For the Love of Children
By Mary Margaret Colliver
Connie and Tom Jones have always been passionate about automobiles. Connie grew up with a father and six brothers who loved cars and Tom grew up on the West Coast where the car culture influenced his passion for automobiles at a young age.
Six years ago, when asked to enter a car in their show, Tom saw an opportunity to build the Porsche Club members’ enthusiasm for car shows.
A Concours d'Elegance would allow for a multi-marque show and bring the event to a new level. The Lexington couple now chair the annual Keeneland Concours, which benefits Kentucky Children's Hospital and, in past years, WUKY 91.3 (NPR).
Concours d’Elegance, or “a gathering of elegance,” originated in Paris during the 1920s. The Concours quickly became not only an event for automobile manufacturers to parade the latest edition of extravagant automobiles, but also a spot for fashion designers to showcase the latest styles.
In 2006, the Keeneland Concours d'Elegance Board and Kentucky Children's Hospital joined to create an endowment for neonatal research.
Now the funds raised from Concours only benefit the Kentucky Children's Hospital. "When we toured the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kentucky Children's Hospital, we were so impressed with the care provided by the health professionals," said Connie Jones. "Babies throughout Kentucky are born prematurely or are sick and we want to help alleviate this problem. It is such a joy to have a happy, healthy baby."
This year's Keeneland Concours d'Elegance will be held July 16-19 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington. While the highlight of this four-day event is best known for the Saturday Concours d’Elegance and its magnificent display of automobiles, additional events and activities provide visitors and participants a taste of Kentucky's art, culture and elegance.
As always, it is our hope and our goal that the Concours d’Elegance provides everyone with a unique experience—a mix of art, flair, design, sounds and—of course—a cause,” said Tom Jones. “There are many reasons to be excited about the 2009 Concours, and we are looking forward to hosting another outstanding weekend in the Bluegrass. It’s a delight to enjoy your passion and be able to do good works for the community, especially the Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The people at Kentucky Children's Hospital who make that happen day in and day out are the real heroes in this grand scheme of things.”
This year's event will feature the British Morgan as the guest marque, in celebration of its 100 years. The Morgan Motor Company was founded in 1909 by H.F.S. Morgan and was run by him until 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003. Morgan is based in Malvern Link, an area of Malvern, Worcestershire, England. All the cars are assembled by hand.
We are so pleased to be able to bring this event to the Bluegrass,” said Connie Jones. “It has proven to be a fun and exciting weekend for all ages. Even children love the classic automobiles. It has been our goal for the last five years to raise funds for the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, a very important and needed organization across Kentucky. It also is important to Tom and me to showcase our beautiful state.”
"I have the honor to work side-by-side with the organizers of the Keeneland Concours," said Dr. Tim Bricker, professor and chairman of pediatrics, UK College of Medicine, and physician-in-chief of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. "I see them work to craft this outstanding event out of their shared passion for fine automobiles and their dedication to excellent health care. The event they create is a gift to all Kentucky children."
