Dustin in Dolly Drag? ? ?

On 2/5/09, I announced that the Limp Wrist fundraising raffle was extended to 3/30/09.

With the extension comes my promise to create a Youtube video of yours truly performing Dolly drag, if I raise $1,000 by 3/30/09 for the Limp Wrist Scholarship.

THE NEWS: It will only take $150 to meet the goal of raising $1,000 by 3/30/09. Click here to make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation and put me one step closer to Dolly-Dustin-Drag History.

Limp Wrist Raffle Extended

Donate to Limp Wrist before 3/30/09, and you are automatically entered to win some of the items you see above. (Items will be given away in groups of three.) All donations are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE and fund the Limp Wrist scholarship.

Here's the donation breakdown:
$5 = 1 Chance
$10 = 3 Chances
$20 = 5 Chances
$45 = 10 Chances
$200 or More = You pick the three items you want. Plus, you'll receive a mention in Limp Wrist.


AND for fun:
If I raise $1,000 by 3/30/09, I will create a Youtube video of me doing Dolly drag. Silence to the peanut gallery-- even though I am crazy for Dolly, I don't spend my weekends in Dolly drag.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION!

Birthday Time = Fundraising Time

1/22


Another year older....
Since my 21st birthday, I have used my birthday as a way to benefit and raise awareness for an organization. I am happy to say previous organizations include Project Open Hand as well as Grass Roots Institute. This year I am proud to announce that I am trying to raise funds and awareness for Limp Wrist and our scholarship. Anyone wanting to show a little birthday love, feel free to make a tax deductible donation of $5 or more to Limp Wrist. Click here to donate.


If you donate you can win....
If you donate $5 or more between now and 2/28/09, you could win a number of autographed items. Some of the items include a limited broadside of a poem by Mark Doty, books by Sandra Beasley, Marilyn Nelson, Cecilia Woloch, and more.

Check out the items HERE. The breakdown:
1 Chance = $5
3 Chances = $10
5 Chances = $20
10 Chances = $45
A donation of $200 or more will allow you to pick three items.


Dolly "Dusty" Parton.....
If I raise $1,000 by 2/28/09, I am going to create a Youtube of me doing Dolly drag. Silence to the peanut gallery-- even though I am crazy for Dolly, I don't spend my weekends in Dolly drag. So shhhhh Chris, Sissy, and Maxton.

Fundraising Announcement & The Tree

Before I write about the night I want to make an announcement. From 12/5/08 to 12/31/08, I am going to donate $1 from every "O" bumper sticker purchased directly from me to the Atlanta Pride Committee. Buy a stocking stuffer and help Atlanta Pride at the same time. This is definitely a win-win situation.

Tonight was the annual lighting of the LGBT Christmas Tree at Outwrite Bookstore and Coffee House, which is a fundraiser for the Atlanta Pride Committee. I want to give a huge thank you to Philip, the owner of the fagulous Outwrite. Philip does so much for the Atlanta LGBT community, so I hope the Atlanta LGBT community will remember Outwrite when it comes time to Christmas shop. Keep your eyes open over the next week or so because Outwrite is going to have a fan page coming soon!

There were great performances from Our Song and the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus. And, Wild Cherry Sucrets in the form of Tony was an entertaining MC for the night. It was all around good times. Thanks to everyone who attended. If you didn't attend, don't worry because you can attend next year.

The Annual GLBT Tree Lighting

O ~ our president

I created a bumper sticker in honor of the new President. However, the font you are seeing is Arial while the actual sticker's font is Goudy Bookletter. I ordered the stickers on Friday, so I should have them by the end of the week. Once I receive them, I'll snap a picture and post.

I'm going sell them for $3.50, which includes shipping. Hit me up if you're interested. Funds made will end up going to Georgia State University in the form of a tuition payment.

Dine OUT for Pride

WED. OCTOBER 8
OSTERIA 832
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS

WED. OCTOBER 15
DOC CHEYS
EMORY VILLAGE

WED. OCTOBER 22
STELLA
GRANT PARK

WED. OCTOBER 29
DOC CHEYS
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS

The generous owners of Homegrown Restaurants will donate 15% of your lunch and dinner to Atlanta Pride. Do your part to support Atlanta Pride-- plan a night out with friends at a Homegrown Resaurant this month!

Few Pics from 3rd Annual Lighting of the GLBT Tree

Ruby Red and Phillip handed out prizes.

Carey Sherrell called me a tall drink of water

and wanted my number, but I am off the market.

Deje Johnson has a splendid voice!

3rd Annual GLBT Holiday Tree Lighting

Holiday Tree Lighting Kicks Off a Sparkling Season at Outwrite Nov. 29

It's a full evening of fun, food, and friends when Outwrite plays host to the Third Annual GLBT Holiday Tree Lighting, a benefit for Atlanta Pride Committee, on Thursday, Nov. 29 starting at 7:30 p.m. hosted by the outrageous local personality Ruby Redd. This event is free and open to the public.

This year live music is an added feature with appearances by DeJe Johnson, a performer from Blake's Southern Comfort series, and OurSong, the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chorus. Live theatre is also represented with appearances by Scrooge from Alliance Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol as well as by the elfin star of Horizon Theatre's production of The Santaland Diaries.

A special guest appearance by Carey Sherrell, a contestant on Donald Trump's television series The Apprentice, is also scheduled.

