After nearly a decade of inactivity, Labour Day weekend 2004 saw the re-launch of the Cut-a-Thon in Tomkins Park on 17th avenue. The event, originally created and run by the late Donnie Peters, raised over five thousand dollars in its first year, and expectations are high for this year’s September 5th event.
“All of the top salons get together once a year to recreate what Donnie Peters, who was a great advocate for this city, started. We’ve decided to carry on his legacy and it has turned into a festival. This year’s theme is ‘fashion and accessories’ because Donnie was always a victim of them,” Linda Huston, event organizer and chair told GayCalgary.com.
The family event will feature clowns, face painting, fashion shows, and DJ Gemini will be spinning. Huston plans on adding other entertainment as well. The focus however, is on the fundraising.
“There are hairstylists from all of the top salons in Calgary. Last year, we lost a good friend and advocate named Marcel Doucette - his drag name was Marsha. So, every year the stylist who sells the most haircuts will be given the Marsha Award.”
Haircuts are $20 for adults and pets, and $10 for children; a drastic discount from regular salon prices. 100% of all proceeds go towards the “Positive Living Lunch Program” provided by AIDS Calgary, for the provision of nutritious hot lunches for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS.
“Currently the Lunch Program is still only able to be offered bi-weekly from the first Friday in September to the last Friday in June. There is always a need for funds to purchase groceries and ensure an on-going supply of basic cooking essentials, supplies, and equipment. Funding is also needed to help provide additional tables, chairs etc. Our goal with this year’s ‘Cut-a-Thon’ is to achieve/acquire these necessary funds to get the free Friday Lunch Program back to every second Friday of every month of the year, as well as offering funds for the bi-weekly coffee and support program.”
Huston has long been involved in the community dating back to the first outbreak of AIDS in the early 1980’s.
“I was in Vancouver for the first AIDS walk in 1983 and the AIDS quilt. Vancouver has the PWA (Persons with AIDS) coalition. I realized that Calgary is the only city in Canada that doesn’t have a PWA coalition. Everyone is raising money for awareness and research, but no one is raising money to help out those living with the disease. AIDS Calgary’s umbrella covers it but, not enough to cover things like the lunch program and services they had ten years ago. We are not about to let anyone else suffer because of politics. I chose to get involved because when I moved to Calgary, I was asked by Donnie to MC the event. I saw the difference it made. After Donnie passed away, I found after making a difference with the AIDS Walk and Calgary Cares that, I wanted to establish Donnie’s old charity. It has progressed from there.”
Huston credits her board with putting the event together and is proud of the success of their first year back.
“It stopped when Donnie got sick in 1996, and he passed away in 1999. Bringing it back, we raised over five thousand dollars last year. It’s a small third party charity, so AIDS Calgary has to write the tax receipt. It makes it difficult because I don’t have my own charity and so the big money isn’t available. We are working on becoming our own charity next year. We are hoping to branch out to things like a pet food bank. It seems minor but, it will make a difference in someone’s life.”
It is a slow growth process for the Cut-A-Thon but, according to Huston, those involved see it getting bigger and better every year.
“Everyone involved agrees that we envision it in the Round Up Centre with hundreds of stylists donating their time, and it being a big event. We are just learning, it’s new and we are getting our feet wet. But, as we grow, we are getting so excited because we know our dream is quite attainable.”
The Cut-A-Thon
Monday September 5, 2005
Tomkins Park
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