Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association
Since its inception in 1989, OPALGA has become one of the largest community based, multipurpose lesbian and gay membership organizations in Illinois.
“Twelfth Night” Rocks in Oak Brook
Hyatt Lodge at McDonald’s Campus Proves Popular Choice; Dominick’s Becomes OPALGA’s First $5,000 Rainbow Level Sponsor
Faced with a winter that never seemed to end, 2008 Gala Co-Chairs J. Lee Latham and Rick Whitehead spent much of the time planning for “Twelfth Night,” OPALGA’s 12th Annual Gala. Their planning paid off in a big way—more that 340 guests attended the Gala and were virtually unanimous in their praise of the facility.
“We had seven rows of tables, and I wanted each row to have a floral centerpiece and matching napkins that represented a color of the rainbow spectrum (ROY G BIV, for those who don’t remember grade school science),” said Whitehead. “When the doors opened and the guests were allowed to enter the ballroom, the color array was stunning. I truly appreciate the florists who worked with me and donated their arrangements to help achieve this effect.” Adding to the scene was the sight of the wait staff lined up with bottles of red and white wine in each hand, ready to serve the attendees. “Some of my guests commented on the sight of seeing all those colors with the wait staff at the ready,” said Latham. “You just knew then that it was going to be a wonderful evening.”
Adding to the quality of the evening was OPALGA Co-Chair Mike Cochran’s announcement that Dominick’s, who has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with OPALGA, had stepped up to the plate and become our first ever $5,000 Rainbow Level sponsor. “The support shown to the LGBT community by Dominick’s is extraordinary,” said Cochran, “and is yet another example of their ongoing commitment to OPALGA and our mission. All of us are extremely grateful for this show of generosity.” Oak Park store manager Mike Salamone and a tableful of Dominick’s employees and their guests were present to enjoy the entire evening. Cochran concluded by reminding everyone to remember the sight of those two Dominick’s banners “when it is bitterly cold outside and you have to go to the store. Always remember how they have supported us and be sure to give that support right back.”
One of the highlights of the Gala is the presentation of the Oak Park Area Leadership (OPAL) Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding efforts on behalf of LGBT people in the Oak Park area. This year’s winners, the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest and Gary Mancuso, proved to be very popular choices. In accepting the award for the Journal, Editor and Publisher Dan Haley spoke of “the ascendancy of the gays” during his many years with the Journal. Mancuso called receiving the award “the proudest moment of my life” and was visibly moved. These two awardees have now been added to an illustrious list of past winners that has become a testimony to the strength and vitality of the LGBT community in our area.
While dining on beef, chicken, salmon, or a vegetarian entrée, guests were entertained by The Weird Sisters, who delivered a topical and humorous sampling of song and commentary. Following dinner, Cochran led the live auction. First to go was an ice cream sundae party for 100 donated by The Brown Cow, which raised $650. Next up were two tickets on Southwest Airlines to anywhere in the U.S., which went for $800. The final prize was a fantasy dinner for 12 to be held on the estate of Joseph Salerno, which brought in the incredible sum of $1,550. “Conducting a live auction is truly a labor of love,” said Cochran, “because you get to see so many friends having a great time bidding against each other for some terrific prizes. Moreover, the amount of money raised for OPALGA is just wonderful, so it’s truly a win-win situation.”
The evening then moved to the party phase, as the food gave way to the dance floor. This year, however, the physical layout of the Hyatt allowed everyone to do what he or she wanted after dinner with plenty of room to spare. The Silent Auction bidding was going on in the foyer outside the dining room, which was also where the photographer was set up. Guests could also have a drink with friends by one of the bars or step out onto the balcony to enjoy the air. “I absolutely loved the fact that this layout allowed you to talk with whomever after dinner without having to shout over the music,” said OPALGA Co-Chair Liz Stallone. “Having the music in one room and the bars outside in the foyer allowed people to go back and forth as they pleased, which was fabulous.”
