The UWM LGBT Alumni Chapter of the Alumni Association plans to start a scholarship fund for LGBTQIA students and hopes to disburse aid in 2015. (LGBTQIA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, a-sexual and ally.)
To get there, however, the group needs to raise at least $10,000. One of the board members has offered a $5,000 match to be donated after the first $5,000 is raised. So far, they’ve raised a little over $1,000 and will host its first fundraising event on Wednesday, Nov. 26 to raise more.
The event is "drag queen bingo" at Hamburger Mary's, 2130 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., and will feature ten games of bingo called by the sassy and hilarious Dear Ruthie. It starts at 8 p.m. Bingo cards are $10 each and the event is cash only.
This event, fondly referred to as "Hambingo," will sell out, so reservations are necessary. Call (414) 988-9324 to make one.
Everyone who attends Hambingo that night gets a goody bag and most of the prize packages are worth between $300 and $500, including prizes from local restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, fashion boutiques, bars and bakeries.
A romantic overnight for two at a Downtown hotel and a theater package will also be in the mix of prizes along with a raffle, drink specials, singing and drag queens.
"Basically, everything you need to start your holiday weekend off right," says Susie Seidelman, board member of the UWM LGBT Alumni Association.
All proceeds will go toward the LGBTQIA scholarship.
"Over the past decade and really over the past year, we've seen huge victories for equality, but these victories do not mean our problems are solved. LGBTQIA people are disproportionately affected by all kinds of negative problems, and LGBTQIA kids drop out of school at much higher rates than their straight peers," says Seidelman. "We're starting this scholarship to proactively deal with this aspect of the problem."
Scholarship donations are also accepted through the UWM Foundation's website. In step two of the donation process where it says "Direct my gift to," choose "UNIVERSITY WIDE" and then "UWMAA LGBT Chapter Scholarship."
So, who's got O-69?
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
