Rugby tourney welcomes teams
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —On Oct. 1, the Charlotte Royals Rugby Club hosted their second annual Queen City Crown tournament, welcoming over 200 players and supporters and seven teams from across the U.S. to the Rugby Athletic Center.
Opening the three-day event was N.C. State Sen. Jeff Jackson.
Tourney lead Craig Maxwell shared that they were “extremely excited” to host the tournament again with even more attendees than last year. Prior to the event, Maxwell also said, “With everything that’s put North Carolina, and Charlotte in particular, in the news this last year from HB2 to the recent protests, it means a lot to us that we can still be an example to players from all over that this is the welcoming city that we know it to be.”
Teams represented were from Washington, D.C., Dallas, Texas, Baltimore, Md., Columbus, Ohio, Atlanta, Ga., Charleston, S.C., Nashville, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C. Round robin scoring system was featured.
The Crown welcomed its first ladies matches between the Charlotte Women’s Club and the Nashville Stone Lions. Charlotte’s team was victorious.
The Nasville Grizzlies took the win in final play against the Royals. Atlanta’s Bucks netted third place.
On the lighter side, participants were able to enjoy meet and greets, game play, socials, after parties and camaraderie.
info: queencitycrown.com.
Sleep collections ongoing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In observancee of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month during October, the Charlotte-Mecklenbug Police Department is sponsoring “Operation Sleep Safely” which is a contribution drive to benefit the Safe Alliance Domestic Violence Shelter. The department’s Domestic Violence Unit is serving as coordinators of the project.
Needs for the shelter are: new twin-sized sheet sets (preferably bleachable, white), new twin-sized blankets and comforters, new pillows, new white bath towels and bleach by the gallons.
Collection bins are located at each division team office (Central, 119 E. Seventh St., Suite 2B; Metro, 1118 Beatties Ford Rd.; Eastway, 3505 Central Ave.; North Tryon, 4045 N. Tryon St., Suite B; Providence, 715 N. Wendover Rd.; University City, 8401-120 University Executive Park Dr.; Independence, 9315-G Monroe Rd.; South, 8050 Corporate Center Dr., Suite 100; Hickory Grove, 5752-A N. Sharon Amity Rd.; North, 10430-R Harris Oaks Blvd.; Westover, 2550 West Blvd.; Freedom, 4150 Wilkinson Blvd.; Steele Creek, 2227 Westinghouse Blvd.), the Police Training Academy, 1770 Shopton Rd., as well as the headquarters building at 601 E. Trade St.
The initiative ends on Oct. 31.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, “On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.”
The LGBT community is not immune to domestic violence and cases have been reported in that demographic.
info: charlottenc.gov/cmpd. thehotline.org.
Season comes to end
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Roller Girls will engage in their last home bout of the season on Oct. 29, 5 p.m., at the Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Dr. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tailgaiting begins at 3:30 p.m. in the center’s parking lot.
The double header matches up the Charlotte All-Stars versus the Cape Fear All-Stars. The second match between the Charlotte B-Dazzlers and the Cape Fear Black Harrts follows at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12/advance adult, $16/at the door and $7/advance child, $9/at the door. Children under 5 are admitted free.
The Girls will cap off the evening at Pure Pizza, 1911 Central Ave., with an after party and celebration.
info: charlotterollergirls.com.
It’s bingo time!
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gay Bingo Charlotte will brings its light-hearted evening of fundraising to the Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Dr., on Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m. Proceeds go to support the work of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network.
Theme for this installation is “Star Bingo — The Force for Good Awakens.”
Participants will be entertained throughout the evening by Barbara Burning Bush and her BVD (Bingo Verifying Divas).
Since the first event in February 2000, bingo attendance has grown from the 100 person maximum at the Great Aunt Stella Center to sell out crowds of close to 2,000 people at Grady Cole Center.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m, and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $35/single and $450/reserved tables or $400 for 10. Parking is $5 per car, cash only.
info: gaybingocharlotte.org. carolinarain.org.
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Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.