“Twelfth Night” was an unforgettable memory for all who attended. It was clearly not “Much Ado About Nothing,” nor was it an example of “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” Rather, it was much closer to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” although the weather had not yet reached summer levels. All those who worked hard on the event had one message for all of the guests—“IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON.” The DJ took the request seriously and played nonstop music until 12:30 a.m., when the event ended. Now, for the announcement you all are waiting for…
***MAY 2, 2009***MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR OUR 20TH BIRTHDAY GALA!
Message from the Co-Chairs
OPALGA’s 12th Annual Gala, “Twelfth Night,” is literally only a few days away. For many of our members, their only involvement with the party is to show up and enjoy all aspects of the event—drinks, good food, live and silent auctions, raffle, dancing to outstanding music, and so on. The guests then go home, everyone agrees that it was a great time, and life goes on.
“Twelfth Night,” while held at our most spectacular setting ever, cannot be summed up so simply, however. Many members had asked why we didn’t move the Gala out of the crowded month of June, and this year we complied. No more conflicts with graduation, Father’s Day, Pride month, and Chicago’s always-hectic summer social schedule. Yet this meant that a normal 12-month planning cycle had to be condensed by 3 or 4 months in order to accommodate our April 5 date at The Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook. That date was chosen because the Gala Planning Committee wanted to go back to Saturday night, again as requested. Because so many people had to work so hard in order to pull off this huge feat, I am devoting this column to publicly thanking them for their efforts.
Every great team has a leader, and this year’s Gala Planning Committee had two of them—J. Lee Latham and Rick Whitehead. When I envisioned them working together to chair the Gala, I knew instinctively that their personalities would blend and that the end result would be terrific. So, with an investment of pizza and two or three bottles of red wine, Lee and Rick agreed to chair the event. The results were predictable—the meetings were enthusiastically attended, well-run, and everyone involved knew his or her assignment and ran with it. Lee and Rick, you have done a great job, given tremendous service to OPALGA, and made me very proud.
Their supporting cast, however, was equally superb. Heading up the Table Captain effort were Greg Raub and Jeanette Mancusi, and these two were amazing. From the initial brunch in February up until the evening itself, Greg and Jeanette handled every aspect of the Table Captain area with great attention to detail. Similarly, Rick McVey and Sherrie Wolfe coordinated the entire raffle/auction prize area, which looks to be hitting new heights this year. It is a thankless job to obtain all of these prizes, but this is the third year in which these two have performed this task, and we owe them a tremendous thank you. Soliciting, cataloging, arranging, and grouping all of the various prizes is a huge undertaking, and Rick and Sherrie do all of this while serving as Directors on the OPALGA Board and working full-time jobs. You both rock! Dan Fountaine and Dan Salotti also volunteered in this area and were valuable assets to the team. Adding her expertise to soliciting ads and sponsorships was Donna Karpavicius, who brought experience and skill to her tasks. Two other Board of Directors members, Davida Williams and JoAnn Ziebarth, also served on the committee and shared their expertise in a number of different areas. And, because new blood is so essential to putting on a great event, I want to personally thank Gregg Sewell and Michael Smith for their contributions as well. They will hopefully both continue to be involved with future Galas, and OPALGA will reap the benefits.
Finally, a couple of special thank-you messages that need particular emphasis. First, my OPALGA Co-Chair, Liz Stallone, handles all of the printing for the Gala along with her partner, Nancy Sexton. I know for a fact that people have no idea how stressful this can be, with constant attention to deadlines, editing, re-editing, and so on. Yet, at each Gala, guests can count on terrific Program Books, auction inserts, bid cards, and related materials, and never stop to think how much work goes into producing each of these items. Then, when you factor in the invitation and all of its components, the Gala achieves its look thanks in no small part to Nancy and Liz and their wondrous “elves” at Carnegie Printers. They make all of OPALGA look good, and I thank each of them for their professionalism and work ethic. Not only that, but much of their time and effort is donated to the organization, which is service above and beyond the call of duty.
