42nd Anniversary Dinner (2011)

In the Fall of each year, Dignity/Los Angeles celebrates the anniversary of its founding in 1969 as the very first chapter of Dignity. In 2011, the chapter's 42nd Anniversary Dinner was held in the Oak Room of the Sportsmen's Ledge Events Center, Studio City, California, on Saturday, October 15, 2011. Liz Larsen made the arrangements for this year's event.

At the Anniversary Dinner each year, the chapter honors at least one individual with its Archangel Award, for long-standing service to the chapter and the GLBTQ community. This year, the Archangel was awarded to Frank Miller, as shown in one of the photos below.

At the Anniversary Dinner each year, the chapter also awards a cash grant to support some worthy GLBTQ community cause. This year's grant was $1,000 to SPIN (Suicide Prevention and Intervention Now), a project formed to be a resource to combat bullying, exclusion, and anti-LGBT discrimination, as a part of Life Works, the program of Youth Services at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Los Angeles. This grant from the chapter is the first ever received by the Center specifically for the SPIN project; and present at the event to accept this grant on behalf of the Center was its representative Jorge Mellado.

Featured entertainment at the event was Johnny Ace Palmer, World Champion Magician. In addition, throughout the course of the evening, guests were invited to take part in a traditional Silent Auction. It was very amply stocked, featuring four tables full of assorted treasures, gift items, and dinner offers. That wide range of items on display for bids made for some high-intensity browsing!

Below are some candid photos taken at the event:

At the celebration above, is Frank Miller (on the left), the recipient of this year's Archangel Award, with his life companion (and legal spouse) Shoji Yamauchi.

At the celebration above, Amber and Keith are in spirited conversation before dinner.

At the celebration above, Kevin, Dirk, and Keith (left to right) engage in some fond reminiscing about all the chapter activities over the course of the last year.

At the celebration, Dayne (left) offers a toast to Tom and the other Dinner guests;
and David from the Palm Springs chapter is seen in the rear to the left.

At the celebration above, Adrian (the recipient of the Archangel Award last year), John, and Jim (left to right) are all ready for dinner to start; and Aldo is seen in the
rear at the right.

At the celebration above, are shown Jim (left) and his partner Raoul, who came
down from Lompoc for the event.

At the celebration, Raoul, Fred, and Jim (left to right) give their smiling approval.

At the celebration, new members Donna and Amber are embracing the activities.

Roddy and Frank (left to right) were among the ten members of the San Fernando Valley chapter of Dignity in attendance at the event.

At the celebration above, Johnny Ace Palmer amazes us with his breathtaking close-up magic. Visible in the background (from left to right) are Chris, Sergio, and Javier from the San Fernando chapter of Dignity.

Above is from Dignity chapel the day after the Anniversary Dinner.