by Taylor Ferns
Most people know me with a helmet on, behind the wheel of a race car. But outside of racing, one of the things I enjoy most is planning an event and seeing all the details come together. Lately, that has meant helping prepare for A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation presented by PenFed Credit Union and Tom Wood Porsche on November 7.
My interest in event planning goes back to college, when I helped organize events for my business fraternity. Since then, I’ve enjoyed finding opportunities to use that creative side, including planning my best friend’s bridal shower, and events and holiday parties at my former firm. I love thinking through the atmosphere, the food, and the little touches that make an event feel personal.
There’s something satisfying about taking an idea and turning it into an experience people can enjoy together.
Of course, the racer in me still appreciates a good schedule and a plan for how everything is going to run!
This year, I’m excited to bring that enthusiasm to A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation. I previously attended the inaugural event when it was at Tom Wood Porsche, but racing commitments have kept me from some of the more recent events.
Being back this year, with the opportunity to help behind the scenes, makes it especially meaningful.
Planning an evening like this involves a lot of conversations about things guests might never consciously notice:
How will people move through the space?
Where should the food stations go?
How do we make the evening feel welcoming from the moment someone walks in?
Those are the details I enjoy working through, because together they shape how people experience the night.
We’ve been putting a lot of thought into the atmosphere, flow, food, and overall guest experience.
There’s plenty to look forward to, including food stations catered by Cunningham Restaurant Group, DeBrand Chocolates, a silent auction, and visual and video elements we’re working on to help bring the evening to life. We’ll also have live entertainment featuring dueling pianists, which I’m especially excited about—it should bring a fun, lively energy to the night! I’m excited to see all of those pieces come together—and to enjoy the food myself once we’re underway!
What makes this event special to me, though, is the reason we’re gathering. As a Shift Up Now Foundation grantee, I know how much support can mean to a driver working to keep moving forward in this sport. Racing takes talent, preparation, and persistence, but it also takes resources and people willing to invest in you. That support matters, and I’m grateful to help create an evening that contributes to those opportunities for female racers.
The event is also a chance to spend time together away from the pace of a race weekend. I’m looking forward to catching up with familiar faces, meeting new supporters, and sharing a little more of who we are outside the race car.
I hope you’ll join us on November 7 for A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation. Come enjoy a wonderful evening, get to know the people behind the helmets, and help support the women pursuing their futures in motorsports.
I’ll be trading my racing suit for blue gala attire—and will probably still be checking that everything is running on schedule!
Buy tickets to this year's Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation presented by PenFed Credit Union and Tom Wood Porsche here.
Unable to attend? You can join the Race to a Million here.
