| One Big Event:
November 14, 2009 |
| Fall is
coming and with it comes cooler temperatures, falling
leaves, shorter days and the Hartford Gay & Lesbian
Health Collective's One Big
Event. Now in its seventh year, the
Health Collective is presenting our annual fundraiser
that guarantees a terrific time for an outstanding
organization. Here is everything you need to know:
One Big Event will be held on Saturday, November 14th
from 6:00pm to midnight at the Hilton Hartford
Hotel. You'll enjoy cocktails, dinner, silent and live
auctions, host Michael Wilson, comedian Karen Williams
and dancing with Shaded Soul Band.
Tickets are $100. Check out our website
www.onebigevent.org for all the details.
First started
in 2003 to mark our twentieth anniversary, One Big Event
or OBE as it is known to people in the know, is the
premier LGBTQ event in Hartford. And not just
Hartford: people come from all over for an evening that
is fun for everyone. And did we mention that our
straight friends always have a wonderful time too?
"The great thing about One Big Event is that it brings
together a wonderful mix of people who initially may
think that they have little in common. But by the
end of the evening, everyone is having such a good time
it feels like you're hanging out with old
friends." And each year, more and more folks hear
about it and want to attend. Last year, some
people who waited too late had to be turned away.
Don't let this happen to
you... This
year's One Big Event marks the conclusion of our 25th
anniversary celebration. Since 1983, the Hartford
Gay & Lesbian Health Collective has provided quality
medical and dental services delivered by concerned and
knowledgeable caregivers. Our services are always
in demand despite volatile and ever-changing
Federal and State funding. This makes the need for
a successful fundraiser more vital then ever.
"I know that our friends
will turnout on November 14th to support the important
work we do for the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS communities," said
Executive Director, Linda
Estabrook. Celebrating 20 years
with the Health Collective, she continued: "We are
optimistic that the combined support of sponsors,
advertisers, donors, ticket sales and auction revenue
will bring in even more than the $70,000 net proceeds
raised last year." This is a significant
target, but the organizers of this year's OBE are
determined! Your
involvement could be part of the success! Want to
organize a group of your friends to attend One Big
Event? You could be a Table Captain! Do you
have a vacation home, piece of art or service that you
could donate for the auction? Get in touch with
us! Would you like to be a sponsor or
advertiser? OBE will be the perfect showcase to
promote your business! This year, ING is our
Biggest Sponsor and Citizens Bank and Van Horst General
Contractors are our Really Really Big Sponsors.
Tickets for One Big Event are $100, $150 and
$200(purchasers of tickets valued over $100 will be
acknowledged in the program book). For any
questions you may have, please contact OBE coordinator,
Dan Millett at (860)278-4163 x18 or email him at: danm@hglhc.org. |
| HGLHC's Community
Appreciation Celebration: Join us on October
13th! |
 The festivities for our
25th Anniversary commemoration continue at
HGLHC! On Tuesday,
October 13th we invite all our friends
to the Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective for
our 25th Anniversary
Appreciation Celebration. From
5:00pm-9:00pm, we hope to see our clients, volunteers,
donors, former staff and board members, supporters, and
associates from other LGBT and health organizations--
stop by and enjoy dinner with us!
Emily's Catering from Bristol will provide a delicious
spread that everyone will enjoy. We
hope to see the many people who, over the course of 25
years, have had a profound effect on our organization
and our community. We want the opportunity to
express our appreciation to you. We hope that folks
who have never been to the Health Collective before take
this opportunity to visit to learn about the work we do
everyday to make a difference in the
community. Please join us to
reminisce, commemorate and look ahead to our future
efforts. RSVP now. Call Dan Millett at
(860)278-4163 x18 or email danm@hglhc.org. The event is free and
donations are welcome. We look forward to seeing you
there! |
| Gay Bingo: A
Chilling Affair! Halloween
Night: October 31st |
 The air will be filled
with groans and shrieks. Shivers will run up and
down your spine. You'll be filled with thrills and
chills. Hear people screaming at the top of their lungs,
"Bingo!" "What could it be?" you ask. It's
only the next Gay
Bingo and it's happening on
Halloween! The magic happens on
Saturday, October 31. Cocktails are at 6:30pm and
the game starts at 7:30pm. The new venue is the
Marco Polo Restaurant in
East Hartford. It's easy to get to
from Interstate 84. While not required, costumes are, of
course, encouraged. We'll even give a prize for
best costume that evening!
