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| Winter, 2009 |
In This Issue:
Sugar Plum Tour - Update
The Sugar Plum tour was once again a smashing success. Over 490 people toured - a new record! All the homes were spectacular, and the patron party at the home of Jim and Gerri George was a very classy affair. Gerri pulled out all the stops with uniformed servers, great food stations, bar, décor and very warm hospitality. Thanks to the co-chairs, committee, homeowners and volunteers! The event will net close to $30,000 this year after expenses.
If you haven't done so already, please give us your opinion by taking the Sugar Plum Tour survey. It can be found at the link at the [GCEF Website]
GCEF Advisory Board NewsWe welcome Cindy Christman to the GCEF Advisory Board. Cindy was a former co-owner of the Gentle Lady Restaurant and former co-owner of Quest Night Club. For the past 17 years, she has devoted her time to the City of Akron police force where she is currently a Police Lieutenant. Welcome aboard, Cindy!
Sadly, we announce the departure of Claudia Bjerre from our advisory board. Claudia has been a consistent contributor in her tenure on the Board and we sincerely thank her for her past service and continued support of the GCEF.
Reappointed for new three-year terms on the Board are Chris Hixson, Kris Mikolajczyk and Peter Schofield.
ACF Has Many Investment ToolsDid you know that Akron Community Foundation has a Planned Giving Design Center for resources and information about charitable gift and estate planning? Visit the center now and register to gain free access to the complete site and to get access to [PhilanthroCalc], a calculator that provides easy to understand calculations for donors and compliance ready deduction calculations with complete detail for submission with your tax return.
WHO WE AREThe Gay Community Endowment Fund is a permanent, philanthropic endowment of Akron Community Foundation. Akron Community FoundationTo learn more about Akron Community Foundation, please click the headline above. JOIN OUR MAILING LISTIf you haven't already done so, please take a minute to join our mailing list. By joining, you will receive advance notice of Gay Community Endowment Fund announcements and activities. Contact Us |
GCEF Annual Dinner - A Family Outing: All for Equality
David Glenny, owner of Bricco, will open his restaurant exclusively for this fun GCEF event. The evening will include cocktails, dinner from a special menu, an address by the Rabbi David Horowitz and recogniation of our 2008 GCEF grant recipients. David Horowitz, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel in Akron, speaks widely on issues dealing with GLBT concerns and the challenge of the radical right. Many of you saw the recent Akron Beacon Journal on Rabbi Horowitz featuring his involvement and commitment to the gay community. He currently serves as vice president of the National Board of Director of PFLAG and is a member of the GCEF advisory board. Limited seating; please buy tickets by February 1 online with Visa or Mastercard. [Buy Now!]
Donor and Recipient Profiles - A Brother / Sister Commitment to the Community
David Glenny and his sister Dawn Jones are both intimately involved with the GLBT community. David is the owner of Bricco Restaurants in downtown Akron and Cleveland. He has been a lead sponsor of the Sugar Plum Tour for the past three years. In addition, he also opens his fine Akron establishment exclusively to the GCEF for our Annual Dinner and Meeting and donates dinners for several GLBT fundraisers. David first became aware of the GCEF through Eric Jones and Kris Mikolajczyk who were frequent diners at Bricco. He is dedicated to giving back to the community that also has supported his restaurant. David believes in the people behind the organizations and appreciates their dedication to the advancement of the GLBT community in Akron. Dawn Jones is the director of operations of the Community AIDS Network (CAN). The GCEF has awarded CAN a grant of $6460 to support an innovative new program to help educate the youth of Akron about the dangers of AIDS. Many of our youth are ignorant about AIDS, with some thinking wrongly that it is a curable disease. Dawn's group is seeking to reach this target group in a unique way. With the GCEF grant money, CAN will begin an advertising campaign on local buses and in the new bus transfer station in the spring of 2009. Congratulations to both David and Dawn for their commitment and untiring efforts on behalf of the GLBT community.
Gay Community Endowment Fund Awards Record Grant Total
Fund's largest grant ever will support the Akron Pride Center The Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $32,994 to nine greater Akron nonprofit organizations, including the largest grant in the fund's history: $10,000 for the Akron Pride Center "Building Pride" capital campaign. Christopher Hixson, Gay Community Endowment Fund advisory board president, hailed the Pride Center grant as one that will bring "transformational change for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community." "We hope that our commitment ... will encourage others in our community to contribute to the project so the new Akron Pride Center can open in Firestone Park in early 2009, Hixson said. "Once complete, Akron will finally have an accessible, visible and vibrant LGBT community center that will offer a diverse array of programming, advocacy and support for our region's citizens, encouraging a richer and more connected community." Since awarding its first grants in 2005, the fund has reinvested a total of $71,974 in local nonprofit initiatives promoting tolerance and well-being in the greater Akron area. The following grants were awarded this year: [ More Info ] |
