Chicago, IL -
Chicago organizers of the 2006 Chicago Gay Games invite supporters to board the Kanan, Navy Pier's newest luxury cruise liner, for a special benefit cruise on Saturday, 10 September 2005. Enjoy a two hour cruise with complimentary cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music and a spectacular fireworks show viewed from beautiful Lake Michigan.
Meet and mingle with friends, Gay Games athletes, sponsors and board members. Boarding is at 8 pm with departure at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $75 and are available by calling (773) 907-2006 or emailing info@gaygameschicago.org. Proceeds from the cruise will benefit the Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, 15-22 July 2006 in Chicago.
Special guest on the cruise will be pioneering Gay Games organizers, including Sara Waddell Lewinstein, partner of the late Gay Games co-founder Dr. Tom Waddell, and Jessica Waddell Lewinstein, Sara and Tom's daughter. Sara was Vice-President of San Francisco Arts and Athletics, the Gay Games founding organization, and served on the Board of Directors for Gay Games I and II, both in San Francisco. She was also chair of women's outreach for Gay Games I and II. In the first two Gay Games she participated in both bowling and softball, receiving two gold medals. Her women's softball team has competed in all previous 6 Gay Games and, uniquely, has won the gold medal each time.
Sara helped organize the international Federation of Gay Games in 1989, the body that now governs the Gay Games. She served on the Federation's Board of Directors until 2002 when she became an Honorary Life Member.
Speaking freely at the time about the unconventional nature of their relationship, Sara and Tom married and had Jessica, a daughter whom Sara refers to as their "miracle from the Games." Born in 1983, Jessica will receive her undergraduate degree from the University of California/Santa Cruz in December 2005. She has been a fundraising supervisor at the campus for the last 2 years, and with her small group has raised over $1.7 million for UCSC. To honor Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell as well as former Chicago Games, Inc., Board member Charles Clifton, both of whom died of AIDS-related complications, a portion of the proceeds will be set aside for the Test Positive Aware Network's Charles Clifton Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship fund will help bring HIV positive athletes to Chicago for Gay Games VII.
Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival will take place 15-22 July 2006. Over 12,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will compete in 30 sports ranging from softball to dancesport, swimming to tennis. The weeklong event will include band, cheerleading and color guard performances, chorus, an ancillary arts festival, and a series of community-organized social events and parties. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 15 July at Soldier Field, the lakefront home stadium of American-style football's Chicago Bears. Closing ceremony will be 22 July at Wrigley Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, located in the heart of Chicago's largest LGBT neighborhood.
For the first time, the Gay Games in Chicago will receive widespread television coverage on the Q Television Network.
Registration for Gay Games VII is now open at www.GayGamesChicago.org
Meet and mingle with friends, Gay Games athletes, sponsors and board members. Boarding is at 8 pm with departure at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $75 and are available by calling (773) 907-2006 or emailing info@gaygameschicago.org. Proceeds from the cruise will benefit the Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, 15-22 July 2006 in Chicago.
Special guest on the cruise will be pioneering Gay Games organizers, including Sara Waddell Lewinstein, partner of the late Gay Games co-founder Dr. Tom Waddell, and Jessica Waddell Lewinstein, Sara and Tom's daughter. Sara was Vice-President of San Francisco Arts and Athletics, the Gay Games founding organization, and served on the Board of Directors for Gay Games I and II, both in San Francisco. She was also chair of women's outreach for Gay Games I and II. In the first two Gay Games she participated in both bowling and softball, receiving two gold medals. Her women's softball team has competed in all previous 6 Gay Games and, uniquely, has won the gold medal each time.
Sara helped organize the international Federation of Gay Games in 1989, the body that now governs the Gay Games. She served on the Federation's Board of Directors until 2002 when she became an Honorary Life Member.
Speaking freely at the time about the unconventional nature of their relationship, Sara and Tom married and had Jessica, a daughter whom Sara refers to as their "miracle from the Games." Born in 1983, Jessica will receive her undergraduate degree from the University of California/Santa Cruz in December 2005. She has been a fundraising supervisor at the campus for the last 2 years, and with her small group has raised over $1.7 million for UCSC. To honor Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell as well as former Chicago Games, Inc., Board member Charles Clifton, both of whom died of AIDS-related complications, a portion of the proceeds will be set aside for the Test Positive Aware Network's Charles Clifton Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship fund will help bring HIV positive athletes to Chicago for Gay Games VII.
Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival will take place 15-22 July 2006. Over 12,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will compete in 30 sports ranging from softball to dancesport, swimming to tennis. The weeklong event will include band, cheerleading and color guard performances, chorus, an ancillary arts festival, and a series of community-organized social events and parties. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 15 July at Soldier Field, the lakefront home stadium of American-style football's Chicago Bears. Closing ceremony will be 22 July at Wrigley Field, the home of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, located in the heart of Chicago's largest LGBT neighborhood.
For the first time, the Gay Games in Chicago will receive widespread television coverage on the Q Television Network.
Registration for Gay Games VII is now open at www.GayGamesChicago.org
