The Windy City Times 25 for 25 Charity Drive ended June 5, raising nearly $6,000 for local LGBT and HIV non-profits. The month-long event marked the 25th anniversary of Windy City Times Publisher Tracy Baim’s start in Chicago LGBT media. She started as an editorial assistant at Chuck Renslow’s GayLife newspaper in 1984.
The drive was also a contest: About Face Theatre edged out the Oak Park Area Gay and Lesbian Association to receive a $250 bonus donation.
The following amounts were raised in the mail-in campaign, for a total of $5776.50:
About Face Theatre: $1,650
AIDS Foundation of Chicago: $150
Affinity: $100
Amigas Latinas: $100
Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV) : $275
Bonaventure House: $25
Center on Halsted: $75
Chicago House: $100
Equality Illinois: $50
Gerber/Hart: $24
Howard Brown Health Center: $125
Jo-Ray House: $25
Lambda Legal: $350
Lesbian Community Care Project: $150
Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Assoc.: $1,307.50
Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays: $300
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: $25
Test Positive Aware Network: $505
Vital Bridges/Open Hand: $440
Checks were handed out during the finals of Windy City Gay Idol June 13 at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, and will be sent to those agencies who did not attend.