ST. PETERSBURG | More than 650 festive St Pete Pride supporters filled Sunken Gardens Dec. 7 for the organization’s annual Red & Green Party.
Sunken Gardens is St. Petersburg’s 100-year-old living museum, housing some of the region’s oldest botanical treasures amongst its more than 50,000 tropical plants and flowers. Attendees of the 10th annual holiday party explored its growing collection while enjoying a silent auction, appetizers, an open bar and a four-queen drag competition hosted by Tampa Bay entertainer Adriana Sparkle.
Ticket sales and the silent auction benefited St Pete Pride’s Community Grants program, which St Pete Pride President Chrys Bundy highlighted between performances by presenting a check for $1,000 to Family Resources President Lisa M. Davis. The organization works with vulnerable and often homeless LGBTQ youth throughout Pinellas County, providing programming and safe spaces.
Bundy also presented EPIC Executive Director Joy Winheim with a check for $2,000 to benefit the organization’s food pantry. The organization accepts donations in Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa to provide basic food, personal care and household cleaning supplies to those impacted by chronic and advanced illnesses throughout Tampa Bay.
As the winner of the evening’s drag competition, Ashlee T. Bangkx received another check for $1,000 to donate to the charity of her choice. The entertainer chose Project No Labels, which seeks to unite Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community through community engagement.
“I want to thank everyone that’s here tonight for celebrating with us,” Bundy shared. “I hope you enjoy this year’s changes and I hope that you give of your heart to our amazing awardees tonight … Happy Holidays.”
For more information about St Pete Pride’s Community Grants Program and Red & Green 2019’s awardees, visit StPetePride.com, FamilyResourcesInc.org, MyEPIC.org and ProjectNoLabels.org.
Photos by Dylan Todd, Ryan Williams-Jent.
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