Last but not least is the effort put forth by our two wonderful staff members, Susan Abbott and Jan Hannigan. Susan and Jan always crank it up a notch or two when the Gala rolls around, and yet everything seems to get done in the office as well. Dealing with members, making reservations, handling dinner requests, logging in prizes—these all seem minor when viewed individually, but there is a huge amount of detail work involved in putting on a major event. Susan and Jan, there is nothing like a friendly voice when a member calls about the Gala, and each of us appreciates all that you do, year-round, to keep our organization running. Now, however, for the Gala, I thank you both on behalf of the entire membership.
We have been talking all year about the Gala being “more than just a party.” Because of the efforts of all of the people mentioned in this column, it is truly that and more. So, when you run into any of the people mentioned above, give them your own personal thanks—trust me, they have each earned it!
See you at “Twelfth Night.” And remember—“IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON.”
Donut Days Are Here Again—Volunteers Needed!
On Saturday, June 14, OPALGA will once again be the community partner for the day as we make, serve, and sell donuts with Pilgrim Congregational Church at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market. This is a fantastic way to help raise money for OPALGA and have a great time doing so.
We need 50 volunteers to help us staff two-hour shifts between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This is a joint community fundraiser, and half of all proceeds raised from the sale of donuts will come back to our organization.
The Farmers’ Market is located in the parking lot of Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park IL. The Market opens at 7:00 a.m. and, in addition to the legendary donuts, features local produce, plants and flowers, cheese, herbs, and more.
To volunteer, please call Susan at 708-386-3463 or send e-mail to prism@opalga.org. So—with apologies to Barbra and Judy—forget your troubles, come on get happy and let’s tell the world about it now—donut days are here again!
April Book Club to Discuss “Three Junes” by Julia Glass
The book club welcomed a new member to the March 16 meeting, and we encourage anyone who loves to read to join us for the April meeting. The discussions are informal and enjoyable, and we always have a lot of laughs. So, if you want to find out what you’ve been missing, check out the OPALGA book club this month!
Following are our upcoming selections:
April 20 Three Junes by Julia Glass
The tale of several central and connected characters during three separate Junes spanning 10 years.
May 18 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
A powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands, and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status.
June 15 Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish
A tale that tracks five strangers who become soul mates over the course of a funeral, posthumously organized by their mutual friend Annie, who died from ovarian cancer at age 56.
July 20 The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
A hauntingly beautiful novel about two characters whose lives are woven together in such complex ways that even after the last page is turned, the reader is left to wonder what really happened.
The book club meets every third Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center, 947 Garfield, Oak Park, unless otherwise specified. All books are available through www.amazon.com. In addition, copies can be requested from the Oak Park Public Library (834 Lake St., Oak Park) or ordered from The Book Table (1045 Lake St., Oak Park). Remember, OPALGA receives a charitable donation from The Book Table for each book purchased there (regardless of whether it is a book club selection). Please let them know that you are purchasing your book as a member of OPALGA.
Member Recognition Reception in May…Zientek and Findlay Award Nominees Sought
The annual OPALGA Membership Recognition Reception is being planned for the merry month of May. The OPALGA Board of Directors sincerely thanks our members for their participation in and dedication to our organization at this meeting. At this meeting, we present awards in two categories: the Carol Zientek Award for Distinguished Service and the Brian Findlay Award for Outstanding and Long-Term Commitment.
At this time, we are seeking your input on nominees for these awards. We ask for your help in identifying candidates for public recognition of their outstanding contributions to the organization. So, put on your thinking caps—we need your help in naming these individuals!
A nomination form was included with the current issue of Empower, and you should look for your invitation to this special event with all of the details later this month. We sincerely hope that you will be able to join us! If you just can’t wait, please call The OPALGA Center at 708-848-0273 with your ideas for award nominees—we will make sure that your recommendations are forwarded to the awards committee.
