projects benefiting Gulf County children.
The League's signature "Jam Packs" program provides clothing, backpacks and school supplies for area youth.
The League also sponsors an annual Easter Egg Hunt and a variety of other projects for the county's children.
