VIDEO: The Annual Regional Rehab Derby Party Is A Party With A Cause

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The Kentucky Derby may have been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky today, but more that 300 Tupelo residents held their own derby party to raise money for a good cause.

The annual Regional Rehab Derby party benefits the Regional Rehabilitation Center, which has been providing rehab services for sixty years free of charge.

Tom Evans and his neighbors on Robins Street begin planning in January for this event, which is held the Saturday of the Kentucky Derby.

Evans, who serves on the Regional Rehabilitation Center Board, says a derby theme seemed like a good way to raise money.

“Mr. Alan Banks, who was president of the board at that time, his father had been owners of the horses that raced in the derby and won the derby several years. And Alan always talked about the fun at the Derby. And so we decided to do a fundraiser from that,” Evans explains.

He says they hope to raise $20,000 dollars from Saturday’s event.