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Southern California
by Don Thompson for the San
Francisco Spectrum
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEATHER SIR AND BOY
In last months’ column I told you all about the Palm Springs
Leather Sir and boy contest, and gave you an indication of the judge’s
thinking behind their decision to choose Andrew Hedley and Bernard
Staauffer as the desert’s titleholders. We were confident
that these two would do well in the San Diego final for the Southern
California title and our confidence was not misplaced. On Saturday,
August 28th leather men and women gathered at the Hole in San Diego
for the third annual Southern California Leather Sir and leather
boy contest produced by Graylin Thornton and Chris Meister of Grey
Rose Productions. Andrew Hedley and John Baker competing for Sir
and boys Bernard Stauffer and Paul Salomon faced judges International
Leather Sir 2003, Mike Russell; San Diego Leather boy 2004, boy
jack; Steve "Titpig" Hurley; Society of Janus member,
Mistress Pilar; Mr. Los Angeles Leather 2004, Marc Watrel; community
judge, Eloy and head judge Mr. San Diego Leather 2002, Tom Dickerson.
When the scores were tallied by Mr. San Diego Leather 1993, Jeff
Barrett and International Ms. Deaf Leather, Steff – Sir Andrew
Hedley (originally from Scotland) and boy Bernard (originally from
Switzerland) – now both living Palm Springs were chosen to
represent Southern California at International Leather Sir this
fall in St. Petersburg. Well done, both of you, we are proud of
you.
A FINE FIRST EFFORT
Two of Sandy “Mama” Reinhardt’s family living
in the desert, and inspired by her example, instituted a Southern
California branch of the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund and launched
it with a highly successful fund-raising weekend on August 27 and
29. Henry (“Mama’s Partner in Crime” and also
“Mama’s rxboy” and Randy (“Mama’s
Glory Holes” - because of what he has done to his ears) did
a great deal of work to bring this idea to a successful conclusion.
It’s not easy putting on an event, as I well know, and to
put on a full weekend takes an incredible amount of time and energy
and the two are to be heartily commended. The event began on Friday
evening, the 27th, with a meet and greet at The Barracks Bar, which
featured entertainment by Snatch, (the Thigh High Leather Empress)
and guest appearances by two fine singers Jerome Eliott and Terry
Darby, who got the crowd rocking. Several men sold raffle tickets,
and Edward Espindola presented a basket that he had prepared which
was auctioned off. One of the L.A. Boys of Leather who had purchased
loads of raffle tickets won several prizes and was flogged by Mama
as his reward! He liked it! Over $700 was raised that night. The
following evening, at Sidewinders, was the principal event of the
weekend and it turned out to be one of the biggest Saturday’s
evenings that Sidewinders has ever had. Henry and Randy emceed again
(very well, too) and once again Snatch headed a galaxy of entertainers
that included popular country singer Bobby Jordan, Andrew Jaymes,
Pearl O’ Wisdom, bartenders (and lovers) Joe and Steve making
their on-stage debut as singers and there was of course a silent
auction, with once again a couple of baskets put together by that
tireless worker Edward Espindola, and lots of cajoling for donations
and by the end of the evening the weekend’s total had come
to over $4000. For a first effort, that is an outstanding result
and clearly this is to be an annual affair. Well done, Henry and
Randy! Mama was delighted.
PANTHEON OF LEATHER
It’s that time again. Time for you to nominate people who,
you think, are worthy of recognition by the community. The Community
Awards show is like an Academy Awards of leather. Individuals who
have done sterling work in the community, titleholders who have
done a great job, non title-holders who work quietly in the background
that you think deserve recognition, those kinds of people are the
kinds you should nominate. Also businesses that really support the
community, events, whether big or small, bike club runs, anything
that you really think deserving of recognition and honor. The selection
panel will determine winners based on community service in the last
year. Club officers, organizers, business owners, titleholders,
behind-the-scenes workers, philanthropists, writers, columnists,
authors, artists, producers, Leather/latex artisans and the like
are sought as nominees. Pantheon is looking for nominees who have
made contributions that have directly affected the Leather community
in a positive way. The Community Choice Man and Woman awards are
decided by popular write-in vote, not by the selection panel. You
can vote in either or both the Community Choice categories, even
if you do not nominate anyone in the other categories. You may only
vote once in each Community Choice category.
Your nominations forms must be received by U.S. Mail or by E-mail
or the web site no later than October 31, 2004. Nominations received
after that date, or nominations that do not include the required
information, will not be considered.
CATEGORIES FOR WHICH YOU MAY NOMINATE
For each category, please provide your nominee's name and the award
for which you want to nominate him/her. Please add a few sentences
or paragraphs about the nominee's qualifications for the award.