OPALGA Goes “The Full Monty”
Following up on the success of the theatre event held earlier this year at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, OPALGA is now partnering with the Village Players Theatre of Oak Park to present another fun-filled evening of live theatre. In order to help celebrate Pride month in June, OPALGA has reserved the entire theatre for the evening of Saturday, June 14, as the Village Players put on their production of the acclaimed Broadway hit, “The Full Monty.” The plot of the show concerns six unemployed men who, low on cash, decide to present a strip act at a local club after seeing their friends’ enthusiasm about a touring company of professionals. As they prepare for the show, working through their fears and self-consciousness, they overcome their anxieties and find strength in their camaraderie.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Village Players and Carl Occhipinti [Artistic Director of the Village Players and director of this production] and their support of OPALGA, our members are in for another fun evening,” said OPALGA Co-Chair Mike Cochran. “For only $40 per person, each individual will be able to partake of an open bar before the show, have some hors d’oeuvres, and then enjoy the production. Since each ticket purchased will include a $15 donation to OPALGA, we can raise $3,000 in one evening, which is just amazing.”
Tickets will be available through The OPALGA Center, and members should call Jan at 708-848-0273 to make their reservations. There are 200 seats in the theatre, and the organization hopes to achieve that magical standard of success in the theatre: a sellout!
“In addition,” Cochran added, “although it has not been officially confirmed, I have it on good authority that the cast is being true to the Broadway original and will actually… well, let’s just say that they will deliver the full package at the end of the show. That should certainly help sell a few tickets to the boys.”
Mark your calendar now to join OPALGA on Saturday, June 14, for “The Full Monty.” The Village Players Theatre is located at 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302.
“Twelfth Night” Gala Approaches
As the unrelenting winter of 2007–2008 continues, everyone seems to be suffering from the same problems—colds, flu, and bronchial infections abound, the sun hasn’t been seen for days at a time, and each and every one of us is absolutely ready for spring to get here. At OPALGA, the anticipation is even keener because spring promises more than just better weather—here comes “Twelfth Night,” OPALGA’s sure cure for the winter blahs. To be held this year on Saturday, April 5, our biggest party of the year has lots in store for its guests.
Shakespeare began his play with the classic line “If music be the food of love, play on.” Led by Co-Chairs J. Lee Latham and Rick Whitehead, the Gala Planning Committee has clearly adopted the motto and warmed to the task at hand. From an entertainment point of view, The Weird Sisters and our fantastic DJ will combine to make the evening a memorable one. From the moment you enter the Hyatt Lodge at Oak Brook amidst the beautiful McDonald’s campus, it will be readily apparent that this is going to be a spectacular event. Every aspect of the evening is being planned with an eye to making the night the best Gala yet. And, best yet, if guests don’t want to drive after the party, the Hyatt has made a block of rooms available for Gala guests at only $111 each.
So, whether it is the dining and dancing or the bidding on the various auction prizes at both the live and silent auctions that is your favorite part of the Gala, this year’s party will be a major mood-enhancer. The best part, however, is knowing that the Gala is so much more than just a great party. The Gala is our organization’s most significant fundraising event of the year, and it is so crucial to OPALGA that it represents about 40% of our entire annual operating budget. In addition to having a great time, guests at the Gala know that their support and participation help to make possible many of the programs that support our mission. A great party? Absolutely. But, with a ticket price of only $150, OPALGA’s Gala represents one of the best values around for the entertainment dollar. If you haven’t yet made your reservation, contact Jan at The OPALGA Center (708-848-0273) right away. Attendance at this year’s event is strictly limited to 350 due to the restrictions of the ballroom, so don’t be left out. Get out those boogie shoes and let’s party!
March Book Club Returns to the Twenty-First Century
The book club members had a good time and were in good company for the February 17 discussion of William Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identity, Twelfth Night. We were pleased to welcome back some former members, and we certainly hope that they’ll return—and bring their friends.
This month, we return to the twenty-first century—thank goodness—that Shakespearean language was quite a chore!
The following selections were decided on through July, 2008:
March 16 Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Three sisters escape the Iranian revolution and open a café in a small Irish village.
