THANK YOU CALGARY!!
On behalf of all the hardworking, dedicated team members and volunteers who are the heart and soul of AFQOL, may we say “Thank You Calgary!” We did it again! Actually, we’ve done it again and again and again and once again. The 4th Annual Donnie Peters Memorial Cut-a-thon 2007 was a HIT!
Once again, the sun shone brightly down upon us in Tomkins Park on Labour Day Monday, and Calgary’s best hairdressers laboured to carve the event into a classic. Add to that Dennis Davies and friends who were rockin’ the park with the best rock and roll. Celebrity DJ Krazay Steve turned the heat up a notch, and Dawn belly danced and sang like the diva she is. Then it hits you, the sensational aroma of prime Alberta Angus beef from the other end of the park. As our great supporters, ISCCA, flipped burgers, they were in good company along side the Cut-a-thon doggy boutique favorite, Doggywood, and pets groomed by Bandbox. Meanwhile Sharon (Snickles the Clown) did face painting for the kids, and the kids inside of all of us, myself included.
It was a family festival that entertained, and ultimately educated us one and all while getting a new “do”. 17th Avenue - what a hip place to be! What a perfect way to begin our thank you’s!
Barb Stein from the Uptown 17 BRZ - your continued support never ceases to amaze us. This year, your added donation, (special limited addition black long sleeved shirts) gave the Donnie Peters Memorial Cut-a-thon a face to the name, and the cause!
That cause - giving 100% directly toward making a difference in the quality of lives and nutrition for the children, women and men living with hiv/aids - was taken on by the community at large, who opened their hearts and claimed ownership of it; with love, they created our most successful year yet!
Special events leading to AFQOL’s premier fundraiser “Cut-a-thon” began with Twisted Element hosting the AFQOL gala celebration for 2006. Then TE kicked off 2007 with Mz. Toni’s ISCCA Entertainer of the Year show celebrating Stonewall - now that’s pride.
Pride Calgary also supported us with promotion and donations.
Money Pennies, infamous for years for their charitable community involvement, has been a great supporter of AFQOL. This year under new ownership, Jason, his staff, and especially his family, produced AFQOL’s 2nd Annual Meat and Greet Bar B Q and Karaoke! “Oh my God,” add Calgary’s Court support. Princess Ashley, sold the 50/50 tickets as statuesque as Julie Newmar or the Statue of Liberty. And then there’s poor Cory, our knight in shining armor - now everyone knows you cook the best beef in town…pun intended. Sorry Justin!
And then there’s Tawde! Realizing, socializing, stylizing, Backlot’s Tawde! (had to singsong it) He produced the steamy, hot lead into Cut-a-thon with Backlot’s 1st Annual “Endless Summer Beach Party”! Everyone there got “Lei’d”, beefed, entertained, won prizes and scooped the silent auction items, while our boys of summer soaked and sated you all so liberally on the beach. Swimming pool to boot!
Our entire community made Artists For Quality Of Life the charity they proudly call their own. Special events were only the beginning; Cut-a-thon sponsors hit the end zone.
Sponsorship this year, amazed, astonished and proved to the entire city we are one when it comes to taking care of our community. So, without further ado, may we list those who took care, kindness and consideration for those less fortunate than us (PLEASE, forgive any omissions):
AG Hair Cosmetics, AIDS Calgary, Affairs Party Rentals, Backlot, Black Diamond Liquor and Cold Beer, Bridge Brand, Calgary Westways Guest House, Diane’s Best, Discover Dental, DJ Music Services, Fiore’s, 4th Street Liquor & Wine, Foster Stock, GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine, Goliath’s, Huston Marketing Group Inc., Money Pennies, Ox Financial Corp., Red Rose Florist, Texas Lounge, Twisted Element, U Framing & Art, Uptown 17 BRZ.
Prizing and cash donations were simply incredible. Media abounded. Super coverage from every TV and major radio station, plus, daily newspapers and national magazines were there for our premier event. GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine’s dedication, support and commitment to community shone brightly all year long. YEHAW! You boys ROCK!
Those supporting us with entertainment went above and beyond the call of duty. Nina Tron, Brandy Bishop Towers, Debi Leong, RJ, Patrick, Argentina, Dion, Kiwi, Dyna Myte and Wolfgang, and Empress 31 Lonnie’s entire house (upper, lower, and in between) were all there.
However, when it’s all said and done - and not to be rude - the two brightest stars were really the salons and stylists, because without a haircut there is no Cut-a-thon. Thank you, Jami Symons Salon, The Fringe, Crome Hair Design, Ginger Group, and Patrick from Jerome’s, along with support from The Corner, Affinity, Salon Escape, Elements, and The Fixx. 2007 was a banner year for us all.
And, of course, our volunteers - way too many to list - you’ll know who they are. They’re the people walking around this fabulous city patting themselves on the back…and so they should.

