The Last Page of Watermark is dedicated to individuals who are making a positive impact on the LGBTQ communities in Central Florida and Tampa Bay.
In the current issue, we check in with Matt LaMariana (pictured above, right), founder and president of Animal Rescue Fund and owner of Boomerangs Thrift & Gift. Keep an eye on this space to learn more about the movers and shakers of your community.
Hometown: Upstate New York
Identifies As: Gay
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Out Year: 1983
Profession: Founder and President of Animal Rescue Fund, the organization behind Boomerangs Thrift & Gift
Professional role model: His dad
Autobiography Title: “Trainwreck”
What do you do professionally?
I founded the not-for-profit Animal Rescue Fund which is the organization behind Boomerangs Thrift & Gift, a thrift and gift shop whose profits are donated to local animal rescue nonprofits. We are partnered with three organizations here in Central Florida who our profits go to; Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, Happy Trails and Metta Rescue Family.
We originally opened Boomerangs in Wilton Manors, Florida in 2011 and then moved it up to the Orlando area this year. We were set to have our grand opening at the end of March, but the world went to hell and we had to push it off until the end of May. We had planned a grand opening with all our rescues and raffles and adoptable animals but had a simple opening due to the pandemic. We just flipped the OPEN sign on and unlocked the doors.
Why is Boomerangs called Thrift and Gift?
We are a combination thrift store and gift shop. We have items that have been donated that we sell, but we also have some new stuff we sell to entice people in who might not otherwise come into a thrift store.
What is your favorite thing to read in Watermark?
I don’t know that I have a favorite section. I think as a whole it is a great publication and seriously read it front to back every time I get the new issue.
What is your favorite local LGBTQ event?
We haven’t really gotten the chance to experience any LGBTQ events since moving up here with the pandemic and all.
Also being married, I don’t go out all that much but our [Animal Rescue Fund] vice president [Steve Morrall (pictured above, left)] is single and refuses to go out on his own so we have chaperoned him a bit and we loved The Hammered Lamb.
We are looking forward to getting the opportunity to check out more of the LGBTQ community once it is safer.
What would you like our readers to know about you?
I’m not as angry as I look.
What advice would you give your younger self?
No matter what you do, there really is no preparing for a pandemic.
Do you have pets of your own?
I have two dogs; their names are Fritz and Pebbles. Fritz is a terrier mutt and Pebbles is a pitbull mutt.
What is the strangest donation you have received?
We have had people try and donate used sex toys. Yeah, you have to think an awful lot of yourself to think that someone wants your used sex toy.
Is There anything else you’d like to add?
We are hiring here, so if you are looking to work for a company helping animals, send your resumes to HR@BoomerangsThrift.com.
Know someone who you think should appear on our Last Page: You can recommend people by sending an email to Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams at Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com for a Central Florida person and Tampa Bay Bureau Chief Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com for a Tampa Bay person.
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