Florida Yacht Club, Jacksonville
Saturday, September 26
Equality Florida’s gala season continues with the upcoming Greater Jacksonville Gala. The gala, presented by PNC Bank, will be held at the Florida Yacht Club (5210 Yacht Club Rd., Jacksonville) 
on Saturday, September 26, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The theme of this gala is “Bourbon & Bowties” and organizers ask that you dress in cocktail attire revolving around that theme.
At the Gala, attendees can expect hors d’oeuvres that represent the tastes of the South, luscious desserts, open bars, a bourbon tasting and a cigar bar on the terrace, a VIP lounge for sponsors, a silent auction, and dancing with music provided by DJ Jacob Towe. Also at the event, Equality Florida co-founder and CEO Nadine Smith will give her “State of the State” address, outlining Equality Florida’s successes in the past year and what needs to be done to secure full LGBT equality in the future.
At the gala, two people will be honored by Equality Florida. The first honoree will receive an 
Equality Means Business award and that honoree is Steven T. Halverson, president and CEO of Haskell Company. During his time as head of Haskell, Mr. Halverson instituted equal protections for LGBT employees, and the company has been a leading voice in support of LGBT protections for all Floridians.
The second honoree will be given the Voice for Equality Award, and that award will be given to Ginger Harris. Ms. Harris has been a leader in the Jacksonville LGBT community for many years and has spearheaded the push for Jacksonville’s city council to enact an LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance. She has been involved with the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network (JASMYN) for many years, serving on its board and organizing such events as the “Feel Tha” bash, which is JASMYN’s largest annual fundraiser. She was also on the early steering committees for the very first Equality Florida Greater Jacksonville Gala events.
Tickets are available for purchase right now and cost $125 per person ($35 with a valid student ID). Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500 and include complimentary tickets. For more information on how you can purchase your ticket, visit eqfl.org/jacksonvillegala or call (407) 376-4801. Your names will be held at the door for verification upon arrival.
Equality Florida is the state’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to full LGBT equality. For more information, visit eqfl.org.
