Home for the Holidays, which helps people with AIDS visit family,reorganizes, gets ready for Mr., Miss Charity fundraising pageant
 |
| Rodd Grey, aka Patti Le PlaeSafe |
When the Mr. and Miss Charity America pageant benefiting the Home for the Holidays program kicks off at the Round-Up Saloon on Sept. 30, it will begin a new era for the longtime charity, according to its coordinators.
The charity, which is now known as Home for the Holidays Texas, originally operated as Home for the Holidays under the umbrella of Razzle Dazzle Dallas before Razzle Dazzle Dallas ceased operations. The group has raised money since 1992 through the annual pageant to help people living with AIDS to go home for the holidays.
The group reorganized as its own nonprofit group this year, and it is seeking volunteers to serve on the board of directors and in committee positions. Coordinators hope money and travel miles can be raised throughout the year to plan for travel expenses and to help individuals who want cremation services.
Rodd Grey, president of the charity and one of the founders of the original group, noted the mission is the same as when the vision for the original group was created in 1990 by him and former Mr. Gay USA John Gordon.
“Our mission is our willingness to volunteer our time, organize our skills and present our service in a professional demeanor to people living with AIDS,” said Grey, who is also known as “Patti Le PlaeSafe.”
“We expect to be the liaison between people living with AIDS, our community and our overall society,” Grey continued. “We want to expand and enhance opportunities for people living with AIDS by providing the chance for them to spend quality time with their loved ones.”
Grey said the charity is unique.
“We feel that sending people living with AIDS home for what might their last trip gives hope and closure for the recipient as well as the family,” Grey said. “There is no way to explain how your heart feels when you hand a ticket to a person living with AIDS who finally gets to go home and see relatives they have not seen in years.”
The pageant will be held at the Round-Up Saloon, 3912 Cedar Springs Road, on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
For information call 866-342-0812 or visit www.homefortheholidaystx.com.
This article appeared in the September 14 edition of the Dallas Voice.