April 20 Three Junes by Julia Glass
The tale of several central and connected characters during three separate Junes spanning 10 years.
May 18 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
A powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands, and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status.
June 15 Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish
A tale that tracks five strangers who become soul mates over the course of a funeral, posthumously organized by their mutual friend Annie, who died from ovarian cancer at age 56.
July 20 The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
A hauntingly beautiful novel about two characters whose lives are woven together in such complex ways that even after the last page is turned, the reader is left to wonder what really happened.
The book club meets every third Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center, 947 Garfield, Oak Park, unless otherwise specified. All books are available through www.amazon.com. In addition, copies can be requested from the Oak Park Public Library (834 Lake St., Oak Park) or ordered from The Book Table (1045 Lake St., Oak Park). Remember, OPALGA receives a charitable donation from The Book Table for each book purchased there (regardless of whether it is a book club selection). Please let them know that you are purchasing your book as a member of OPALGA.
Women’s Mix and Mingle Potluck
On Sunday, March 30, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., please join us for a Women’s Mix and Mingle Potluck. This is a great opportunity for the women of OPALGA to enjoy a casual afternoon get-together to reconnect with old friends and to meet some new ones. This event will be hosted by Bobbi Allen, 721 Ontario St., #212, Oak Park, IL 60302. If you have any questions or need directions, please contact Bobbi at 708-524-3350. Note that this is an adults-only event, so we request that you leave your children at home. We look forward to seeing you there!
Around The OPALGA Center
OPALGA Hosts LCCP Focus Group
On Thursday, January 17, OPALGA hosted a focus group for the Lesbian Community Care Project (LCCP), a program of Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago, to help that organization create an upcoming campaign focusing on lesbian health. The 17 women who participated comprised a racially diverse group ranging in age from 20 to 70 years! Topics ran the gamut from breast and cervical cancer to sexual practice, health, and general wellness. The group could have talked all night, and it became clear that we need to engage in more intergenerational dialogue and to talk more about women’s health and sex! Look for upcoming programming to meet this need, and if you have any programming ideas, please call The OPALGA Center to let us know so that we can work these programs into our 2008 calendar. To hear more about the focus group, or to discuss ideas for women’s programming, please contact Susan Abbott at The OPALGA Center by phone (708-386-3463) or e-mail (prism@opalga.org).
New Services in 2008
OPALGA has once again received funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide education in HIV/STD prevention, but a new addition this year is the ability to provide FREE, ANONYMOUS HIV testing both on site at The OPALGA Center and in the community. If you would like to make an appointment to be tested or to meet one-on-one with our trained test counselors to assess your risk, please contact Susan Abbott at The OPALGA Center by phone (confidential voice mail at 708-386-3463) or e-mail (prism@opalga.org).
OPALGA has learned that two HIV+ support programs in West Suburban Cook County are no longer in operation. We are interested in starting a peer-supportive group for HIV+ individuals. If you are interested in participating, please contact Susan Abbott at The OPALGA Center by phone (708-386-3463) or e-mail (prism@opalga.org).
Amigos Latinos Apoyando Siempre (ALAS) is now meeting EVERY Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at The OPALGA Center. ALAS is for gay-bi-trans-identified Latino males of age 18 and over. For more information, please contact Hector Salgado at alas@opalga.org.
We Need You!
OPALGA is forming a planning group to provide more programming and educational opportunities for communities of color. If you are interested in being involved with this group, please contact Lisa Pearson at 630-399-2116.
We are looking for HIV+ speakers to share their stories with our HIV prevention groups Spectrum and ALAS. If you are interested in speaking, please contact Susan Abbott at The OPALGA Center by phone (708-386-3463) or e-mail (prism@opalga.org).
Women Like Me Will Not Meet in March
Women Like Me, which normally meets on the fourth Sunday of every month, will not meet on March 23 due to the observance of Easter Sunday. Women Like Me is a supportive community group for women who are lesbian, bisexual, or questioning, or who are coming out later in life. Look for the regular meeting to resume at The OPALGA Center on April 27.
