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By Dawn Wolfe
The Detroit Billiards League’s second annual World AIDS Day Invitational Billiards Tournament raised $4,051 for southeastern Michigan AIDS service organizations Wellness House and the HIV/AIDS Resource Center.
Eleven bars participated, each hosting a preliminary set in November where a champion and a second was named. The champion and second from each of the participating bars met at the autBar, last year’s winner, on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day. In the end, the autBar was unable to keep the World AIDS day traveling trophy, as Darnell McDanial of Ann Arbor won the title for his sponsor bar, Detroit’s Rainbow Room. Stephanie Mihlader took 2nd place for Score, and Pat Looney won third for her sponsor, Too Lipps. Funds for the charities were raised from bar sponsor fees, player entry fees and pledges raised by the players, as well as a 50/50 raffle.
Wellness House, Rainbow Room’s sponsored charity, received $3,051 from the tournament; HARC, which was the autBar’s charity, received $1,000 during the awards ceremony at the Rainbow Room on Dec. 15.
In addition to the pool tournament, area bars raised funds through the sale of remembrance cards; in all, an additional $2,322 was raised for Wellness House through the fundraising work of Liberty Bar, R&R, the autBar, Club Gold Coast, Club Flamingo, Diamond Jim’s Saloon, Gigi’s and the Male Box. The Hayloft Saloon alone contributed over $1,500 to the final total raised.
An additional event on World AIDS Day itself, the Menjo’s Magnificent World AIDS Day Event, raised an additional $928 for Wellness House.
About the Author: BTL Staff
Between The Lines has been publishing LGBTQ-related content in Southeast Michigan since the early '90s. This year marks the publication's 27th anniversary.
