Willie Sena Moore shoots start off gun for the Still Hopes Annual Derby Every year in May to coincide with the Kentucky Derby Still Hopes' Activity Services Department puts on their own Derby. This year was super, as usual. Sixteen staff members teamed up and "raced" representing the eight different buildings or neighborhoods of living on the campus.

Racers have raced on stick horses, squeezed water from sponges, carried eggs, and more. Activity staff members, Marian Kemmerlin, Sok Hwee Tay, Stella White, Alanna Nichols, and Lynda Stoll planned for the 2008 participants to "water the horses" by tossing balloons filled with water to their team member, who then broke it into a bucket. The bucket with the most water in it after two minutes determined the winner. Of course, each racer was donned with rain gear, visors, and stick horses to ride to the starting gate.

Madge Major, apartment resident, was the official cheerleader, making the rounds with her huge bubble blowing activity, while Sarah Fort, activity assistant, stayed busy passing out popcorn and lemonade. Bill Webb, activity/music assistant made certain that Stephen Foster music filled the air as the crowd gathered to get the best seats.

First Place: Maceo Williams, and Charles Poindexter, Still Hopes Housekeeping Department who raced for the Rosalie W. Bomar Center After the introductions, race instructions, and rules were given, Lloyd Brewer, minister of music at Cayce United Methodist Church led the crowd in the traditional singing of Still Hopes own Derby song, Our South Carolina

Home, sung to the

tune of My Old Kentucky

Home by Stephen Foster.

Judges this year were Marty Conner, chaplain; Ray Colston, chief financial officer; and Kay Long, director of Health Services. They had a difficult job, especially when time was called and Danny Sanford, CEO, got chased with extra water balloons. A few racers were tempted to dump their bucket on others.

Other employee racers were Rachael Hopkins and Teah Keaton, certified nursing assistants; Susan Harrison, LPN; Jennifer Walker, RN; Brandon Williams and Russell Hall, housekeeping; Noah Compton and Brett Waln, maintenance; Nancy Smith, home care; and Danny Sanford, CEO.

Madge Major, apartment resident, was the official cheerleader, Second Place: Ruth Davenport, activity services, and Jo Dale, physical therapy who raced for the Elizabeth Lowry Center Third Place: Elizabeth Nassif, development assistant, and Jenny Marbach, Shearouse Center for Wellness assistant who raced for Apartment Building # 6