Five Acres Gala Guests Bet on a Winning Mission

Rain did not stop guests from attending the Kentucky Derby® nor the 2025 Five Acres Triple Crown Gala on May 3. Set against the stunning backdrop of the private estate of April and Dr. William Costigan in Pasadena, nearly 300 guests and volunteers donned their elegant evening wear with fascinators and hats to support the charity’s mission that brings safety to children in foster care and strengthens families.

This year’s gala chairs, La Canada Resident Erica Adler, Altadena Resident Candy Renick, and Monrovia Resident Tammi Rogers, bet on a winning committee immersed in the thrill and grandeur of the Triple Crown races. Committee members encouraged sponsorships, garnered auction items, and collected spirits and items for two exciting opportunity drawings that drew cheers for the winners, Grace Rogers for the horseshoe necklace donated by Prince Jewelers and Philip Swan for the “Off to the Carts” bar serving trolley, spirits, and accessories.

During the cocktail reception, guests could choose from the signature cocktail mint julep or bubbly from a sparkling wine wall before taking keepsake photos with Jay Cohen, who donned bugler regalia and performed the iconic bugle sound of the Kentucky Derby® at the start of the dinner program. Guests also enjoyed handmade portraitures from recent ArtCenter School of Design Graduate Kade Doll and feasted on delicious appetizers and a Southern-inspired dinner from Cynthia Brooks Catering. The live auction of numerous destinations like Portugal, London, Kauai, Big Bear and guest favorites like Copper Mountain, the Parkway Grill Mixology Night, Taste of Derby Dinner for Eight, and a Mountain Bikers’ Dream inspired guests to bid high.

A highlight of the evening was the traditional heartfelt mission moment featuring Marie Kennedy and Sean Cook, who became approved and certified to become foster parents. They shared their journey to becoming a forever family. Kennedy and Cook experienced an emotional toll when fostering, navigating the complex emotions of reunification and the uncertainty of the adoption process. Despite these challenges, their commitment to providing a loving home led them to say “yes” one more time—ultimately welcoming their infant son, Finn, into their family permanently.

“There are more than 16,000 children living in foster care in LA County. As the amount of resources dedicated to foster care declines, this gap expands, and more children continue to fall through the cracks,” said Chanel Boutakidis, Five Acres CEO. “We have hundreds of families in crisis and Five Acres doesn’t receive contract funding to recruit foster families. We rely solely on donations to support the outreach, recruitment, and training of new foster parents.”

Major fundraising events like these are essential to continue providing the Five Acres programs and services. Among the generous supporters who sponsored the gala were:

Stephen and Chantal Benntt, Andrew Crowell & Family, Kirsten L. Hansen, Armen and Rita Baranian, Cathay Bank, Deka Law Group, Gallagher, Tucker Ellis LLP, among other sponsors at various levels.

To learn more about the charity, visit https://5acres.org.