The happy hours are scheduled every Friday from 4-7 p.m. in the Pub. 

The idea to start hosting happy hours came in direct response to guest feedback.

“We recently surveyed our membership and in response to those who felt that the club was limited with evening hours, we are developing fun programs and events that we hope address some of those concerns,” said Linda Johnson, director of membership and marketing. “This will be one of other new offerings.”

Other new features include Sunday brunches on the second Sunday of the month. These were the most popular request in the surveys, according to Johnson.

“All of these things are what are members asked for and we hit the ground running with trying to deliver them. We will take a pulse on how it goes for the year and on the participation before we decide to add more,” she said.

This is the first time the U Club has held these types of special occasions. Johnson said that in addition to responding to membership feedback, the U Club is also trying to raise more awareness.

“We want people to know the club is part of the university where they can feel comfortable having fun and connecting with friends and colleagues and perhaps decide to become members. I think a lot of people think this is either just for alumni or it’s too expensive, but it’s not. It’s for the university community and there are so many categories of membership,” she said. “Faculty and staff may also consider this to be an excellent opportunity for team and morale building.”

More information is available by contacting Johnson via email or at 852-3499. 

It was hard to plan much as she juggled her full-time job as a high school counselor at Central High School and taught COMM 111 on campus, while also raising her daughter. But now her daughter (Taylor Brown) is 24 – “old enough to take care of herself” – and is finishing her master’s degree in physiology at UofL, which has afforded Brown more time to focus on her scholarship goal.

And so on Derby night, May 6, from 8 p.m. to midnight, Brown and her bandmates in NightBreeze will play in the University Ballroom to raise money for the new Gloria Jean Churchill Scholarship. The goal is to sell 200 tickets and award one Central High School senior a $1,000 scholarship to attend college.

“My sister always expressed wanting to help children accomplish their dream. I wanted to use every avenue that I have and pull every person that I know who is an educator to get that help,” Brown said.

During the event, Brown, the vocalist for NightBreeze, also wants to collect donations for Safe Place on Crittenden Drive, which houses students who cannot return home due to poor circumstances such as abuse.

“I have to send students there regularly who are in abusive environments. Every school in Jefferson County has had to send kids to Safe Place and people don’t like to talk about what happens when kids are in those environments, but this is real,” Brown said.

She is seeking donations such as shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, new underwear in all sizes, comforters and blankets and African American hair products.

Brown picked Derby night to host the fundraiser because it’s “Louisvillians’ Christmas.”

“There is a spirit of love and giving and camaraderie and helping one another during Derby time. That is the spirit I am trying to embody,” she said. “Yes, people like to party, but let’s do it with a purpose. Let’s listen to great music and dance and eat and still make a difference in somebody’s life.”

NightBreeze plays jazz, top 40 and R&B music. The event will also include a DJ, food and a cash bar. Tickets for the NightBreeze Derby Celebration are .