The Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association has announced that with a theme of “Giving Back,” proceeds from its annual gala fundraiser will be shared with five other local organizations. The move marks a shift for the organization which less than two years ago was focused on eliminating its own debt and meeting its own expenses.
This year’s gala will have another new twist, too. In addition to honoring the recipient of the Oak Park Area Leadership (OPAL) award, several individuals and organizations will be recognized for their work in helping to create and pass the Civil Union law in Illinois this year.
The OPAL Gala will be held on November 19 at the Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park. Tickets are on sale now for $85 and can be obtained by contacting OPALGA via email, info@opalga.org. The Gala features silent and live auctions, a free photo booth, a menu of passed hors d’oeuvres and buffet-style food stations from Oak Park-based Cucina Paradiso, cash bar, a DJ, dancing and more.
Beneficiary organizations that will share in the proceeds are the AIDS prevention program at PCC Community Wellness, Illinois Safe School Alliance, Oak Park chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and two programs at the Howard Brown Health Center — Broadway Youth Center and the Lesbian Community Care Project.
Celebrating the passage of the Civil Union law at the gala is, in the eyes of OPALGA members, a natural extension of work they began some 15 years ago through efforts to make Oak Park the first municipality in the state to create a domestic partner registry for gay and lesbian couples. Attendees at the gala are expected to include state legislators and representatives from organizations such as the Illinois Log Cabin Republicans, Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal Defense, ACLU of Illinois, and the Civil Rights Agenda.
Established in 1989, OPALGA is one of the largest community-based, multipurpose gay and lesbian membership organizations in Illinois. The mission of the organization is to promote positive attitudes and advocate for full equality for the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered community of the greater Oak Park area; to promote institutional change through positive efforts to educate public and private bodies; to provide opportunities for sharing information and resources among its membership; to provide educational, social and cultural opportunities for its members; and to celebrate the contributions that the organization and its members make to the welcoming communities of the greater Oak Park area.
For more information, email info@opalga.org.