On July 25th, the Backside Learning Center hosted a celebration to commemorate its 20th anniversary as an organization! Surrounded by founding members, longtime participants, current supporters, and everyone in between, the event was a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the past while looking forward to the future of the BLC.
The event consisted of live music from local band Appalatin, food provided by FOKO, and speeches from several important faces of the BLC.
The panel of speakers began with Lynn Ashton, who played a pivotal role as a member of the Kentucky Derby Museum during the founding stages of the BLC. Following Lynn, longtime BLC supporter Brook Smith and horse owner John Stewart spoke on a bet they made during the Derby season, as John provided the BLC with a check of $100,000 as a result of the bet! We are incredibly grateful for this support from the Thoroughbred industry.
We then heard from groom Bertila Quinteros, who has been a participant in both our Adult English and Family programs for nearly a decade, as she discussed how the BLC has supported her through the years. Current BLC staff member Tony Barajas then took the stage to discuss his journey at the BLC, which began with him being a participant in our Front Runners after-school program several years ago.
Finally, former trainer Buff Bradley wrapped the speaking panel up with words on his current involvement as a board member of the organization and his excitement for the future.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Brook Smith for providing an excellent space for the event, as well as Mile Wide Beer Company and Total Wine & More for their generous donations to our event! We couldn’t be more excited for the future of the BLC, and we are so thankful to everyone who has made an impact on our organization and the lives of backside workers and their families over the last two decades. Here’s to 20 more!
