The Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy will host their 20th annual Race for Grace, a dinner and fundraising event to support the ongoing work of the chaplaincy, on Monday, May 2 at 6:00pm. As a kickoff to Kentucky Derby week, the event will be held on Millionaires' Row in the clubhouse at Churchill Downs.
Nationally-recognized pastor Bob Russell will be the keynote speaker of the event and Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day will be the Master of Ceremonies.
“20 years ago, we said let's do this thing called the Race for Grace as a fundraiser on the Monday of Derby week and it's been a tremendous hit since,” Day said. “We've had some wonderful speakers and it's been very well-supported. It's a great way to kick off Derby week for a wonderful cause.”
Pat Day has been a devoted supporter of the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy for many years and recently stepped down from a six-year stint as the group's President.
“The Race Track Chaplaincy of America started over 50 years ago by an exercise rider named Salty Roberts,” Day explained. “He had a burden on his heart for the people he was working with at the racetrack, realizing that the hours that backside workers have limit their opportunity to go to a church of their choice. Salty's vision was to have a chaplain at every racetrack and training facility in the world. From that idea, the Race Track Chaplaincy of America was born.”
“They currently have over 50 chaplains ministering throughout the U.S. and affiliation with chaplains in other countries,” he continued. “The idea was based on being a ministry of presence. The chaplains walk through the barn area during training hours, being seen, cultivating relationships and providing hope and help.”
The Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy has chaplains on the grounds of Churchill Downs, Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park, Turfway Park and Belterra Park. In addition to holding weekly church services, chaplains host bible studies, meet with the jockey colony and gate crew at the start of each race day and more.
In 2006, the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy opened Christ Chapel, which was completely funded by donations from the community, on the backside of Churchill Downs. That same year they launched a Women and Children's Ministry, which now has two full-time staff members.
Joseph Del Rosario serves as the full-time chaplain at Churchill Downs. He spoke on the many activities hosted by the Chaplaincy throughout the year.
“We have our weekly chapel services, with one in English and one in Spanish,” he explained. “In between the services, we have a dinner to facilitate togetherness. We have our clothing closet, which is a free thrift store where people can get toiletries, bedding and clothes if they need it. Throughout the year we have cookouts, Bible studies, Easter celebrations and a Christmas party. Everything is community-wide; it's open to everyone.”
The Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy's Children's Ministry hosts many activities throughout the year | Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy
Rosario estimated that an average of 50 to 60 people attend each week's church service, although attendance fluctuates throughout the year to follow the racing calendar at Churchill Downs.
“Even when there isn't racing there are still families, particularly moms and kids, that stay back,” he noted. “We still serve them and have activities for them. In the past we've done sewing and knitting classes during that time.”
Rosario said the Chaplaincy aims to fulfill both the emotional and spiritual needs of the backside community.
“A lot of them come from outside the country,” he said. “They've come to take care of their family and their family has stayed back home. There's a lot of loneliness, which becomes the root cause to other secondary issues–substance abuse, people who keep to themselves or people who are more aggressive than they need to be.”
Rosario shared the story of one individual who recently began participating in Chaplaincy activities.
“When we have the clothing closet open, we usually have the kitchen open for a snack or a light lunch. It creates the opportunity for people to come in and sit so we can just talk and catch up. This man came in during one of those. I started talking to him and over time we built a relationship. I would visit him at his barn and he would come to chapel. We would talk about some of the issues he had in his barn. He felt people didn't like him so he would respond in an aggressive manner. We would talk through that and talk about what it means to love our neighbor. He's been getting a lot better with how he's relating to his co-workers.”
“Many backside workers are away from family so there's a great need for fellowship,” Day added. “We're offering programs to address the loneliness and just be a friend to them. The ministry is not just for backside workers, but for the racetrack at large.”
He continued, “For me personally, the racing industry has been so good to me and my family. Not only do I have a burning desire to share the gospel message, but this gives me an opportunity to give back to the industry a little bit of what I've received through it. I feel very privileged and honored to be a part of the Race Track Chaplaincy at large, but more specifically to the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy.”
Race for Grace was held virtually last year and was postponed in 2020, so the team at the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy is looking forward to a rewarding evening on the 20th anniversary of the successful fundraiser. The event will have a silent auction with a collection of racing memorabilia as well as a live auction featuring a box for the 2023 Kentucky Oaks and Derby.
Individuals interested in ticket purchasing, sponsorships and donations can visit kychapliancy.org/race-for-grace.
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