- WORLD PREMIERE OF TRAILBLAZING GAY GAMES DOCUMENTARY AT NYC’S NEWFEST
The 4 June world premiere of Take the Flame! Gay Games: Grace, Grit and Glory by documentary filmmaker David Secter received a warm, enthusiastic audience response at NewFest, New York City’s annual LGBT film festival. Viewers praised the film’s balance in showcasing not only the two decade history of the Gay Games and its times but also the fascinating story of the Gay Games’ key founder, the late Tom Waddell.

Another NewFest event on the weekend of the world premiere of Take the Flame! Gay Games: Grace, Grit and Glory was a forum on LGBT athletes in sports. Panelists included Secter, Gay Games Ambassador Bruce Hayes, and Laura Moore, Federation of Gay Games delegate from the International Gay Figure Skating Union. Earlier in the week, an event at Gym Sportsbar promoted the film and raised money for the Federation’s scholarship fund. That event was co-sponsored by Maloney & Fox, HXConnex and, of course, the Federation and Chicago Games Inc.

New Yorkers at the film premiere had a particularly hearty reaction to clips of New York’s Gay Games IV in 1994, including some good-natured boos for a controversial ex-mayor. Comments included amazement at how fresh the video looked from the first two Gay Games in San Francisco. From Vancouver to Amsterdam to Sydney -- the unique features of each Gay Games received special coverage in what Secter calls a “jock doc.”

During the question and answer session after the world premiere, one young man, who has never been to the Gay Games, summed up the thoughts of the audience about Secter’s incredible feat pulling so many historical clips and interviews together, saying, “You may never know how future generations will thank you. It's an amazing work and I applaud you.”

More photos from the premiere
David Secter website

- TEAM SYDNEY CELEBRATES ONE YEAR TO GO TO CHICAGO!

The Host City Team from Gay Games VI, Team Sydney, is gathering for a celebration dinner on 12 July to start the one-year countdown to Chicago's Gay Games. The exciting new lesbian owned and operated restaurant, "Catfish Gotta Eat," is the location for a night of delicious food, Australian wine, and lots of entertainment. The evening will be hosted by Miss Dolly Wood, the glamourous drag star who is also a serious athlete and Gay Games gold medal winner. A special guest will be Ji Wallace, who won a silver medal for trampoline at the Sydney Olympic Games and is hoping to win gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Proceeds for the dinner will assist Team Sydney's delegates to attend the 2005 Federation of Gay Games annual meeting in Chicago in November. Also benefiting from an auction during dinner will be the Federation's Scholarship Program. Those attending will be able to bid for a number of autographed photographs of members of the Australian Olympic Team who attended the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Team Sydney

- GLTA ON THE MOVE

The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) completed its first ever GLTA Championships consisting of the top men and women in each of five GLTA singles divisions. “This year-end event was designed to promote more frequent participation, especially among players who travel overseas, as well as rewarding those players who excel in tournament play throughout the year,” said Mark Reiter, GLTA Commissioner.

“Based on the great feedback from our January 2005 event in Miami, we’re expanding the Championships to include both singles and doubles events this year.” GLTA also announced that its member clubs donated more than $75,000 to charities in 2004, an average of more than $2,000 per club. “We always knew our clubs were doing great things for important charitable causes, but even we were surprised at how successful they were last year,” said Rich Williams, Tournament Standards Chair of the GLTA. “Member clubs of the GLTA collectively represent the largest charitable grant writer in the LGBT sports world.” The Heart of Texas Classic in Austin was the most prolific of all GLTA tournaments, raising more than $7,000 for AIDS Services of Austin in 2004.

Founded in 1991, GLTA oversees the largest international LGBT sport circuit consisting of over 40 annual events and 4,320 active participants. The GLTA welcomes players of all abilities to participate.

