Hello to all my Family and Friends. I hope everyone is in good health and spirits.
Here I go again, I can’t believe it’s almost June. Gay Pride is just a few weeks away!
Thanks to everyone who helped raise $662 for Rick Herman. He couldn’t thank us enough. Special thanks to Georgia Jackson, Tamika Kansas, Jennifer Lynn, Rushena Fontaine and coEmcee and entertainer Stella! Thanks to all our Southbend Family and friends who tipped all the performers.
Al’s Comedy Show was a hit and a hoot, as they celebrated Mothers for the month of May. Thanks to Russell, Liz, Dillon, Tia, and our newest to the stage was Jules. Great show! Speaking of Al, he has been a great help to me inside and outside the bar. But folks, HE WORKS ME TO DEATH, Only the sweat from my brow am I allowed to drink at times. (LOL)
Cooking with Connie in May for Spring Deserts winners were: 1st place Dan and Paul with Strawberry Cheese Cake and 2nd place was Al with a Banana, Pineapple, Orange Cake. Both were very good. On June 8th, we will be having our Baked Beans cook-off. Thanks, Big Al who brought us Italian Cream Cake and a Chocolate Truffle fresh berry tart. They were delicious.
Congratulations to our Stallions Softball Turnabout Show who raised over $800 for their team. Special thanks to Veronica Vale, Butch, Stella, Jennifer Lynn, Tamika, and the CAST! GREAT SHOW!
Join Roger, John, and Stella and her fellas on Wednesday for Bear Happy Hour, 5 pm - 8 pm. They are raising money for Kaleidoscope Youth Center through Wednesday, July 31st. On that day they will have the best summer side, cold salad cook-off. You get to vote for your favorite $1 a vote, you can vote as many times as you want! All money raised in the cook-off will go to Kaleidoscope. Also, they will have a 50/50 raffle and Jell-O shots. Showtime is at 6 pm and food served at 5 pm. Thanks to everyone who is and has already donated. We have already collected $143.
So I hear there was a response from the past history of some of the bars from long ago. Around 1973 - Georgia Jackson, Charlotte Parr, Brandy LaMonte, and myself started the first drag shows, on a regular basis, at Vic’s Hide Away at the corner of Gay and High. The bar upstairs was called the keg room. They also had a kitchen. Our stage was a small dance floor. NO STEREO TO PLAY OUR ALBUMS OR 45s. Our stage, lighting were clip-on lights. We gave a friend of ours, quarters to play our songs off the jukebox. Another friend would tip us generously to get the crown going. Then we would meet him after our number and give back some of his money so he could tip us again. This was a STRAIGHT BAR and DRAG was ILLEGAL then. We would wait tables after the show was over for tips only. We had others that joined us from time to time. Miss Patly, Anita Peters, Brenda Kay Starr, Ginger St. John, and others. Boy drag has sure grown in Columbus. From juke box drag to Miss Gay America!
I’m glad to have lived in the times when our gay lives weren’t just taken for granted. We’ve worked hard to pass many laws so our community could have it easier. Yes, we still have a long way to go. The harassment from the police was as bad as some of the harassment from our other friends and family.
Gay bars, back in the old days, had no windows, NO OUTDOOR SIGNS, or lighting outdoors. We wanted nothing to attract police, haters, or just plain idiots. It was a different time then.
Sunday, May 26th, we crowned a new Miss Southbend Newcomer as Mimi Sharp had to step down. During Mimi’s reign, every show she was in, Mimi did one number for charity. With those tips and her fundraisers, she was able to give to Kaleidoscope Youth Center $6,000. We are proud of you Mimi and you should be proud of yourself. We had 4 contestants this year Traci Von Trapp, Paris Mann, Harley Monroe, and Kari O’Knife. Mimi Crowned Kari O’Knife as Miss Southbend Newcomer 2019 and Traci Von Trapp as 1st Alternate. I think Everyone who participated in the pageant, our judges and entertainers. John, Roger, Jamie, and “G”. It was a Great Night.
Also, thanks to all our families, friends, and patrons who have been with us these last 8 years. Val, Bill, and I celebrated our 8th year anniversary Sunday, May 26th, as owners of Southbend Tavern. We THANK YOU AGAIN.
Remember Monday is Memorial Day. Join us for our Cookout/Potluck at 2 pm. Al is cooking out on the grill hamburgers and hot dogs. Kenny is bringing pulled pork. He smoked it himself. And of course, we’ll have plenty of sides to go with it. So join us. You only have to bring your appetite.
I personally want to thank all the veterans who fought for our wonderful country and especially to those who died serving our country.
I will close, for now, leaving you with this one last thought: No matter what your challenges are in life, NEVER EVER GIVE UP. When you do. That’s when you lose.
Take Care of yourselves and each other.
Love,
Connie