June 7, 2016
GayBINGO Raises Funds for AIDS Fund of Philly
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
On June 11, AIDS Fund's GayBINGO event celebrates its 20th anniversary raising funds for HIV/AIDS services in the Greater Philadelphia region. This fun and festive event is open to anyone who enjoys campy humor. Cash prizes will be awarded.
Guests will enjoy a night of bingo games hosted by Bingo Verifying Divas (BVDs), drag queens who entertain the crowd and verify if players win bingo. To celebrate GayBINGO's anniversary, guests will participate in a sparkling cider toast. It's a night of campy fun, cash prizes, and drag queens set to the theme of the Roaring '20s.
GayBINGO was named Best of Philly (Gay Event), won PGN's Lambda Award for Best Fundraiser, and was the subject of a popular WHYY documentary. GayBINGO has also been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. The event has raised over $3.3 million to date. GayBINGO sponsors are McAdam, Tavern on Camac, UBar, Starbucks, and Philly AIDS Thrift.
���������������������������������
AIDS Fund produces a variety of fundraising and awareness programs throughout the year, including AIDS Walk Philly, AIDS Run Philly, GayBINGO!, Black-Tie GayBINGO!, World AIDS Day, and Workplace Giving Campaigns. The AIDS Fund grant program supports partner organizations in the Philadelphia Region that provide AIDS and HIV-related services, education, and prevention including increasing public awareness of HIV/AIDS issues.
AIDS Fund is also the Philadelphia affiliate of The Names Project, curating panels of The AIDS Memorial Quilt for a local audience. The 30th Annual AIDS Walk Philly will take place on Sunday, October 16, 2016.
GayBINGO will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 at The Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19147. Reserved seating tickets on the Bingo floor are $25. General admission tickets in the balcony are $20.
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
