by Eric A. Crabtree
AUSTIN, TEXAS
AIDS Walk
Scheduled for Oct. 24
The 12th Annual Aids Walk Austin will be held Sun., Oct. 24 at Waterloo Park. The Walk is a five-kilometer fundraising event starting and ending in Waterloo Park, 12th and Red River. The Walk benefits AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) and 14 other HIV & other AIDS service providers in Central Texas. The Walk sign-in begins at 12 noon & the Walk at 2pm. Closing ceremonies are immediately following the Walk. This year's Austin's Walk celebrity spokeswoman is Ginger Mackenzie. Ginger features her song, "The Garden of You and I," and can be heard from the Walk Web site along with a message urging all to volunteer and assist this year's Aids Walk. Individuals or teams wishing to participate can receive a Walk packet by calling 512.452.WALK (9255) or E-mail at awawalk@hotmail.com or from the Web site at aidswalkaustin.org. Last year, each walker raised an average of $125, but any amount raised is appreciated. All who raise over $125 will receive an AIDS Walk Commemorative T-shirt. At the $250 level, fundraisers get the T-shirt and cap, at $500 they get all included plus a gift certificate to City Grill. At $700, they get a cap, T-shirt and a new pair of New Balance Tennis Shoes. At the $1000 level, they get T-shirt, cap plus a land rover off road event with 3 friends at the Land Rover Ranch. Anyone earning the most money gets two free tickets anywhere that American Airlines fly Internationally. Additional info. can be obtained by calling 512.406.6115 or WALK Web site.
There is still NO cure for AIDS yet. There are approximately 6,000 men, women and children in Travis County living with HIV. Every 13 minutes, one American is infected with HIV. Every minute around the world, five young people ages 10 to 24 are infected with HIV. The Austin/Travis County reports from their July 2, 1999 AIDS Surveillance Report that there have been over 3,000 confirmed cases of AIDS. Over 1,800 of these men, women and children have died. 23% of these Austinites who have had AIDS were 20 to 29 years of age, indicating that many were infected with HIV in their teen years. 26% of these people with AIDS are African-American and 18% are Hispanic, indicating that the demographics in Austin are changing. Overall, 48,000 Texans were diagnosed with AIDS by Dec., 1998 and over 24,000 are now deceased; Texas ranks fourth nationwide in diagnosed AIDS cases.
Trance World CD Released
Trance World, the CD, has been released by Austinite DJ Bang, resident DJ of Oilcan Harry's and VJ at Splash Video Bar. The CD includes instrumental and vocals. Trance World puts one into a meditative trance with its circuit-uplifting beat. Music featured on this fierce CD includes It's Not Over Yet '99, - Planet Perfecto Featuring Grace, Mysterious Times - Sash! featuring Tina Cousins, (Til I Come) - ATB~9pm to Red Sun Rising - Lost Witness. The mix continues with 1999 - Binary Finary, Flower Duet - Luminaire, Cream - Blank & Jones, Happiness Happening - Lost Witness to Strong In Love - Chicane Featuring Mason. Mixes conclude with El Nino - Agnelli & Nelson & Treat Infamy - Rest Assured. The CD was engineered at studio de la Funkin' Bitch by Don Perry. Shout Outs go to DJs Miss H, Dig'M. Licious, Joel & associates Eddie & Linda Lou and all DJ Bang's adoring fans. Trance World is available at Alien Records in Austin located at 1114 West 5th St. 512.477.3909.
Quick Tea Tales of Queers
Sympathy and get well wishes go out to former Oilcan's DJ Miss H (Michael Hernandez) who suffered a stroke recently. Drs. tell us that he is recovering and doing better every day. There's a new Boy Bar in town called Boyz Cellar. Good luck goes out to mgr. Bobby Cook and staff who will run the all Circuit Boyz Bar. If you didn't know already, 1920's Club is a great place to relax, have a drink, eat some great food and hang out with your friends. Stop on by and say hi to sexy Sammy bartending and owner Farhad. Another great place to hand, especially for the ladies, is Gaby & Mo's coffeehouse, bar and eatery located at 1809 Manor Rd. Need leather supplies or Halloween costume ideas? Check out the Leather Chest on San Jacinto and 6th St. for some great ideas. The Forum's raised over $163 for Camp Heartland during their recent Turnabout Show. The United Court of Austin helped to raise with Splash Video Bar over $200 recently benefiting the HIV Wellness Ctr. The Court's next cookout at Splash will be on Sun. Oct. 17 at 5pm. On Mon., Oct. 25, at 9pm is The United Court of Austin and Dick's "Rocky's Twisted Halloween." All proceeds go to benefit Project Transitions. The HIV Wellness Center is once again partnering with the Forum for their new Sun. non-profits programs. Look for their next cookout on the roof on Halloween Sun., Oct 31 from 5pm till dark. Proceeds benefit HIV Wellness Remedial Massage Program. Gods & Monsters Gala will be held in Austin on Oct. 29 at 8pm at the Westwood Country Club benefiting Jack Sansing Dental Clinic. Contact Aids Services of Austin (ASA) 512.406.6175. Don't forget that the Standard Time Changes back at 2am on Halloween, Oct. 31st and that means Austin gets another full hour to drink in the bars. There will be some full costume revelers that night. Coming up on Nov. 28, look for a Hard Candy Christmas Benefit at Rainbow Cattle Company benefiting Pediatric Aids League (P.A.L.) E-mail Austin2652@aol.com for more details.
