the empty closet Thank • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 459 • AUGUST 2012 Thank you thank you you thank you Thank you
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Thanks first to Carrie Vernon and the Pride Committee (Michael Hardy, Joe Murphy, Louis Mistretta, Bill Schaefer, Jo Meleca-Voigt, Jeff Markarian, Zayne Austin, Lora Thody, Alysa Styker, Logan Rath, Cindy Madison, Alyssa Vaisey), Jeanne Gainsburg and Scott Fearing for months of hard work! And thanks to… Jewish Community Center for keeping the Holocaust Memorial Museum exhibit open through Pride and for “Beyond Pride” • All of our wonderful Pride sponsors: Holiday Inn Rochester Airport, Tilt Nightclub and Ultralounge Co., Lake Beverage Corp., Three Olives, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, ImageOut, Sweet Revenge, Barefoot Wines & Bubbly, CNY Fertility Center, Rochester Victory Alliance, Rokk Vodka, Jagermeister, City of Rochester • Peter Mohr, Lyjha Wilton & Louis Mistretta • Logan Rath, tech support • Jeff Jones, PR • Volunteer Coordinators Robert Rogers, Cynthia Marshal, Ed Freedman, Kat Wiggall, Brigid Waterhouse, Ashley Powers, Bridget Brownell • Gerry Szymanski & the amazing Library volunteers • Over 250 Rochester Pride Superhero volunteers • Deaf Access Coordinators Alyssa Vaisey & Courtney Williams • All the volunteer interpreters • Gay Alliance staff (Anne Wakeman, Scott Fearing, Susan Jordan, Kelly Clark & Jeannie Gainsburg, & interns Ashley Powers & Alex Danforth) • GAGV Board and President John Altieri • Eric Marshall at Crazy Dog Tees • 140 Alex (PridePalooza) PICNIC Jeff Markarian & Picnic Committee members: Zayne Austin, Pat Cloonan, Liz Doyle, Susan McManus • Open Arms MCC for providing free food to Pride Picnic volunteers! • Anne Tischer & her balloon crew • Jennifer Mathews & Wegman’s School of Pharmacy at SJFC • Also the winners of the Pride Picnic sites decoration: 1st Place: Flamingo Farmers - Andrew Seefeldt, Brian Smith, Gary Douglas • 2nd Place: The River Folk Fortress of Sassitude - Kate Sweeney • Arena’s Florist • Evelyn Bailey • Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus • Rochester Women’s Community Chorus • Image Out • Tilt • Bill Levy • Hedonist Artisan Chocolates – donated dunking booth proceeds of $800 to the Youth Group – Jennifer Posey, Gretchen Arnold, Laura (LCat), Bettina, Pam C. Burris, Nathaniel Mich & Michael • DJ Todd • DJ Nickle • DJ Scott • DJ Hector • DJ Henry • Lambda Network at Kodak (provided free portraits) • EZ Bottle & Can Return • Monroe County Parks (Ryan Loysen & grounds crews) • City of Rochester (special thanks to Gloria!) • Verdad Security • MetroMotors • Thomas Warfield • Michael Gamilla • All the Picnic volunteer superheroes • Five Star Golf Car (Ray Nichols) • All food/merchandise/information vendors • Shea’s Outhouse • Nolan’s PARADE & FESTIVAL Rochester Police Department & Chief James Sheppard • Mayor Tom Richards & The City of Rochester • Rochester Fire Department • Park Avenue Merchants & Neighborhood Associations • Todd Plank & Tom Ferrarese • Drivers John, Bob & Jeff Briggs • Jami Hafner – Jessica Sutta’s driver • Three Judges: Deb Oppenheimer, Karen Morris & Terry Hill • Roc City Rickshaw • Wegmans (water) • VisitRochester • Larry & Kelly at Airigami • Award winners: Muthers Favorite (Best of Show): Tilt; Stonewall Award: Rochester Rights Activists; Rainbow Award: Outlandish; Community Award: Gay Alliance Library & Archives; Ruby Slipper Award: Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus • Committee Chairs Joe Murphy & Carrie Vernon • Parade Committee Chairs Bill Schaefer, Michael Hardy, Jo MelecaVoigt & Lora Thody • Bucks For Pride Coordinators: CD Baginski & Amanda Kelley • All parade participants & supporters • All food/merchandise/ information vendors • Festival entertainers: Jessica Sutta, Ronnie Kroell, Avenue Q, FuturPointe Dance Co. • Robert Hammond, WXXI • RBTL backstage staff • Joe Murphy • Bill Levy, Tilt Nightclub & Ultralounge • DJs Hector & Scott Free • Kittleburger’s Florist • Big Wigs Kasha Davis & Aggy Dune (Emcees) • Drag performers: Samantha Vega, F’ya Colby-Valentino, Ambrosia Salad, DeeDee Dubois, Sasha Sashay, Deelicious, Poison Waters & the cast of Sickening Saturdays, Tasha Brooks, Anthony Vasconez • Boulder & especially Louis, Lyjha & Jillian as well as bartending crew • Rochester Police Department • Special thank you to Jason Barnecut & David Zona FAMILY DAY Super Coordinator Lora Thody • The Rochester Museum & Science Center FLAG RAISING City Hall, especially Margaret, Gloria & Mo • Speakers: Chief James Sheppard, Matt Haag, Harry Bronson, Deputy Mayor Leonard E. Redon • Matt Molloy, emcee • Rochester Women’s Community Chorus • City Council members Elaine Spaull, Dana Miller & Carolee Conklin SUPER SASSY IN THE SOUTH WEDGE Coordinator Alysa Stryker • BASWA • All participating businesses: Boulder Coffee Co.; Echotone Music; Equal=Grounds Coffee House; Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport; John’s Tex Mex; Tap & Mallet; Tattoo Kamikaze PRIDE POWER MIXER Holiday Inn Rochester Airport Sales & Catering Teams • Singer Deborah Magone • DJ Chuck Argento & Assistant • Calamari Sisters & Barefoot Wines for prizes YOUTH DANCE Tilt Night Club & Ultralounge • DJ Chuck Argento • Bruce Gorman • Kyla Minx • Samantha Vega • Tonycio • BJ Scanlon THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE FUNNY Shauna O’Toole, Maur Delaney, Rowan Collins, Jason Robert Ballard • Equal=Grounds OUT & EQUAL NETWORKING EVENT 50/50 winner Joe Russo who donated back! MOVIES ImageOut for a superhero-themed movie • Third Presbyterian Church LAMBDA Project (and donation) Christ Church Downtown Special thanks also to… Photographers Ove Overmyer, Garnetta Ely, Jeff Cougler, Jeff Mills, Melora Miller, Gerry Szymanski, Jill Frier, Mary Lou Smith, Manuel Pena, Matt Ulakovic • & our great graphic designer Jim (Batman) Anderson Apologies to anyone whose name was inadvertently omitted. And THANKS to everyone in the LGBT community and all our allies who came to the events, for making this a great community-building 11 days!