Leatherati

Ron Greenwood Fundraiser

When one of us suffers…

By: Olivier Pratt 

Eighteen years ago I was standing in a dark dingy hole in the wall bar called the Toolbox in Tulsa Oklahoma. I’d ventured out in my finest Wilson leathers hoping for some fresh meat to put on my sexual plate. I’d already been involved in what little Leather there was for several years in Hawai’i, playing where I could, learning what I could and trolling all the places I had any hope of finding what I needed so badly.

When I moved back to the mainland, I realized that there was a lot more Leather out there for me to explore, so I started doing just that. On that fateful night in the Tulsa Toolbox, a tall lumbering bull of a man came up to me, looked at me in the eye, poked me in the chest and said, “You need to be at our next club meeting.” He kept coming back after every few songs to re-hammer his point in. 

The fourth time he came back, he jabbed me even harder and said, “Are YOU gonna be at our meeting?” I finally built up the nerve to grab his hand and said, “Who the fuck are you and why would I come to your meeting.”  He replied, ” I’m Ron Greenwood, I’m the DJ here, and you’re a Leatherman who needs to come to our T.U.L.S.A. meeting.” 

I was scared out of mind; I just stared back at this very intimidating man and said, “OK, that sounds interesting, I’ll be there.” He replied “I thought you might, see you there.” When he walked away, I grabbed my piss soaked crotch and realized I was rock hard. My Leather journey had just taken a new direction. It was frightening and invigorating at the same time.  My head was spinning, my fears were rampant, but my cock knew otherwise. 

True Love for True Colors

The 13th Annual 12 Days of Christmas

Hooker & Boys whipped out another year of their tinsel town antics with the 13th Annual production of "The 12 Days of Christmas" on Saturday December 10, 2011.

Baltimore, Maryland’s Club Hippo set the stage for the greatest combined effort of the Drag, Leather, Straight, Bisexual, and Transgendered communities.

Shawnna Alexander, Summer Clearance, Karen Schwartz Crecelius along with Deb Jones and Susan Weinstein emceed a multitude of acts including singing, illusion, and skits.

People came from near and far donating their money, time and talent to make this year's program a complete success. 

During the production there was a simultaneous silent auction, bootblacking and pictures with Mr. and Ms. Claus.

This year's production was dedicated to Momma Connie Cox, Daddy Joe Betz, Mr. Steve Jackson and Mr. Ron Zimmerman, Jr. for their continuing support of the LLGBSTQ Communities.

Leather Men’s Brotherhood donates $20,000 to Community Organizations in 2011

At their recent Volunteer Appreciation Party at Fort Lauderdale’s popular Mojo Restaurant, Leather Men’s Brotherhood presented checks for $20,000 to the two organizations that had been promised grants from Leather Masked Ball proceeds. 

$10,000 was given to Broward House.  These funds were approved as seed money for Broward House to kick off a Gay Teen Suicide Prevention effort.  Broward House grant writer Alan Tiano reported that LMB’s grant had enabled the organization to obtain an additional $30,000 and that the program is now almost completely funded. 

$10,000 was presented to the Leather Archive and Museum in Chicago as a sustaining gift.  This is the sixth year LMB has contributed to the archive, which is the only repository of Leather Community history and artifacts in the country.  Rick Storer, the Executive Director of LA&M notes that this amounts to five percent of LA&M’s annual operating budget. 

Lambda Men’s Brotherhood Inc / Leather Men’s Brotherhood is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that produces The Leather Masked Ball as a Leather Community outreach to create community partnerships through education and philanthropy, with emphasis on donating to important GLBT community needs and supporting the leather community.  

LMB President Ken Fiegel noted as he thanked volunteers assembled that in its six year history The Leather Masked Ball has raised over $110,000 for community non-profits. 

Mama's Toy Drive at The Bolt Sacramento

Sash Bash 2012

Mr. Michigan Leather is bringing Sash Bash back to Detroit, Michigan!

Mr. Michigan Leather 2012 Adam "Woody" Woodruff will host Sash Bash 2012 on Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at the R&R Saloon, 7330 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI. 

