• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Going for the Gold 'An Unbridled Evening'

The YMCA Foundation hosted its annual Going for the Gold event themed ‘An Unbridled Evening’ Saturday, May 2, at Dolphin Aviation.


  • By Heather Merriman Saba
  • | 11:17 p.m. May 2, 2015
  • Black Tie
  • Share

Saturday, May 2, at Dolphin Aviation | Benefiting YMCA Foundation of Sarasota
Co-Chairs: Merrill Bonder, Dan Dannheisser, Mitchell Epstein and Mike Hagan | Guests: 525

Who doesn’t love a Derby party? Fashionably dressed men and women donning hats, drinking mint juleps and watching the traditional sport is such an iconic American pastime. And combine that with the YMCA Foundation of Sarasota’s largest fundraising event of the year and you’ve got yourself a great evening.

This new theme for the Y Foundation’s 24th annual Going for the Gold event was a wonderful success for the organization, which sold 100 more tickets compared with last year. And there was an added element of excitement this year: Guests placed bets on horses to win or place and show at the 141st Kentucky Derby, with the bets counting as donations to the Y Foundation.

Debbie and Co-Chair Dan Dannheisser
Debbie and Co-Chair Dan Dannheisser
Dawn and Co-Chair Mitchell Epstein
Dawn and Co-Chair Mitchell Epstein
Co-Chairs Mike Hagan and Merrill Bonder
Co-Chairs Mike Hagan and Merrill Bonder
Bonnie Rogers, Ron Ciaravella, Fred Fiala and Bill Rogers
Bonnie Rogers, Ron Ciaravella, Fred Fiala and Bill Rogers
Vance Dickinson, Michele Grimes and Richard Smalley
Vance Dickinson, Michele Grimes and Richard Smalley
Ben Doherty and Avarie Hannah
Ben Doherty and Avarie Hannah
Patty and Ernie Garcia with Janet Hagan
Patty and Ernie Garcia with Janet Hagan
Al and Leslie Jeffrey
Al and Leslie Jeffrey
Louis Robison and Kathleen Collins with Roxie and Mike Jerde
Louis Robison and Kathleen Collins with Roxie and Mike Jerde
Sandra Wasserman, Rod Connelly and Charlotte Stringfellow
Sandra Wasserman, Rod Connelly and Charlotte Stringfellow
Co-Chair Merrill Bonder and Jeff Bronze get a caricature drawn at Going for the Gold.
Co-Chair Merrill Bonder and Jeff Bronze get a caricature drawn at Going for the Gold.
Jeff Bronze and Co-Chair Merrill Bonder
Jeff Bronze and Co-Chair Merrill Bonder
Brendan and Nicole Coudal
Brendan and Nicole Coudal
The YMCA Foundation hosted its annual Going for the Gold event themed ‘An Unbridled Evening’ on Saturday, May 2, at Dolphin Aviation.
The YMCA Foundation hosted its annual Going for the Gold event themed ‘An Unbridled Evening’ on Saturday, May 2, at Dolphin Aviation.
Dawn and Co-Chair Mitchell Epstein with Ethna and Ted Wishnie
Dawn and Co-Chair Mitchell Epstein with Ethna and Ted Wishnie
George and Cheryl Gabriel with Ellen McLaughlin
George and Cheryl Gabriel with Ellen McLaughlin
Andrea and Tom Roth
Andrea and Tom Roth
Amanda Simmons and Pat Martin
Amanda Simmons and Pat Martin
Janet Smalley, Jackie Dickinson and Terry Chandler
Janet Smalley, Jackie Dickinson and Terry Chandler
Samantha Watkinson and Ali Iglehart
Samantha Watkinson and Ali Iglehart

 

Latest News

Sarasota City Attorney Joe Polzak and City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs during a meeting of the Sarasota City Commission.
  • December 5, 2025
Sarasota charter official evaluations begin this month
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade
  • December 4, 2025
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade
A satellite image of Hurricane Irma.
  • December 4, 2025
Hurricane season ends without Florida landfall
Sarasota Police Department personnel monitor Sarasota's network of cameras, license plate readers, gunshot detectors and other devices in the nearly completed Real-Time Operations Center.
  • December 4, 2025
SPD set to grow its city camera system

Sponsored Health Content

Sponsored Content

The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest in Black Tie

Bill and Robyn Sadlo, Barb and Jay Lancer and Marjolaine and Steve Townsend
  • November 23, 2025
Boys and Girls Clubs' Champions for Children honors Baranciks' legacy
Kristin Morton, John Grady Burns, Pat Mudgett and Kellie Menke
  • November 21, 2025
Founders Garden Club welcomes celebrity floral designer to annual luncheon
Troy Turner and Resilient Retreat founder Dr. Sidney Turner
  • November 17, 2025
Resilient Retreat transports guests to the Mediterranean
Marie Monsky and Marvin Kadesh
  • November 17, 2025
Brunch plays a note to raise money for Sarasota Youth Orchestra
Raleigh Mosely, Donald Frison, Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs and Jazzmin Carson
  • November 17, 2025
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe shows off its heart and soul at fall gala
Keep calm and party on: Co-Chairs Renee Phinney, Lauren Dixon, Lauren Wohlwend and Allison Imre along with event planner Minta Getzen (center) make sure that every detail of Wine, Women & Shoes is handled with the utmost care.
  • November 15, 2025
Wine, Women & Shoes steps up in support of Forty Carrots Family Center

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2025 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.


The Your Observer App is Here!

Get local news you can trust — now on your phone, tablet or laptop. Fast. Free. Easy to Use.
Stay informed, wherever you are.

Download Now