Orlando Museum of Art
Saturday, October 3
The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida (“The Center”) has grown by leaps 
and bounds in the past few years, especially when it comes to fundraising. Three years ago, The Center debuted their signature annual fundraiser, the Black and White Gala, to much success, and each year the event has grown in terms of money raised and the number of attendees. This year, organizers are promising the best Black and White Gala yet. 
The annual Black and White Gala will be held once again at the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N. Mills Ave.) on Saturday, October 3, beginning at 7 p.m. and going on until 11 p.m.
This year’s theme is “A Night at the Cotton Club,” and attendees are strongly encouraged to dress in this 1920s theme. Men, get your seersucker suits out and your pants with the Oxford bags! Women, style your hair in a bob and wear a fancy flapper dress complete with Mary Jane heels! Get prettied up like the “It” girl or boy everyone knows you are, because this event will have everyone up on their feet partying like it’s 1929!
The evening will begin with a four-course, sit-down dinner catered by John Michael Catering and Events. Afterwards, attendees will make their way from the banquet hall into the Orlando Museum of Art’s lobby, where there will be a number of live entertainers performing for your enjoyment.
Stroll into the main gallery and not only will you find yourself immersed in all of the art collections OMA has amassed over the last 90 years, you’ll also be front and center for the silent auction, with gifts and vacation packages donated from various businesses and organizations throughout Central Florida. Some special items will be saved for the live auction which will be held later in the evening. A few auction items to look out for include a cruise for two and a Fender guitar signed by the members of the ’70s/’80s classic rock group Styx!
If you’re feeling lucky, there will also be an area called the “Cotton Club Casino” set up so you can play your favorite games of chance. All proceeds from ticket sales, the live and silent auctions, and the casino will benefit The Center, allowing them to continue serving the Central Florida community like they have for the past 37 years.
Tickets are available for purchase right now and can be bought online by going to thecentergala.eventbrite.com. Tickets are priced at $150 per person, with tables of eight at the dinner priced at $1,500. There will be a $9.24 online processing fee added onto the ticket price for each attendee. All major credit cards are accepted. If you’re interested in buying tickets in person at The Center, call (407) 228-8272.
ABOUT THE CENTER
The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida started operations in 1978 as “Gay Community Services,” a crisis hotline for gay men. Over the years, The Center grew to add a brick-and-mortar space for the Central Florida LGBT community (located for the last ten years at 946 N. Mills Avenue in the Mills 50 District of Orlando) as well as services and support groups for all people in the LGBT community. The Center bills itself as the oldest LGBT community center in the state of Florida, and also calls itself the largest HIV tester in the Orlando metro area, averaging between 400 and 500 HIV tests per month. Over 15,000 people are impacted by The Center’s programs and initiatives each year.
The Center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week except for Sundays, when The Center closes at 5 p.m. The current executive director is Terry DeCarlo, who started in the role last year after moving from South Florida and the organization Broward House.
Hotspots Media Group is a proud sponsor of The Center’s annual Black and White Gala. For more information on the Black and White Gala and other upcoming events, visit glbcc.org/events.html. For more information on The Center, visit glbcc.org. Visit them on social media as well by going to facebook.com/thecenterorlando and twitter.com/glbtcenterfl.