Everyone is invited to attend this event and support "Woody" as he continues his preparations for IML 2012. Titleholders past and present from not only the Michigan area but from everywhere are invited to come and celebrate the Michigan Leather Community. 

There will be an MML Weekend Package give away at this event, in addition to Jell-o shots/pudding shots, and other great prizes. 

There's a $2 cover charge for the event. Monies raised at this event will go towards the MML Travel Fund.

Check out the website www.mmlweekend.com for more details.

Leather and Laughter

What do you get when you cross comics with leather people in a bar? Leather & Laughter! 

by Leatherati North Correspondent, J.J. Deogracias

Here’s a joke to start off this article:  

Ninety nine leather people walked into a bar. 
The bartender said, “Sorry, I don't serve your kind.”
The leather people barked, "Why the hell not?!" 
The bartender said, "Hey, don't have a cow!" 

Get it? Cow... Leather? 

Okay, maybe that wasn't the best joke I could write. And you can be sure those types of corny jokes weren’t on the line-up for the second rendition of Leather & Laughter, which happened on September 23, 2011. Organized by the Heart of the Flag Federation (HOTFF), Inc., this fundraiser took place in Goodhandy’s Pansexual Playground, and the comics who performed and the kinky people who watched were not bound by the limits in other comedy venues.

“It’s funny. We’re a group of people where you can sort of whip at us, and it doesn’t scare us, but the thought of going to a really vanilla uptight Yuk Yuk’s bar scares the crap out of us,” said HOTFF board member, Victoria Windsor who originated this event. “It’s a night where it’s a flat fee, you get great entertainment, and there’s nobody juggling a bucket under your nose asking for pocket change ... and [the comics] don’t have to censor their materials with us.”

12 Days of Christmas - Lucky 13

Hooker & Boys presents this year’s annual charity gala...

The 12 Days of Christmas, Lucky 13 held at the HIPPO in Baltimore on Saturday, December 10^th, 2011.

Celebrate the kick off the Holiday Season with an award winning, star-studded cast, representing the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Straight, Leather, Drag and Rodeo communities.

 

Fur Ball

On Saturday, October 15th, join the Northeast Ursamen at Partners, 365 Crown Street in Hartford, CT for Fur Ball, a night of fur and fun

Celebrate the Northeast Ursamen's 19th Birthday! Bear Night at Partners with TWO main events: Hairiest Chest Contest and Silent Auction!! Hairiest Chest will take home a cash prize.

Special Judges: Stephen Hogan, Jr. (Mr. Boston Bear 2011), Matt Kenney (Mr. Connecticut Leather 2012),  Joe Mannetti (Mr. International Daddy Bear 2009).   

The Silent Auction will feature an array of special items so you better come ready and willing to bid on these awesome prizes!

$5 Cover - Members of the Northeast Ursamen who attend the Annual Meeting earlier that evening will get in free.  Drink specials all night.

All proceeds to benefit the Jim Michel Memorial Fund.

News to Abuse: Palm Springs Leather - Operation I ♥ it in the Can - Southwest LeatherSIR/boy/CBB

Palm Springs Leather

The event gnomes have been busy this summer in Palm Springs getting geared up for the PS Leather Pride event.  Couple of things to note:

• The Meet and Greet will be on Thursday, 11/10 at Hunter's 
• The Formal Leather dinner is at Leon's again this but in an entirely new location AND the dinner includes call liquors this year.  
• The Back Lot Cruising Party will have more bartenders this year and more patio heaters.

They've also just announced the judges for PS Leather 2012

• Lance Holman – International Mr. Leather 2010 1st Runner Up and Mr. San Francisco Leather 2010
• Drew Kramer – Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2011 
• Alex Lindsay – American Leatherman 2009 
• Amy Marie Meek – Executive International Ms. Leather Producer Emeritus
• Anthony Rollar – Mr. San Diego Leather 2010 and 2nd runner up for International Mr. Leather 2011
• Utah Rox – International Mr. Olympus Leather 2010
• Rik Newton Treadway, Mr. Maryland Leather 2009

More info and tickets on the website