“Go with Love!”
Linda Eckess, Executive Chair
David Patten, Finance
Doug Langille, Volunteers
Tony MacLean, Executive Assistant
Bernie Mathiason, Special Events
Kurtis Kronk, Prizing/Merchandising
Eric Jackson, Entertainment
Grant Lockie, Sound
Gary Sloan, Graphics
Jami Symons, Stylists
Susan Cress, Co-Chair
Devon Mills, lifetime executive co-chair
Scott Clark, Resident Artist


Dear GayCalgary,
I work downtown in Calgary as I am a gay courier, I drive and bike as required. I’m signing up for a Liberal Candidate in the Calgary Buffalo riding to help get him elected in the riding on the next Provincial Election. I honestly feel he has a good chance of winning.
Question. Is there any reason why we as a Gay Community and publication etc. can’t make the efforts to ask the provincial Alberta Liberal Party and perhaps the Federal Liberal Party on the next Federal Election, as well to make the efforts to advertise the various Liberal Candidates in the ridings when the next Provincial/Federal elections are called?
Our community needs to get active politically, to make our voice heard, regardless of where we live. If the Liberals have gone to bat for us, I honestly feel we need to support them as a way of saying thanks.
The Conservatives don’t like us by any means, so at least we know the Liberals have a chance to form a Majority Government, and I don’t have a problem with ads that say “Vote for whichever Liberal” in various ridings in gay publications.
Thanks,
Andrew Matheson, Calgary.


Hi Andrew,
GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine regularly writes articles that recap the views of candidates running in upcoming elections, particularly in regards to the GLBT community. In fact, this edition of the magazine has such an article regarding the candidates for the upcoming Municipal Elections in Calgary and Edmonton.
We strive to provide an unbiased view by letting the candidate’s interviews and platforms speak for themselves. This is why we give every candidate equal opportunity to plead their case to GLBT voters, where they may present their views or cite what they’ve done in favor of our people. We want our readers to make informed decisions, not just go along with the particular candidates that their favorite media outlet tells them to. There are many more important issues at stake besides GLBT interests, and these need to be balanced in their decisions accordingly. Other publications, gay or straight, may choose to endorse particular candidates and parties but, we feel our voting is a personal decision that has no place in our editorial content.
That being said, candidates from the Liberal party know of our existence, or if not, find out about us when we interview them each election. They and other parties are certainly free to purchase advertising in our publication to promote themselves to the GLBT audience in Calgary and Edmonton. It is their prerogative to target the GLBT community in their campaigns, not our responsibility to sponsor advertising for those we feel “should” be elected.
I do agree with you wholeheartedly that more people in our community need to play a politically active role in our city, whatever their views may be. Unfortunately it is not something that anyone can force them into doing. Sometimes it takes a bad decision at the polls to finally make people sit up and take an interest in the next election. *COUGH-HARPER-COUGH* Get my meaning?
Anyway, thanks for writing to us, and best of luck to you and the candidate you are supporting!
Rob Diaz-Marino
GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine