Tampa PFLAG recognized again
It’s been a big year for Nancy and John Desmond. The couple who rebooted the Tampa chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), received a Hero award from the Human Rights Council of Hillsborough County on Dec. 12. If the two look familiar (pictured above) they should—they were also grand marshals in the 2014 St. Pete Pride Parade in June. The couple have a gay son who lives out of state, and have helped expand PFLAG’s influence around Tampa Bay and in multiple counties. The 41st Annual Awards Breakfast was held at the Westshore DoubleTree hotel in downtown Tampa.
Dogs and Drag? This bar says yes to both
There’s a new LGBT establishment in town—right on Memorial Highway in Tampa. Dachshunds Bar and Grill is open for business and has given long-time performer Stephanie Shippae her newest starring gig. Shippae (Hey Everybody!) is the emcee and headliner of the Friday night drag shows at the club, located at 5915 Memorial Highway. The shows start at 8:30 and features a recurring cast of special guests. The club, which opened in August, is LGBT friendly, obviously, and also welcomes our four-legged kids since it neighbors a dog park. Visit Dachshunds.bravesites.com or find them on Facebook for more details.
Subtly, St. Pete Pride reveals its new logo
While supporters of St. Pete Pride celebrated the holidays at the ever-growing Red & Green fundraiser held at Sunken Gardens, the organization quietly unveiled its brand new logo—without one direct mention of it. On display boards lit and mounted on easels along the entry path to the park, the new St. Pete Pride logo was shown along with facts and figures about the 12-year-old Pride. Those who noticed the design change—which features two interlocking six-sided, white diamonds—seemed confused by the change. All will be revealed soon, however, according to executive director Eric Skains and board president Scion Provenzano. They’ve both agreed to speak to Watermark to discuss the new logo and 2015 St. Pete Pride plans in our Jan. 2 issue.
A very Chamber Holiday
To commemorate the holiday season, the Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce held a special cocktail mixer at Crumb & Cork in downtown Tampa on Dec. 4. The large crowd helped raise money through raffle tickets for Francis House, which assists HIV positive clients in Hillsborough County. The festive atmosphere was boosted by the addition of a large Christmas tree in the upscale bar and the inter-mingling of several other groups holding celebrations as well. The raffle raised $400. Not bad for a two-hour event!
