Lancaster, PA. - Clark Associates held its 13th annual Derby Day fundraiser at The Lancaster Country Club on Saturday evening, May 3, 2025. This year, the event raised $2.4 million for charity.
Derby Day is the company’s signature fundraising event with a weekend full of unique experiences involving Clark Associates’ business partners, local community members, and philanthropists. All proceeds from the event go to the Clark Associates Charitable Foundation and are distributed to a variety of local charities and educational foundations.
Derby Day began in 2013 as a fundraiser for the Conestoga Valley Education Foundation through the creative energy of Beth Clark, wife of company founder and chairman Fred Clark. The event quickly grew in scope and capacity. With the dedicated efforts of an employee-led Derby Day Committee, revenues have grown from a first-year total of $25,000 to this year’s grand total of $2.4 million.
This year’s event saw an increase to 29 participating nonprofits, compared to 24 in 2024. Organizations benefiting from Derby Day proceeds include those that help children and adults with disabilities, provide youth education, preserve the environment, protect at-risk youth, implement programs for homeless populations, fight food insecurity, and assist war refugees. Watch this video to hear from some of the organizations who benefitted from the 2025 Derby Day event:
Over 300 tickets were purchased for the event, and participants embraced the tradition and style of the Kentucky Derby while waiting for “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" to be broadcast live throughout the venue. Attendees received entertainment from the eclectic sounds of The Cat’s Pajamas while enjoying features such as the traditional hat contest emceed by WGAL News 8 reporter Anne Shannon. Guests also took part in complimentary refreshments and fun activities.
Clark Associates Charitable Foundation Executive Director, Mike Thornton, highlighted the event’s emphasis on innovative educational projects and youth development initiatives, noting, “A key goal for this year's event was to strengthen our ability to make a difference in the lives of young people. Consequently, we've expanded our support by adding six youth development and education-based non-profits, resulting in a total of $1.45 million allocated to 17 such organizations."
He went on to say that community support remains essential to Clark Associates’ leadership principles, with Derby Day helping to fund environmental conservation through the Lancaster Conservancy, as well as a critical ladder truck for a local volunteer fire department.
About Clark Associates, Inc.
Clark Associates is a privately held company headquartered in Lancaster, PA, and has been recognized as one of Central Pennsylvania's fastest growing companies as well as Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine's 2015 Dealer of the Year.
Employing over 8,000 people, Clark’s multiple divisions and branches in distribution, sales, and technology serve a variety of commercial foodservice customers nationwide. For more information on our business and history, please visit www.clarkinc.biz.