You must include a method of contact for the nominee such as a current
snail mail or E-mail address. Please remember that the last two
year's winners in this category and all selection panel members
are ineligible for this award. Mail or E-mail your nominations to
the address listed at the end of this nomination information, or,
the simplest way for all, log on to www.leatherdaddy.org
and use the interactive form there.)
The categories are: Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Forbear
Award (past winners includer, Judy Tallwing McCarthy, Alan Selby,
Chuck Renslow, Tony DeBlase, Marcus Hernandez, Gayle Rubin, Tom
of Finland and Larry Townsend, and so those people are ineligible
to receive the award again); Large Club of the Year; Small Club
of the Year; Nonprofit Organization of the Year and Large Event
of the Year (Attendance at or over 250; (National and International
events qualify as Large Event regardless of attendance); Small Event
of the Year; Business of the Year; Business Person of the Year;
International Award; Couple of the Year and the Canadian Award.
The regional awards cover the whole country and if you want to
see them all, check out the web site listed above, but for readers
of this paper the principal ones to think about are:
- Northern California Regional Award (North
of Fresno/Madera County lines across the state)
- Southern California Regional Award (South
of Fresno/Madera County lines across state and Hawaii)
- Community Choice (Man) No explanation for
your nominee needed here. This is by popular write-in vote. Everyone
is eligible except the last two year's winners.)
- Community Choice (Woman) – same comment.
The selection panel members, who are ineligible for nomination
for the same national and international awards that they won in
previous years are Jack McGeorge, Randal Kinnear, Scott Parker,
Mary Elizabeth Boyd, Fetish Diva Midori, Mama’s Family, The
Eulenspiegel Society, LA boys of Leather, LiNK Oklahoma ,Vancouver
Activists in SM (VASM), Brother Help Thyself, The South Of Market
Bare Chest Calendar, American Brotherhood Weekend, Inferno XXXI
by Chicago Hellfire Club, Twelve Days of Christmas by Hooker and
boys Productions, Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend (CLAW), Cell
Block, Stompers Boots, Tori "Lord Suttle," Bob DeJardine,
Bob Brunson, John Pendal, George Hester and Danny Alford, David
Kloss and Remi Collette, Douglas Connors and Gloria McIsaac. While
all are all ineligible for the awards they won in previous years,
all are still eligible to be nominated for other awards. Also ineligible
for the regional award nominations in California are 2004 winners
Sandy "Mama" and Stephen Blackwell and 2003 winners Lenny
Broberg and Richard Chatterton.
Check List
Make sure that you have spelled your nominees' name(s) correctly,
that you have not nominated last year's winner in any category,
that you have not nominated any selection panel members (these are
wasted nominations), that you have included qualifications for each
nominee and that you have included current contact information for
each of your nominees. Failure to include qualifications or current
contact information will disqualify said nominee(s).
You can make more than one nomination in any category; you can
vote for Community Choice even if you don't submit nominations;
and if you write a concise one or two-paragraph nomination using
correct grammar and spelling, it likely will be passed along verbatim
to the judging panel. If you submit two pages (even if perfectly
spelled and grammatically pleasing) it will be edited down to a
few paragraphs.
Any nomination that does not include contact information and an
explanation of the nominee's contributions to the Leather community
will be rejected. In obvious cases of ballot-stuffing, like 12 Community
Choice votes written in the same handwriting, the organizers reserve
the right to reject duplicative ballots. They have no foolproof
way of weeding out self-nominations; the honor system applies here.
It helps to include a functional return e-mail or snail mail address
with your nomination form in case anything needs to be verified
with you.
To submit your nomination go to the nomination area on the web
site www.leatherdaddy.org,
(preferred method, because there will be clear guidance for you
there) or snail mail to 68022 Grandview Avenue, Cathedral City,
CA 92234, or e-mail to POLNominations@aol.com
PALM SPRINGS LEATHER PRIDE
Palm Springs Leather pride weekend is November 11, 12, 13 and
14. John Pendal (the wonderful IML from 2003) will be the MC for
the Mr. Palm Springs Leather contest. Check out the website at http://www.aeustudios.com/pslod/leatherpride.htm,
or even easier, just Google PSLOD. They are awaiting confirmation
from the proposed judges so I can’t confirm who they are as
of this time. The event opens with a Meet and Greet on Thursday.
Friday is the formal leather dinner, Saturday is the contest and
Sunday is the follow-up pool party (always a blast - it includes
a wet T shirt contest and of course all they are wearing is a T
shirt to start with, so it provides quite an eyeful!). There will
be a three day vendors’ fair, at the Tool Shed parking lot
on Friday night and at the Desert Palms Inn on Saturday and Sunday
during the day. There’s also a brunch at the DPI included.
Cost for the whole weekend package is only $99 and there’s
no cut off time for that, you can book right up to opening of the
event, however, for planning purposes the organizers really need
to know before then approximately how many people will be attending
the dinner to advise the restaurant for reservations.
There’s only a month to go so get your reservations in NOW!
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