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| Atlanta Cotillion’s 2007 debutantes (from top left): Jay Dempsey, Lance Elliott, Jeremy Faulkner, Rodney Hinote, Steven Igarashi, Ray Macon and Chris Mayer. |
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HOME > SOVO SCENE > NIGHTLIFE
By: ROB BECK
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2007 Marks the sixth annual atlanta Cotillion Ball, featuring the drag debut of seven local men who dedicated their summer to raising money to support AID Atlanta’s fight against HIV/AIDS. The ball, set for Sept. 15 at the Georgia Freight Depot, will see the crowning of the Queen of the Atlanta Cotillion Ball, the deb who through a series of events throughout the summer raised the most money to contribute to the year’s total fundraising goal of $80,000.
Co-chairs Edward Holifield and Greg Whitmire look forward to the culmination of this year’s Cotillion fundraising season, noting the dedication of a smaller-than-usual group of debs as well as active involvement from Holifield and Whitmire themselves.
“We have seven debs this year, and of course the less debs you have, the more challenging it is to raise the money,” says Holifield, “but the co-chairs have really stepped up with their sponsorship solicitations … and the debs are amazing, just really compassionate and committed and enthusiastic. It’s overwhelming each year to meet and get to know a new group of guys, and it’s their enthusiasm that keeps us motivated.”
Whitmire credits the debs — Jay Dempsey, Lance Elliott, Jeremy Faulkner, Rodney Hinote, Steven Igarashi, Ray Macon and Chris Mayer — with breathing new life into the lead-up events.
“This year for the first time, we’ve had a group of debs that have chosen a lot of different ways in which to raise their money,” Whitmire says, noting that the fundraisers in years past largely took the form of a series of pool parties.
“They have only done a couple of those this year. We’ve seen debs do fashion shows, art gallery exhibits. We’ve seen them going more after the corporate sponsors,” he says. “We’ve been extremely thrilled with the way the debs have changed for a different market.”
Aid atlanta is also pleased with the the efforts of the co-chairs and debs.
“I consider it grassroots, old-school fundraising,” says Jon Santos, AID Atlanta special event manager. “It’s deep in the trenches; it’s house parties; it’s a series of different sorts of events; and it’s personal appeals.”
He says Atlanta Cotillion helps AID Atlanta keep in touch with their original mission.
“It’s very personal,” he continues. “With AID Atlanta, fundraising can become very institutionalized 25 years after the onset of the pandemic, but they’re still out there working hard.”
The ball itself takes the form of a formal cocktail party, with attendees purchasing one of two types of ticket: a $75 Belle ticket, which requires the purchaser to arrive in “ladies formal evening attire,” according to Cotillion’s website, and a $150 Escort ticket that allows the purchaser to attend in black tie “gentleman’s formal evening attire.” Escort tickets are limited to a maximum of 200 sold.
“We’ll probably have a record [attendance of] 400 or a little bit more, which is really exciting,” Holifield says. “We just continue to grow each year.”
Tickets may be purchased through Atlanta Cotillion’s website.
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