MCDONALD'S THUNDER FUNDER PROGRAM RAISES MORE THAN $215,000

The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce that the 2007 McDonald’s Thunder Funder Program helped to raise more than $215,000 to help support Thunder Over Louisville, the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies. The program, which was sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana, ran from April 2 to May 13. During that time, 93 area McDonald’s restaurants donated 10 cents from the sale of every 32-ounce drink in a commemorative cup to help support Thunder. Drinks could be purchased separately or as part of a Thunder Funder meal (Quarter-Pounder, French fries and large drink). A total of $71,856 was contributed through cup sales.

Additional funds collected through the Program included the sale of Five-Star and Boomer LevelThunder Viewing Packages ($17,150), corporate or “business” Thunder Funders ($124,750) and individual contributions ($1,579). On April 4, the 2007 “Gear Up for Thunder” – an Official Kick-Off for the McDonald’s Thunder Funder Program – featured an all-day, televised campaign at the Central American Airways Flying Service hangar at Bowman Field. Local TV stations broadcast from the site beginning at 5 a.m. and continued periodic coverage throughout the day. The hangar was open to the public from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and featured several Thunder Air Show planes and helicopters on display, as well as the sale of Official Kentucky Derby Festival merchandise and a special preview of Thunder Day activities. Military and civilians pilots were on hand to meet the public, along with Thunder Over Louisville crew including producer Wayne Hettinger. 

Thunder fans were encouraged to call the McDonald’s Thunder Funder hotline to purchase McDonald’s Thunder Funder Packages. Packages could also be purchased online at www.mcdonaldsthunderfunder.com.  Individual packages ranged from the $150 Five-Star Viewing Level to Thunder Funder contributions of any amount. Five-Star packages included exclusive Thunder Corporate Village viewing vistas (just east of the Second Street Bridge) and on-site parking. The $100 Boomer Package benefits included: sponsorship of a specific fireworks shell, a show-themed certificate listing sponsor name, shell type, launch location, launch time and song name. Thunder Funder Business/Corporate packages were available directly through the Kentucky Derby Festival.  Each corporate package offered recognition benefits, including sponsorship listing on all Thunder kiosks and Derby Festival-produced materials, four All-Access passes to tour the Thunder Command Center and points of operation on Friday, April 20.

Thunder Over Louisville - the Derby Festival's Opening Ceremonies - is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2007 Thunder Over Louisville event, themed “The Magic of Thunder,” took place on Saturday, April 21 and was the 18th annual production. The show was presented by Caesars Indiana, E.ON U.S., Meijer and UPS.