The 11th Annual Holiday Swing will be held on Dec. 4 this year at 8pm benefiting Project Transitions. More info may be obtained by calling 512.454.8646. Holiday Rhapsody will be held on Dec. 10 this year beginning at 7pm at St. Edward's Univ. - Ragsdale Ballroom. All proceeds benefit the HIV Wellness Ctr. (512.467.0088) & Interfaith Care Alliance (512.459.5883) Tickets are $35 at Door or $30 in Advance till Dec. 1st. Red and Green III - '99 (www.partyaustin.com) will be held in Austin on Dec. 11 and benefits HIV Wellness Center and Out Youth Options. This year's party will be held at Mercury Hall with an open bar this year (www.mercuryhall.com). As always, all proceeds go to the charities fundraising event. Time for this event is from 8pm-3am. This year's DJ will be Michael Tank from Houston. For hosting or info. contact Ben Parsley at 512-478-1791 or BenPar@io.com The Austin Babtist Women's (ABW) 13th Annual Christmas Show will be on Dec. 19th at the Rainbow Cattle Company (www.abw.homepage.com). Their show title is "Are You Ready for a Miracle?" with the idea that they will top $4 million raised at the show. The ABW's are working on a really incredible show. More info is obtained through Rob Faubion, a.k.a. Ethyl Mae Studebaker at robfaubion@mail.utexas.edu Lastly Ben Parsley hosts on the Internet a 'Party Austin' DJ Survey to vote at www.onelist.com/surveys/partyaustin
TGRA Rodeo in Austin
The 16th Annual Texas Gay Rodeo will be held this year from Nov. 11-14 with most events hosted at the Travis County Exposition Center located at 7311 Decker Lane or Rainbow Cattle Company (RCC). Austin is the Host City for this annual event sponsored by the Texas Gay Rodeo Association (TGRA) in affiliation with the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA). Grand Marshal for the TGRA Rodeo will be State Rep. Glen Maxey. Events start at 7pm on Thurs., Nov 11 at Rainbow Cattle Company with a TGRA Royalty Competition. A $5 voluntary door donation is requested. On Fri. Nov 12 at the Host Hotel - Holiday Inn-Austin South, registration from 6pm -9pm. Registration is in the Friendship/Mercury Ballroom. From 8pm to midnight it's the TGRA "Y'all Come Party" with free admission/cash bar in the Apollo Ballroom. On Sat., Nov. 13, at the Travis County Exposition Center, is the New Contestant meeting at 9am and the TGRA Rodeo begins at 10am. After the day's Rodeo, a dance contest is hosted at RCC with compulsories at 1pm. The Dance Finals/Freestyle competition begins at 6pm. A $5 voluntary door donation is requested. On Sun., Nov. 14, the Rodeo concludes at 10 am and Awards Ceremony at 8pm at the Apollo Ballroom at the Host Hotel - Holiday Inn-Austin South. The traditional rodeo events as well as some fun and very funny events will entertain spectators unique to IGRA rodeos such as the Wild Drag Race which takes place on both days of rodeo performance. It consists of a team of 3 people, one male one female and one dressed in drag. The object is for the male and female team member to haze a steer across a line out in the area and get the drag on top of the steer to ride it across the line again. Performers for the rodeo for Sat. and Sun. are to contact Jame Roberts in Houston at 713.988.6720 or E-mail jametgra@aol.com. Vendor spaces are available for only $100 for businesses for all day Sat. Nov. 13 & Sun Nov. 14. Non-profit/charitable spaces are available for $25. There is RV/camper parking at the Exposition center with electrical/water hookup for $10 per night. The Host Hotel is the Holiday Inn - Austin South at 3401 South I-35 (Woodward exit across from IRS!) at 512.448.2444 (Must mention 3-letter "TGR" for special rate) An alternate hotel is the Holiday Inn Express - Austin/Bergstrom Intl. Airport located at 2751 E. Highway 71/Ben White. Rodeo program ads for this year are $300 full page, $200 half page, $175 1/3 page, $150 1/4 page, $75 business card, and this year there is a special messages/honorariums section that costs $10 for 3 lines of copy. Contracts/info available for ad or vendor space may be obtained through Jim Gadient - TGRA in Dallas at 3235 Basil Court, Dallas TX 75204-5542 or phone/fax: 214-821-1560 or E-mail at spurmarks@aol.com.
Buckle sponsorships are $175, available through Tom Karam at 330 West Agarita, San Antonio TX 78212 or phone 210.733.0657 or E-mail at hdwetom@aol.com. Rodeo and Horse Contestants are to contact TGRA State President Jeanne McLeod at PO Box 460875, San Antonio TX 78246-0875 or phone 210.946.7787 or E-mail at jmcleod@earthlink.net. Tickets for the Rodeo Weekend may be ordered from Charley Lanier at PO Box 191314, Dallas TX 75219, or phone 214.526.1544 or E-mail at charleylanier@yahoo.com. Tickets are $15 for the first, $10 for each subsequent ticket (good for either day - save money and order a lot at once). Also, TGRA encourages folks to sponsor a few tickets for local PLWA's, which will be distributed to Austin AIDS charities. More info on TGRA or the Rodeo may be obtained by calling the Rodeo Hotline at 210.946.7787 or (210.9GO.SPUR) or from the Web site at www.tgra.org.
