LookOut
by Tim Brookover

PROM AND PROPER

The grand Stella Link Seville (l), recently crowned Empress XX of the Royal Sovereign & Imperial Court of the Single Star, may not donate her glamorous coronation gown to the Fairy Godmother Project. But for the second year, some of the nobles from the charitable court will give gently worn dresses to the program, which provides evening wear and accessories for high school students who cannot otherwise afford duds for proms and graduation events. (In their official portrait [photo by John Taton], Seville poses with her consort, Emperor XX Daryl Qujiano.) To help: Contact Ellen Chang, eychang@hotmail.com.

GOOD WORKS

On the Island, diva Misty Valdez will throw two pre-benefit shows leading up to her annual benefit for AIDS Coalition of Coastal Texas on June 5. These shows will take place April 3 at Third Coast and May 1 at the Balinese Room.

Volleyball teams from across North America will soon arrive in Houston for the April 9–10 Lone Star Classic. Proceeds from the 15th annual Lone Star Volleyball Association event at Willowbrook Sports Complex will help PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) Houston. John Pastrano is the tournament director.

Two more events raise much-needed community funds the same weekend. On April 10, Bayou City Boys Club takes over the Verizon Theater for Jungle 12. Proceeds benefit AIDS Foundation Houston’s Stone Soup, Casa de Esperanza de los Ninos, Montrose Clinic, and The Assistance Fund. Michael Collins is BCBC president. On April 11, Bunnies on the Bayou hosts the 25th annual Easter Sunday outdoor party next to Wortham Center. Dan Meador will provide the tunes for the event, which will support 12 groups, including the Houston GLBT Community Center and Lazarus House, the wonderful workout facility for people with chronic illnesses. Tom Sims is Bunnies president.

On April 16, the PGLAG/H.A.T.C.H. Youth Scholarship Foundation will host its Spring Fling at the Warwick. Proceeds from the annual dinner support college grants for GLBT students. Fifty-three scholarship recipients, who range from undergrad to master’s level, currently study with help from the foundation. Gary Texeira is foundation president.

Talented designers, including Lisa Pope Westerman and Edward L. Schwing for Randy Wong’s A Perfect Event, will create fantastic tabletops for the April 23 Elle Decor’s Dining by Design, a benefit for DIFFA. The local Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS chapter supports numerous HIV/AIDS service efforts in Houston. DIFFA will present a $25 ticket 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. table preview reception, with the main event later in the evening at Hornberger Center. Troy Campa is event co-chair.

Fore! Two community groups are planning benefit golf tournaments. On April 24, the Montrose Softball League will host the second annual Lone Star Cup at Waterwood National Resort and Golf Club on Lake Livingston in Huntsville. Travis McGhee is tournament chairman. On May 1, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church celebrates 31 years of worship with its second annual tourney on the Hermann Park Golf Course. Tammy Warford and Penny Nolan spearhead the tournament. Ray Ramirez chairs the full slate of anniversary activities.

On February 14, Baba Yega hosted its yearly fund-raising day, with a portion of the day’s proceeds benefiting HIV/AIDS organizations. Jane Warren-Tallow owns the popular Montrose hangout.

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

The kids from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts who put on Will Rogers Follies will be honored at the May 3 Tommy Tune Awards for student musical theater. The second annual ceremony, named for the Houston-born song-and-dance man, will also recognize productions from 27 additional area schools.

On April 16–17, volunteers with the Houston GLBT Community Center will visit Dallas for Nonprofit Navigation, the training workshop presented by the Gill Foundation. Participants include center president Shane McShane, Don Hauboldt, and Tammi Wallace.

WILD, WILD WEB

Speaking of the center, imagine the shock (we won’t claim delight) of a friend when he recently logged on to the organization’s home page to discover a XXX site. Turns out the center recently switched its URL from www.HoustonCommunityCenter.org to the more explicit www.HoustonGLBTCommunityCenter.org. An enterprising Internet pornographer then piggybacked on the old address for his skin-trade purposes. But don’t bother rushing to the keyboard: The adult site has now vanished.

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