CLAW donates a record $55,000 to 17 groups

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland--The Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend board announced on June 21 that April�s 11th annual CLAW festivities raised over $55,000 to be donated to 17 non-profit organizations.

According to treasurer Donn Wolfe, half of that money will go to the eight northeast Ohio organizations on the list, the other half will go to groups further afield, ranging from local to international organizations. The donation to the CLAW Endowment, which ensures that charitable giving would continue should CLAW cease to be held, is not counted in that total.

Wolfe noted that �$55,000 is $20,000 more than we gave last year, and it�s the most we�ve ever given.�

Among the Ohio organizations receiving donations are the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, Camp Sunrise, Cleveland LGBT Pride, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network of Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland LGBT Center, the MetroHealth Pride Clinic, Prince of Peace Community Center and Violet�s Cupboard.

The other organizations include the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund in California; the Community-Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities; the Leather Archives and Museum; the Leather Hall of Fame; the Leather Leadership Conference XVII in Seattle, Washington; Mr. Friendly, an HIV awareness campaign; the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom Foundation; the Sharon St. Cyr Fund, which provides hearing aids; and the Tom of Finland Foundation, which preserves and restores artworks.

It is the first year that the Tom of Finland Foundation has received a CLAW donation.

In total, CLAW and its related CLAW Nation events have donated $391,697 as of June 22.

Next year�s CLAW 12 will again be hosted by the Hilton Garden Inn from April 25 to 28. Information is available at www.clawinfo.org.

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