If
you don't feel like going out trick-or-treating this
year, Gay Bingo is the best alternative. Come early
and enjoy a delicious dinner at the restaurant before
the game begins. It's always a swell occasion, so
get your friends together and come out for a great
time. Marco Polo Restaurant is at 1250 Burnside
Avenue in East Hartford, CT. For directions, go to
www.marcopoloct.com. For reservations, call
(860)278-4163. Don't miss a bewitching
evening! |
| Volunteer
Spotlight: Bob Flade, RN, MS |
Each month, HGLHC
interviews one of our
dedicated volunteers to showcase their efforts. This
month, we talk to Bob Flade, a volunteer healthcare
provider at our STD/HIV clinic.
How did you
become a Health Collective volunteer and
why?
Bob: I was looking for something
to volunteer for... I have volunteered for my entire
adult life and over the last few years I was too busy. I
decided to look for a way to volunteer and support my
community. So I saw a friend online one day and spoke
with him about working at HGLHC, that is how I became
involved with HGLHC.
What are your work responsibilities
outside of HGLHC?
Bob: I am the Director for two
Emergency Departments in CT. As the Director I am
responsible for total operations (staffing, budgeting,
strategic initiatives,
etc.)
Where
are you from
originally?
Bob: I grew up in North Kingstown, RI.
I moved to Danbury to go to college when I decided to
get a BS in Nursing when I was in my last 20's/early
30's. I then purchased a house in New Britain, CT. I
have lived in CT for 19 year
now.
What
do you do for fun?
Bob: TRAVEL. I love to travel. I
usually go to two conferences for work a year and three
or four vacations a year...I love going places I have
never been or going back someplace and finding new
things. I also have fun doing just about anything. My
philosophy is that life is too short and you need to
have fun all the time. I am the one who decides on
my fate... therefore, I decide that I will have
fun.
What
is your most recent
adventure?
Bob: As in travel? My last
vacation was in Virginia Beach. My brother,
sister-in-law, nephew, and niece live there. I love
driving down to VA Beach going over the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge Tunnel. Adventure at work? More
construction. Over the last 2 years we have been doing a
lot of expansion and renovations at both of my Emergency
Departments. |
| We
have SO much to offer the
community! |
|
Don't forget about our programs and services
provided at HGLHC:
Medical
Services:
- HIV and STD testing:
available by appointment, 9AM - 5PM Monday
through Friday. Also, our Thursday night clinic
has convenient evening hours: 6-8 PM, and STD
testing is available on a walk-in basis (please
call ahead for HIV testing on Thursday
nights).
- Hepatits A&B
vaccinations; Hepatitis C screening.
- Women's services: PAP tests, pelvic
and breast exams; mammogram referrals
- Ryan White Title I
programs for people living with HIV/AIDS: dental
care; massage therapy; other services are now
being offered-- call us to find out what's
available to you.
Support and Social
Groups
- XX Club (The Twenty Club) -
transgender support group. 2nd and 4th
Saturday of each month, 2 - 5 PM.
- Living Soulfully - Supporting the spiritual
lives of men who love men. 4th Wednesday of
every month, 7:30 - 9:30 PM.
- RainbowRoom - group for LGBTQI youth and
allies. Meets 3rd Sunday of every month from 3-6
PM. myspace.com/hartfordrainbowroom
- MPowerCT : gay, bi and trans men ages 18-29
building community, creating a supportive
environment and friendships, having fun.
Click here
for our Facebook Group, or email williamp@hglhc.org for more
info.
- Women's social night - dates and events TBD.
To get announcements or to get involved, email
jamieb@hglhc.org
New Programs @
HGLHC:
- Safety Net:
It only takes a minute once each month
to remind our community to be safe and
healthy. Text and email your friends with
our safer sex messages each month to tell
them about HIV and STDs and how they can stay
safer. Get involved! Come up with creative,
sex-positive, attention-getting messages
and maybe your slogans will be selected to
get sent out across CT each month! Contact: JamieB@hglhc.org, or go to
http://hglhc-safety-net.blogspot.com/
- Integrity: Need to talk? We
offer one-on-one sessions with our
HIV Prevention Counselors to
discuss your concerns about sexual
risk-taking and explore what might be holding
you back from having better, safer
sex. Call for an appointment.
- Solutions: A series of 5
workshops for HIV+ men who love men. Focus on
learning skills to decrease stress you
might have if you are living with
the virus. Call us at HGLHC
to get started: 860-278-4163, ask for Bill
or Liz.
Anything you'd like to see in our
newsletter? E-mail us and tell us how we're doing!
info@hglhc.org
Sincerely,
Your friends at
The Hartford Gay
& Lesbian Health
Collective | | |
