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.
Illinois Men’s Health Survey
The Illinois HIV Prevention Planning Group is requesting your input! Below is a link to a survey for Illinois men of age 18 or older living outside of the Chicago city limits who have been sexually intimate with other men. It will take only about four or five minutes to complete the survey. The survey is anonymous, and the information you provide to the Prevention Planning Group is crucial for planning good HIV prevention services for Illinois. A $10 credit on PayPal™ is available to thank you for participating. Please take the survey, and share this information with any other men of age 18 or older who may also want to participate. Thank you so much for your time and for doing your part to help plan the best HIV prevention services possible for Illinois men!
To begin the Illinois Men’s Health Survey, type the following address into your Web browser:
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2a20h5qff2podt3/start
This online survey needs to be completed by May 19, 2008.
Please Join the Fun—A Day in Our Village Is Coming Soon
One of Oak Park’s finest traditions is its annual “A Day in Our Village” festival. This festival is an opportunity for community members within and outside of Oak Park to spend a Sunday afternoon in Scoville Park (at the corner of Oak Park Ave. and Lake St.) and learn about our various local organizations and businesses. Four years ago, OPALGA decided that it wouldn’t be a festive occasion without a little LGBT humor and dubbed our booth “A Gay in Our Village.” The name play has received a tremendously positive response from festival attendees.
This year, we take pride once again in promoting our organization and our services. The festival will be held on Sunday, June 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please stop by our booth to say hello and to enjoy this day-long festival of activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
“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
Much has been written about the power of numbers. Interesting, then, how many different numbers seem to be involved with OPALGA this month:
1—As in “EACH ONE…REACH ONE.” This is a theme that our Board has adopted this year. Its central premise is profound yet simple—each of us as Board members should—no, must—make a constant effort to bring a new person to each event or program we attend. Whether it is the Gala, a potluck, a membership meeting, or whatever, the most efficient and effective way to help us grow and strengthen our organization is through membership efforts all year long. We will be asking you many times this year to join us in this effort.
4—As in “4 Minutes,” Madonna’s latest smash hit featuring Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and one fierce pair of knee-high boots.
14—As in Saturday, June 14, when OPALGA members and guests go “The Full Monty.” We have bought out the entire house that evening at the Village Players Theatre to see a local version of the Broadway favorite. Your ticket includes unlimited wine and beer before the show, hors d’oeuvres, the performance, and a $15 donation to OPALGA. There will also be a cash bar available at intermission. Mark your calendars now to join us, and call the box office right away (1-866-764-1010) because seating is obviously limited.
15—As in April 15, everyone’s least favorite day of the year. Yet, as another tax filing deadline passed us by, the grim reality reminds us that even as acceptance continues to grow for same-sex couples, the tax disparities faced by our community are unjust, unfair, and utterly discriminatory. The worst part is that the so-called dual taxation is only one key area out of many where members of our community are not given equal footing with straight couples—hospital visitations, health insurance, Social Security benefits, retirement savings, pensions, and estate taxes are just a few other glaring examples where LGBT individuals and couples are denied certain rights and privileges based on sexual orientation. Let’s have great times along the way but not lose sight of the fact that we cannot truly celebrate until these major hurdles are cleared in our struggle for equality.
20—As in the birthday OPALGA will celebrate next year. Planning has already started for a Gala birthday party to end all parties. We will return to The Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, so set aside Saturday, May 2, 2009 NOW!!
24—As in April 24, Barbra’s birthday. Enough said—Happy Birthday, Babs!
40—As in $40, the cost of a ticket to see “The Full Monty” (see number 14 above). A true bargain for a great night.
200—As in the number of seats available for “The Full Monty” (see number 14 and number 40 above). Are you getting the theme here? Call now to reserve your seats.
340—As in the attendance at this year’s Gala. You asked for an outstanding venue, we gave it to you, and you showed up in huge numbers. Give yourselves a big hand!
400—As in our membership goal for year-end. To achieve this, we will need your help. We ask each of you to personally adopt “EACH ONE…REACH ONE.” Make this your personal mission for 2008. Help us grow OPALGA into a larger and stronger association so that we can continue to put on superior programs and events all year long.
So, our look at numbers has returned to where it began. Yes, numbers are powerful. But, also remember the strength in numbers. Enjoy the rapidly improving weather, and we will see you soon at another event.
NOTE: Any winning lottery tickets that result from playing a combination of any of the numbers featured in the above column will be expected to produce a generous contribution to OPALGA!