More at www.glta.net

- TEAM BAND GETTING IN TUNE FOR CHICAGO GAY GAMES
The 15-member Board of Directors of Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA) recently held its mid-year meeting in Chicago. Performing under the “Team Band” banner, this group wanted an up close and personal look at the city where it will be during July 2006. The highly productive meetings took place at a hotel just a few blocks from Wrigley Field, site of the Gay Games Closing Ceremony. The first meeting happened to take place on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day game, so the neighborhood was packed with excited sports fans. A few of the LGBA Board members even attended one of the Cubs’ games that weekend so they could see the venue with their own eyes (and enjoy the wonderfully historic Wrigley Field ambience).

GBA/Team Band Board at its recent Chicago meeting with Tracy Baim (second row, second from left)

One of the highlights of the weekend meeting included a trip to the stage of the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park where the big Gay Games band concert will take place. The artistic leaders for that concert had just been announced by LGBA, and includes the conductors from the Lakeside Pride Band of Chicago, Band Together of St. Louis, and the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band. Speaking of Lakeside Pride Band, this 80-piece group held a spectacular concert that weekend; it was themed “Shall We Dance?” and it featured a wide array of dance music from around the world.

Other highlights were a planning meeting with Tracy Baim, Co-Chair of Culture Programming at Chicago Games Inc., a tour of the Palmer House Hilton hotel where Team Band will stay and rehearse, and the taping of a happy birthday video message for the Melbourne (Australia) Rainbow Band that was celebrating its 10th anniversary. Rest assured that when the curtain rises at the 15 July Opening Ceremony, Team Band will be there!

Members of LGBA/Team Band Board in Millennium Park with Pritzker Pavilion stage in the background

LGBA represents many hundreds of musicians in its 25 bands and affiliated cheer groups. Gay bands have performed at every Gay Games since 1982. One need not be a member of an LGBA band in order to be a part of “Team Band” at the Chicago Gay Games. Just register as any other participant would, choose the “Band” event, and you will eventually be contacted by Team Band officials with more information. One need not even be a musician, as cheerleaders, color guard members, and band aides are welcomed and needed.

More at www.gaybands.org

- GERMAN CYCLING CHAMPIONS PETRA RÖSSNER AND JUDITH ARNDT BECOME NEWEST GAY GAMES AMBASSADORS
On 3 June, Petra Rossner and Judith Arndt of Germany, Olympic medalists, international cycling stars, and partners, became the latest world class athletes to join the Gay Games Ambassadors Program. "We are both really pleased to get the opportunity to support the Gay Games as Ambassadors," said Arndt, after recently completing several months of training with Nuernberger Versicherung in preparation for the 2005 professional season.

Arndt's and Rossner's sport has been a part of every Gay Games from the beginning in 1982, when cyclo-cross and road races were held. In July 2006, at Gay Games VII in Chicago, cycling competitions will be held in criterium, mountain biking, road race and time trials.

Already a supporter of the Sydney Gay Games in 2002, Rossner said, "It's our goal to bring the Gay Games to the world's attention, to get more people to know about this event and the whole idea behind the Gay Games. Knowing that cycling has always been a big part only makes us happier to tell people about the Gay Games."

Both Rossner and Arndt have competed in Chicago and say the city's terrain and experience hosting cycling events will prove favorable for competitors of all skill levels at next year's Gay Games.

"Cycling is our first love, of course, but there is a sport for almost everyone at the Gay Games," said Rossner. "We can't think of a better goal to set than to get fit and take part in an event that does so much on behalf of the gay and lesbian community around the world."

Federation of Gay Games co-president Kathleen Webster praised Rossner's and Arndt's achievements and said, "We're honoured that Petra and Judith are becoming Ambassadors in the middle of their ongoing professional careers. Their openness and enthusiasm about the goals of the Gay Games are an inspiration and I'm sure will earn them many new fans."

Gay Games Ambassadors

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE FEDERATION OF GAY GAMES “HOUSE PARTIES”

The FGG is coordinating a series of House Parties that will help raise awareness and funds for the Federation of Gay Games.

The concept is simple: Gay Games supporters will host a party at their homes and invite their friends and teammates, asking for a small donation from
each person.

These House Parties will take place at the same time on the same date and will be linked via telephone Conference Call with one of our special Gay Games Ambassadors.

The first round of House Parties will take place in mid-September in North America. Look for details in the next issue of Participate! or contact bminor@gaygames.org