Friday, December 28, 2001

Atons Holiday Fundraiser

(Leather Life column published in Lavender Magazine, Issue #172, December 28, 2001)

On December 9 there was holiday spirit in abundance as The Saloon hosted the Atons’ third annual Holiday Fundraiser and Silent Auction. Over 50 items were auctioned off including leatherwear, rubberwear, toys, original art, books, collectibles, and gift certificates to local businesses.

Leather barber Vince spent the evening cutting hair and two bootblacks spent the evening shining boots. Once the hair was cut and the boots were shined, one could have one’s picture taken with Leather Santa (Saloon manager Walter McLean) by Portfolio Studios. Videographer Chrys Zaglifa documented it all with on-camera help from Lavender editor Timothy Lee.

Over 700 lbs. of food were collected for the Aliveness Project’s Holiday Basket program, while donations at the door and auction proceeds raised over $3,750, again for the benefit of the Aliveness Project.

PHOTO ATFX-01, ATFX-02: Lavender editor Timothy Lee, left, was the roving on-camera reporter helping Chrys Zaglifa, right, videotape the event.

PHOTO ATFX-03: Atons member Paul Rozendaal gives Atons president Sam Carlisle a big bear hug.

PHOTO ATFX-04: Some of the silent-auction merchandise.

PHOTO ATFX-05, ATFX-06: Left to right: Toby Trevis, Mark Hall and Frank Bohlander.

PHOTO ATFX-07: Left to right: Atons members B.D. Chambers, Brian Spence, Tom Burger and president Sam Carlisle. Spence’s shirt reads “Be Naughty—Save Santa the Trip.”

PHOTO ATFX-08: Bootblack David Page polishes Sherman Ford’s boots.

PHOTO ATFX-09, ATFX-10: Paul Honigs, right, gets a trim from leather barber Vince, left.

PHOTO ATFX-13: Joy and Michelle—some of their best friends are leathermen and leatherwomen.

PHOTO ATFX-16: Left to right: Mike Welton and Atons members Jim Courtney and Mark Ludwig.

PHOTO ATFX-17: Some of the food collected for the Aliveness Project.

PHOTO ATFX-21: Members of the Black Guard of Minneapolis. Left to right: (unidentified), Tom Weiland, Black Guard president Ric Stokes, Mike Delorme, Bruce Gohr, Pat Duffy.

PHOTO ATFX-22: Russ Helbig, right, gets a bootshine from bootblack Brian Preston, left.

SANTA WALTER.TIF: This year’s Leather Santa was Saloon manager Walter McLean.

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