While kids of all ages are invited, only those 21 years of age or older will be able to purchase a wristband ($5) entitling bearers to free food and drink. Raffles for fabulous prizes donated by area businesses are also planned. Smirnoff Twist is providing cocktails with Vitamin Energy providing non-alcoholic beverages. Blake's on the Park is supplying food.

Revelers may also place their festive ornaments on the Holiday Tree.

This gala event is sponsored by Outwrite, Smirnoff Twist, Vitamin Energy, Blake's on the Park, David, Southern Voice, and Atlanta Pride Committee.

(from Outwrite's webpage)

2007 AIDS Walk Poetry Book Raffle

I wanted to be creative when announcing the winners for the poetry book raffle, so I asked blogger friend Montgomery Maxton, who is always creating interesting Youtube clips, to create a Youtube clip to draw the winners for the contest. Being the great guy he is, he of course helped me out. Please click his name; give his blog some love. Here's his video:

2007 AIDS Walk Atlanta

The 2007 AIDS Walk Atlanta was today. Unfortunately, overnight my team of six dwindled to a team of two---best friend Chris and myself. This morning I popped a few Vitamin C and a couple of Tylenol before we hit the park to get our walk on.

Exciting news: My goal was $250; I raised over $800--- go Team Truvy. During the walk I kept talking with Chris about fundraising ideas for next year...... oh, do I have some good ones. If it works out, I plan to do the poetry book raffle each year, and I'll mention the other as the time approaches.

Here's a big THANK YOU to everyone who supported me (and Team Truvy) in the 2007 AIDS Walk Atlanta. I appreciate every single one of you. The raffle for the poetry books will be happening within the next couple of days.

Chris + Me

Opening Ceremony

Children from preschool down the street from
the park played the drums for the walkers.

This fabulous entertainer cheered on the walkers
and the Atlanta Freedom Bands.

View of Piedmont as the walk started.

Shot of the walkers while on Peacthree.

Tomorrow, I'll post pictures of the AIDS Quilt.

Poets & the 2007 AIDS Walk

The 2007 AIDS Walk in Atlanta is approaching in five days, and I am excited to be participating because the walk will benefit twelve organizations, which I will list at the end of the entry. In these last few days I am pumping up my fundraising efforts. You can help out and have the chance to win a lovely prize. A number of established poets were generous, thoughtful, and kind to donate autographed books with the comment, "Thanks for supporting the 2007 AIDS Walk," for me to use for fundraising efforts.

How it works:

1. Visit Team Truvy's AIDS Walk page by clicking HERE.

2. Once on the AIDS Walk site, click on "make a donation," which is located above the "AIDS Walk Atlanta Goal Watch" and "My AIDS Walk Donors." )You should see a page with a header reading "2007 AIDS Walk Atlanta;" below it will read "Thanks for giving on behalf of Dustin Brookshire.")

3. Enter the amount you wish to donate. (Remember, all donations are tax deductible.)
Every $5 donation earns you a chance to win an autographed book. A donation $50 earns you 15 chances to win a book by select poets. If you donate $100 you can pick the book you want from the list below!

4. Once you've donated drop a line on the blog or send an email to dustinvbrookshire@gmail.com.

5. The drawing will occur following the AIDS Walk. Poet Montgomery Maxton will create a Youtube video announcing the winners.

THE BOOKS:

Exquisite Politics autographed by Denise Duhamel









Small Gods of Grief autographed by Laure-Anne Bosselaar

the dead alive and busy autographed by Alan Shapiro

Tantalus in Love autographed by Alan Shapiro

Late autographed by Cecilia Woloch

Slow to Burn autographed by Collin Kelley

Sacrifice autographed by Cecilia Woloch

Return of the Prodigals by Kurt Brown

Mille et un sentiments autographed by Denise Duhamel

Saints of Hysteria: A Half-Century of Collaborative American Poetry autographed by Denise Duhamel

Never Before: Poems about First Experiences autographed by Laure-Anne Bosselaar

*Not Pictured* Like All We Love autographed by Kate Evans

(Should be up tomorrow)

Organizations benefited by the AIDS Walk:

AID Atlanta

Absolute Wellness/The BRAC Center

AIDGwinnett, Inc.

AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta

AIDS Survival Project

AIDS Alliance for Faith and Health

Aniz, Inc.

Home But Not Alone

Jerusalem House

Positive Impact

Project Open Hand

SisterLove, Inc.

Dolly Night at Grass Roots Institute

Last night, Paul and I attended a fundraiser at Grass Roots Institute , which is the location of the poetry reading I hosted last month. I'm excited that this fundraiser was born from one of my ideas------It was a Dolly movie night. I supplied Ms. Aida, Grass Roots Founder and Director, with a lot of my wonderful Dolly to serve as decor for the evening. A $20 donation to Grass Roots enabled a donor to have wine, a meal, watch 9 TO 5 on the big screen, and coffee + dessert.

Aida and I decided this will be an annual event. We have not scheduled a date for 2008; however, we know it will be held in April before the season opening of Dollywood. I've already started planning the event because I hope to have a lovely surprise up my sleeve for Dolly Night 2008.

Here are some pics from last night-- ignore my weight gain, thanks!

Entrance to GRI...

Silent auction table.

Ms. Aida as Dolly!

Me + "Dolly" + Paul