A Timeline of Support

November 2003

GLRF hosts rower city launch in Chicago, to promote visibility of gay and lesbian rowers in the city. GLRF places ad in Chicago Free Press. Cost of ad - $130.

GLRF attends annual meeting of the Federation of Gay Games. Votes as one of four delegates against the withdrawal of the license agreement from Montreal. Background on issue and vote.

December 2003

Chicago indicates that rowing may be included in their rebid for the Gay Games VII, given enough sponsorship support and sufficient rower registration.

March 2004

Chicago wins the rebidding for Chicago Gay Games VII. Rowing is confirmed as one of the sports.

April 2004

GLRF creates web pages for the Gay Games rowing regatta in the Regattas+ section.

June 2004

GLRF hosts booth at Los Angeles Gay Pride. GLRF creates Chicago poster board display and presents brochures. Cost of booth and material - $550.

GLRF hosts booth at New York Gay Pride. GLRF creates Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. Cost of booth and materials - $120.

July 2004

GLRF hosts booth at the United Kingdom National Championships. GLRF creates a Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. GLRF hosts two socials: in London, at the London Rowing Club, and at the d2 nightclub in Nottingham, and displays Chicago Gay Games brochures at both events. Cost of booth and materials - $900

GLRF hosts a booth at the EuroGames 2004 Rowing Regatta at the Munich Oberschleissheim Rowing Centre. GLRF displays Chicago Gay Games posters and presents brochures and cards - $60

October 2004

GLRF submits offer to Chicago Gay Games to participate in a coop advertising campaign in Rowing News in 2005. Proposed joint cost - $1230.

GLRF hosts booth at the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston. GLRF creates Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. Cost of booth and materials - $2300.

November 2004

GLRF attends the annual meeting of the Federation of Gay Games in Cologne, Germany. The GLRF delegate visits the world championship FISA class A certified rowing course, Fuerhlinger See. GLRF lobbies Cologne host city organizers to include rowing as an additional sport for their bid for the 2010 Gay Games. Cost - $750

March 2005

GLRF hosts booth at the San Diego Crew Classic. GLRF creates Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. Cost of booth and materials. Cost - $750

Three cities submit bids for 2010 Gay Games. Rowing is not one of the featured sports in any of the bids. Cologne is eventually selected as the winning bidder.

April 2005

GLRF visits Buenos Aires, Argentina. GLRF tours the Tigre area and meets with ten major rowing clubs, presenting Gay Games brochures. GLRF visits several gay bars in Buenos Aires and presents Gay Games posters and brochures. 

June 2005

GLRF hosts a booth at the Stonewall XII Regatta in Washington DC. GLRF creates a Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. Cost - $50

GLRF partners with the New York City NewFest film festival in presenting the gay rowing film Summer Storm. GLRF and local rowers pass out promotional material on rowing and getting ready for the Gay Games. Cost - $50

July 2005

GLRF partners with the Los Angeles OutFest film festival in presenting the gay rowing film Summer Storm. GLRF hosts an informational table for moviegoers to visit after the movie. GLRF presents Gay Games brochures and cards. Cost - $50

August 2005

GLRF hosts a booth at the Royal Canadian Henley in St. Catharines, Ontario. GLRF creates a Gay Games poster board display and presents brochures and cards. GLRF offers a special gift bag for booth visitors who make a minimum purchase. Included in the bag are Chicago Gay Games brochures with a special discount registration code sticker. Cost - $650

Members of the GLRF Regatta Advisory Group visit Chicago to meet with the Chicago Gay Games Sports Director to discuss status and planning for the rowing regatta. Using a GLRF rental car, meeting participants visit 5 potential rowing venues. GLRF contacts and sets up a meeting the same day with Susan Urbas, a well-respected and influential rowing organizer and official in the Chicago rowing community. Cost - $750. 

October 2005

GLRF hosts a booth at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. GLRF creates a Gay Games poster board display. Cost of booth and materials - $2200.

November 2005

GLRF attends the annual meeting of the Federation of Gay Games in Chicago. No updates are provided by Chicago Gay Games representatives on the progress of organizing the rowing regatta. Cost - $450.

GLRF meets with representatives of the Crystal Lake Rowing Club to propose the use of Crystal Lake as the venue for the Gay Games rowing regatta. Cost of rental car and gas - $57

December 2005

With no progress made in the planning and preparation for the Chicago Gay Games rowing regatta, GLRF suspends promotion of the regatta on its website. It directs visitors to the Gay Games website and provides a copy of the letter and supporting documentation.

May 2006

At the request of Chicago Gay Games and following the designation of Crystal Lake as the rowing venue, GLRF resumes promotion of the Gay Games rowing regatta. 

August 2006

In recognition of the immense amount of community support for the Gay Games VII rowing regatta, GLRF purchases a display ad in the Northwest Herald for Friday, August 18, to publish a letter. Cost - $393.