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Big Bash doubles as Sweet 16 party for Affirmations

Jason A. Michael

ROCHESTER – It's not everyday a girl turns 16, or an organization for that matter. But Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center never looked better than it did on Saturday, March 19 when it celebrated 16 years of service to the metropolitan Detroit LGBT community with its annual Big Bash fundraiser. The gala affair drew 500 folks to the elegant Royal Park Hotel in downtown Rochester and raised over $80,000 to go toward the center's annual operating budget.
The evening began with champagne in the conservatory and ended on a frenzied note as boys and girls alike boogied energetically on the ballroom dance floor.
"We've only been receiving positive feedback from people," said Kathleen LaTosch, Affirmations' special events director, when reached in the middle of her recuperation Monday. "The dance floor was packed until midnight."
Much of the focus of the evening was on the center's capital and endowment campaign and the effort to raise the needed funds to build an impressive new center headquarters across the street from its current location in Ferndale. Allan Gilmour, the capital campaign's co-chair, gave guests an uplifting progress report.
"This is the first time that I've ever spoke in a Chevrolet showroom," said the former Ford Motor Company Vice Chair as he stood under a massive General Motors banner – GM having been a major sponsor of the evening. "We've received some extraordinary gifts … we're amazed and awed by the support we've got from individuals. We received almost 200 pledges last year."
Gilmour reported that the center had raised $2 million in the last 12 months, bringing the tally to $3.9 million.
"We're within spitting distance of $4 million," he said. "That means we're at 70 percent of our goal of 5.3 million dollars. We have $1.4 million to go."
Not quite though. Affirmations' Executive Director Leslie Thompson took to the stage following Gilmour to share some great news with the crowd. Thompson announced that the Kresge Foundation had offered the center a challenge grant. If Affirmations succeeds in raising $1 million by the end of the year, the Foundation will throw in the final $400,000.
"While Kresge is located locally, our nearby status had no impact on their decision," said Thompson. "We competed nationally against other organizations and according to Sandy Ambrozy, our Kresge program officer, we were successful because we are doing great work."
Affirmations' Board Member George Westerman asked attendees to do some work, too, in the form of reaching into their wallets and pocketbooks. Westerman said that if all 500 folks in attendance pledged $2,000 to the center they would reach their goal of $5.3 million and be able to consider the capital campaign closed.
"We need the help of everyone to build this building brick by brick," he said.
The enthusiastic crowd responded by pledging a total of $100,000 before the end of the evening.
Finally, Mark Blanke, Affirmations' treasurer, presented the Jan Stevenson Award to former board president Brian Cullin. The award is named after the Between The Lines co-publisher who served as the center's first executive director.
"It was through her vision that the center has grown into what it is today," Blanke said.

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