May Madness: Kentucky Trip

Dear Friends,

I was blessed to have gone on a trip that made this month a good one. Last year, I went to Kentucky but had to come back because I was too late to work. However, this year I made up for last year. I was blessed to have worked the Kentucky Derby. So as a sports fan, I can say that I worked a world series (mlb), a super bowl (nfl), an all star game (mlb), the Final Four of college basketball and hockey (ncaa), and now the Kentucky Derby. Being in Louisville is different than being in Cleveland, Chicago, or even Cincinnati. This is my short and sweet recount of working this event.

The morning sky in Louisville was beautiful. When I arrived there at 6 am on Friday, the sky was a honey color with the sun in the horizon. When I stepped on Muhammad Ali Blvd made me see that I was in Louisville and that I was somewhere that did not know who I was in Detroit. When I got to Churchill Downs, there was the smell of horse shit, fresh grass, and BBQ. Seeing all the people that I was going to work with made me see that I was in the big time. There were guys from all over the Midwest and South. After wasting three hours of waiting, it was time to work the event called Kentucky Oaks. This was the horse race before the Derby. I met with people that were from all over the U.S. I served to business people from as far as Alaska and as close as Cincinnati. My day was long but the benefits were better. At the end of the day, I was happy to work my ass off and to have something to feel accomplished of.

When I woke up the next day, the sky was blue. I was in the bluegrass state and it was as blue as the University of Kentucky. God was blessing this place and letting me see a new day. When I got to Churchill Downs, the horses were out grazing and it was beautiful. The track was perfect for racing and the people were nice and happy. After a long wait for the people to sit down and relax, it was time to work. The women were in beautiful hats, the men were in suits and sandals. The beautiful people were out on this day. I saw some celebrities but my focus was on the common people. This was a great day and it was a prosperous one as well. Seeing those horses races gave me a new breathe of fresh air. The people were happy when they won and upset when they lost. This was a good day. Leaving Louisville was crazy and scary but it was worth the hassle. The trip was successful and it gave me something to think about for next year. I also know that if I do come back, I need to do things in advance.

This was the start of great things in my life. I am blessed to have special people in my life. I am blessed to have family. Things are only looking up for me because I been down. With that said, it is time for me to end this entry but there are so much more to speak on soon.

Eugene Chandler III