PFLAG Introduces Straight for Equality Web Site
Our friends at PFLAG, who were a very welcome presence at our recent “Twelfth Night” Gala, have recently informed us of an initiative from PFLAG National. Straight for Equality is a national outreach and education project to empower allies in supporting and advocating for LGBT people in three primary arenas: our homes, our workplaces, and our communities. Straight for Equality reaches out to straight allies who may not realize how they can make a difference promoting equality for LGBT people. Straight for Equality is the next logical step for PFLAG as they expand their work for LGBT equality. As part of PFLAG’s mission of support, education, and advocacy, this project will embrace an increasing number of straight people who are ready to lend their invaluable voices and perspectives to bring the straight and LGBT communities together. For more information about this project, please visit the Straight for Equality Web site at http://www.straightforequality.com.
Around The OPALGA Center
Marie Kuda at The Center
Thanks to Marie Kuda, renowned LGBT historian, for sharing her astounding breadth of knowledge with the women of OPALGA on Wednesday, March 19, in honor of Women’s History Month. The women present were treated to a stream of history that has never been taught to us in any classroom. Marie’s presence is a reminder that we have always been here—it’s just that many of us don’t know it. For those of you who are interested, Marie has donated a copy of The Completely Queer Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia to The Center, and she has compiled a list for us of “100 Years of Lesbian Writers in Chicago.” She has also generously offered to do a follow-up slide show that will be open to the entire membership. Watch for the date in an upcoming issue of Empower.
HIV Testing Now Available
OPALGA is now able to provide anonymous and confidential HIV testing on site or in the community to anyone who identifies as a gay or transgender male. Testing is free, and appointments can be made by calling our confidential line at 708-386-3463 or by sending e-mail to prism@opalga.org.
Membership Recognition Reception Planned for May 29
Just a reminder that the annual OPALGA Membership Recognition Reception is being planned for May 29. At this informal reception, members will be able to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages while celebrating the 19th anniversary of our organization. The highlight of the reception will be the presentation of the Carol Zientek Award for Distinguished Service and the Brian Findlay Award for Outstanding and Long-Term Commitment. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 29, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Holley Court Terrace, 1111 Ontario St., Oak Park, IL 60302.
Gay Day at the Farmers’ Market and Village Players Theatre
Don’t forget to set aside, Saturday, June 14, for “Gay Day” in Oak Park.
OPALGA volunteers will begin their (very early) morning by making, serving, and selling donuts with Pilgrim Congregational Church at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market, 460 Lake St., Oak Park. Half of all proceeds will be given back to OPALGA, so this is a great way to raise money for the organization and to have a lot of fun while doing so. To volunteer, please call Susan at 708-386-3463 or send e-mail to prism@opalga.org.
The fun continues Saturday evening with a benefit performance of “The Full Monty” at the Village Players Theatre, 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park. For only $40 per person, you will be treated to a pre-performance buffet with beer, wine, and soft drinks at 6:30 p.m. followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, call the Village Players Theatre box office at 1-866-764-1010 and tell them you are purchasing tickets for the OPALGA benefit.
The Center Pledges to Help Reduce Bottled Water Waste
The Center is in need of a large Brita® water filtration system that we can keep in the refrigerator. Staff and volunteers go through many bottles of water, and we would like to be able to continue to support our voracious water drinkers while considering the environment. If anyone would like to make such a donation, it would be greatly appreciated! Please call Susan at 708-386-3463 to make arrangements.
Social Committee Seeks Volunteers
The OPALGA Social Committee has recently held a number of meetings to reconfigure itself after a break of several months. The committee meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center and is looking for additional members who want to help plan and put on events for the membership. “Your involvement can be limited to occasionally lending a hand, or you can take on and manage your own event if you have the time and interest,” said David Rappoport, OPALGA Board member and interim Social Committee Chair.
The committee plans to continue with events that have been successful in the past and to consider a wide range of activities for the future. “We can come up with totally new ideas that satisfy the needs of our members for more diverse social events,” added Rappoport. In addition, the Social Committee is developing a survey that will be sent to the membership both to obtain demographic information and to learn more about where members’ interests lie.
Anyone who wants further information about the Social Committee and its activities should contact David Rappoport at davidsteven@comcast.net.
May Book Club to Discuss “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini
The book club welcomed two new members to the April meeting—Bonnie and Mike, both from Wheaton. Yes, our first male attendee! Welcome to you both, and we hope you come back to the book club as well as other OPALGA functions.
We have made our selections through July, so over the next one or two months, we will entertain suggestions for other books to read and discuss, so please join us and bring your favorite book along.
We encourage anyone who loves to read to join us for the May 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:
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 http://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.
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!
