Bloomfield Township Woman Plans the 2013 Grand Prixmiere

The eyes of the IndyCar racing world will focus in on Belle Isle this weekend for the 2013 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, and they’ll get a little bit of Bloomfield in the planning at the event kick-off Friday night in downtown Detroit.

Bloomfield Township resident and business owner Judy Jonna has spent the past several months planning and fine-tuning arrangements for the key launch event called the Grand Prixmiere Party at DTE Energy’s Town Square in Detroit on Friday. From the decor, to the catering to the entertainment and special appearances, Jonna has had a hand in all the decisions that brought the second-annual fundraiser for the Belle Isle Conservancy come about.

“There are a lot of details that happen behind the scenes and we’re completely run by volunteers so we’re all excited to see all the hard work come to this point,” said Jonna, a board member with the Belle Isle Conservancy (BIC), the group tasked with preserving and promoting the island amid the Detroit River.

This year’s event starts at 6 p.m. with a private VIP reception for sponsors and winner’s circle guests, followed by cocktails for the general public. Attendees will also have dinner, entertainment, and an opportunity to mingle with nearly a dozen drivers who will participate  take part in a live Q&A session with ESPN/ABC's IndyCar Reporter Jamie Little.

The 2013 Grand Prixmiere Honorary Chairs include Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, and his wife, Yvette, Mark and Kim Reuss, Sarah and Tony Earley, and Bud and Melissa Denker.

“The Grand Prixmiere is a terrific event and truly one of the highlights of race weekend,” said Bud Denker, chairman of the Grand Prix. “This event has really become one of the top social events of the year in Detroit and it provides a great opportunity to meet some of the world’s best race car drivers while helping to raise money for our city’s beautiful jewel.”


The Island Calling
Party planning, particularly on this grand scale, is hardly Jonna’s chosen profession. Jonna describes herself as an energy-healing practitioner, who with a business partner, launched Healing Solutions earlier this year from an office near Telegraph and Maple roads in Bloomfield Township.

She explained that her brand of healing works in conjunction with traditional medical practices, and is based on the understanding of the human energy field as a dynamic system that encompasses physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Yet coordinating event logistics is something she said she’s had the chance to do with other non-profit organizations.

The key motivation and inspiration comes, first and foremost, from believing in the cause. Jonna first discovered the terrible state of disrepair — but potential beauty of Belle Isle — at a charity event a few years ago and wanted to get involved to save it.
She said she believes others will too, once they realize the opportunity, which events like the Grand Prix can only aid.

“When they see it, the potential, the possibilities for our city, there’s a lot there to be excited about,” she said. “To have a place like Belle Isle, to walk, to enjoy nature, have green space, it’s such an important part of the revitalization of Detroit.”

“The more people that are exposed to it, the more interest there will be in going there and showcasing it as a place to bring you families for a unique experience.” 

Tickets are available, but limited. Those interested can call 248.336.8360 for more information on both dinner and Finish Line afterglow availability. Finish Line only tickets may also be purchased online at http://grandprixfinishline.eventbrite.com.