TimeWarp celebrates eight years

For the first time, two women will host TimeWarp's benefit for AIDS Partnership Michigan at 7 p.m. June 10 at the Roostertail in Detroit.
Honorary Chair Florine Mark, president and CEO of The Weight Watchers Group, and TimeWarp Production Team Head Marcie Brogan, of Brogan and Partners in Birmingham, were chosen for the gala. Mark was selected because of her profile in the LGBT community and her dedication to wellness.
"It's an obvious fit for us," said Barbara Murray, APM executive director.
The 16th annual benefit gala and eighth TimeWarp will feature cocktails, a strolling dinner, live entertainment, a late evening discotheque and top-drawer live and silent auctions.
"We have some marvelous live auction items," Murray said. Among the items: Julie Andrews autographed memorabilia, airline tickets, a party of 50 at the Roostertail and a Van Halen signed electric guitar.
As expected, corporate donations are down for the fundraiser again this year, Murray said.
"You only have to look around Detroit to know that," she said. "Our total corporate support is down, but we still believe we're going to do well, and we're happy to have the support of those companies."
Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, General Motors and Volkswagen, along with several other companies, are sponsoring TimeWarp, which has a "Come As You Are" theme.
The dress color scheme is "creative black and white."
"It was a brainstorming party, and you've never lived until you've been through a meeting with Marcie Brogan," Murray said. "[There were] lots of ideas thrown back and forth and that's what the committee came up with."
Each year, the gala's setting and decor have set an evocative theme and participants' outfits have followed suit. "This year we want to make the point that life and people as they are can be as surprising and fun as any fantasy," the APM's press release said.
Murray hopes ticket sales will increase over last year's gala, which raised over $130,000 and had around 300 attendees.
"My hope is we're going to sell lots of tickets and that lots of people will come; people that enjoy a good time and a good party," she said.
TimeWarp tickets are $250 (Patron, which includes a pre-party and other added extras) and $125 per person (Friend). $200 of Patron tickets and $75 of Friend tickets is tax-deductible. The contribution directly supports the HIV/AIDS case management and prevention activities of APM.
For more information visit http://www.aidspartnership.org or call 313-446-9800.