Triangle: Festival marks success

Carolinas News Notes

by Lainey Millen  Special Assignments  specialassignments@goqnotes.com
Published: April 28, 2012 in Carolinas News Notes

RALEIGH, N.C. — Crape Myrtle Festival (CMF) held its annual host party on April 7 at the Ballentrae Hume home. This event enabled the organization to raise $24,000 with only $1,280 in expenses.

Just shy of 95 percent of the monies raised will go toward supplying the necessary funding to assist those in the Triangle area living with HIV/AIDS.

Contributions are still be accepted and the Festival’s board hopes to top the $36,000 raised last year for local AIDS-related organizations and LGBT causes. The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina received the top funding in 2011 with $15,000 in allocations. Others which obtained monies were AIDS Community Residence Association ($6,500); LGBT Center of Raleigh ($5,000); Equality NC Foundation ($4,000); Duke AIDS Legal Project ($3,000); and El Centro Hispano ($2,500).

CMF is a volunteer organization with two income revenue sources.

First are regular, fun-filled events held through the year. Drag brunches, tea dances, family days, drag shows and more grace the calendar landscape.

Second are donations obtained through becoming a CMF friend, host, sponsor or benefactor. A recurring payment plan for as little as $12.50 a month is available to those who wish to space out their contributions. Online one-click pledges are also accepted. And, sponsorships are an important part of securing ongoing funds as well.

Chairs for the CMF Queens XXXII Gala held later in the year are Kurt Hurelbrink and Dan Woodard. The court is comprised of Kevin Barker, Ryan Blackwell, Burton Buffaloe, Brad Deaton, Jill Donovan, Michael Evans, Andrew Farr, Paul Finger, Joshua Grice, T. L. Hall, Arthur Jordan, Steven Norris, Pink Persons, Gary Roundtree, Beren South, Coleman Temple, Melissa Williams, William “Rabbit” Wood and LiChun Young.

For more information, visit crapemyrtlefest.org.

Lainey Millen is QNotes' special assignments writer, N.C. News columnist and production director. She can be reached at specialassignments@goqnotes.com and 704-531-9988, x205.

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