Race for the Roses at the Benefactors’ Gala is a Runaway Success

November 13, 2012

This past Saturday, November 10, Logan hosted its annual black tie-optional Benefactors’ Dinner Gala in the William D. Purser, DC Center lobby. This year’s theme was Logan’s Derby Night, featuring Kentucky Derby-style horse races, betting (with play money), cocktails and dinner, prizes for the  final “Race for the Roses” races and prizes for the benefactors who had the most “money” at the end of the races. Sixteen horses, ridden by student jockeys, ran valiantly in the Logan Derby Night and competed for the big prizes for their student owners: First Place - $500; Second Place - $300; Third Place - $200. The Derby winner was Subluxatorius—The Six Dollar Horse, ridden by Tri-8 jockey Christina Lynch and owned by the Student Doctors’ Council. The second place finisher was Sir Clap-A-Lot, the Trimester 8 entry ridden by student jockey Danielle Wilkerson. Finishing third was Not So Medial, ridden by Tri-7 jockey Shaun Nibbe, and representing Chi Rho Sigma. First- and second-place winning horses in three qualifying races got the opportunity to run for the roses in the grand finale race.

Attendees enjoyed a delicious dinner, toe-tapping to bluegrass music and a chance to mingle with the jockeys and their steeds prior to the races. The top money winner among the bettors was Dr. Lori Bents of Marshfield, Wis., an Aug. 1984 Logan graduate. The second-place money winner was Ms. Vicki Woodside of CI Select. The third-place money winner was Mrs. Karen Mackison, wife of BIOFREEZE’s Dr. Dana Mackison, a September 1977 Logan graduate. The horses, created by carpenter extraordinaire Joe Munsinger of Logan’s Facilities Department, were then decorated by students representing the various participating trimesters and school organizations.

Thanks to all the Logan staff and volunteers who made this major event such as success including: Logan President Dr. George Goodman; Dean of University Programs Dr. Elizabeth Goodman, whose idea it was to have a derby night; Patricia Jones, vice president of institutional advancement; Emily Ratliff, Purser Center event planner, who co-chaired the derby committee and put in hours of work to guarantee its success; track announcer Thomas Keller, associate vice president of public relations, who called the races, provided some unscripted comedic touches and did his best not to mess up the numbers when the dice rolled; the unflappable Juliette Schmidt, who officially rolled the dice and did the correct math, too; Dr. Martha Kaeser, director of the Logan Assessment Center, and Dr. Brad Hough, chief information officer, who feverishly worked the betting windows; Vince McGee, associate vice president of media, and Mike Chappell, instructional support specialist, who provided their usual outstanding still photography and video work prior to the racing and  during the races as well as in post-race interviews with the winning jockeys and award presentations by Dr. George Goodman; Jamie Bass, executive assistant to the offices of administrative affairs and institutional advancement, who provided pre-event and on-site support for whatever else needed to get done and did it; and last, but not least, all the student jockeys who participated in the evening’s actual races.
                                          
Benefactors are alumni and friends who contribute $1,000 or more annually to Logan. Each year, the college hosts a Benefactors’ Dinner and event to say thank you to these special Logan donors.