Dear GayCalgary,

I wish to congratulate Ivanna Diamonds and all members of the ISCWR for a most wonderful Miss Mary Christmas show last night at Boots Bar and Lounge. I would like to thank all of those that braved the bitter cold weather to add warmth to a great celebration. It was standing room only.

Not only did we crown a new Miss Mary Christmas (congratulations Binki!) but this was also the conclusion of our “Cheer Up!” project which saw my pom poms being sold all over Edmonton and North America. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you that contributed to and supported this project. It brings me to tears each time I think of how much support this project received from the ICS, the entire GLBT community and the community at large. I am so thrilled to announce that this project has raised well over $12,000! With expenses totaling approximately $1,700, this means that over $10,000 is going directly to our charities which include the Royal Alexandra Hospital Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit and The University of Alberta AIDS Research Centre as well as to support Camp Fyrefly and our own John M. Kerr Memorial Scholarship. In these difficult economic times, your support for others in need humble me.

Now for the news you’ve all been waiting for...as you are aware, Westjet had provided a “Gift of Flight” for two anywhere in Westjet’s world in support of our “Cheer Up!” project. I was thrilled to have made the phone call this morning to the lucky winner and I’m so very excited to announce that Bruce Hardy (a.k.a. Emperor Bruce Sanoir of Regina) was the big winner! Congratulations Bruce and thank you for supporting the ISCWR!

I would like to thank some key people and organizations that made this possible. Firstly, to Aubrey and the staff of The Cheerleading Company in Dallas, Texas for their incredible support. The Cheerleading company donated significant services and discounts in costs for the actual pom poms themselves and, I’m proud to say, are the official cheerleader uniform supplier to yours truly! Thank you to Westjet who donated the “Gift of Flight” as a prize and supporting the campaign with your logo on our pom poms. Your community support is indicative of the service you provide and I know that our entire community is very grateful. Thank you to my fellow court members for putting up with me and my pom poms for the past six months and for helping me sell them. Thank you to the bars and businesses that allowed me in your doors with my bag full of pom poms! Thank you to the out of town Courts that so graciously allowed me to sell pom poms in your realms during my visits. Thank you to GayCalgary and Edmonton magazine for your support by getting the word out about this project. Thank you to Sue Lingh Go and Global Edmonton for bringing this project out to the entire community on local and national TV news coverage. To the Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Journal for their stories. Thank you to Donna and Faye at the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation for all of your assistance with this project and for helping the ISCWR begin the process of purchasing the first set of chairs for the NICU.

And, finally, thank you to each and every one of you that either bought a pair of pom poms or spread the word about our project or just for your kind words of encouragement and support. It’s moments like these that make all of this worthwhile.

Sincerely,

H.M.I.S.M.

Marni Gras