Author: andres@davidperry.com

“Zero Tolerance for Public Drinking” Campaign Reminds Revelers to Party Safely on New Year’s Eve

San Francisco Police Stresses “Safe, Sane & Sober” Behavior on Monday, December 31

30 December 2012 – San Francisco, CA: As in years past, thousands of revelers are expected to ring in the New Year throughout San Francisco on Monday, December 31, 2012 and into the wee hours of January 1, 2013. As was the case last year, San Francisco City officials are reminding partiers to keep it safe, sane and sober on City streets.

“For the last few years, we have instituted a policy aimed at taking individuals who were drinking in public or drunk in public off the streets. This year, we will continue to remove offending individuals from the streets,” said San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr. “We want everyone to have a good time, but we want to remind people of a simple fact: drinking in public is illegal. It only takes one drunk driver or one out of control individual to spoil the night for everyone.”

Chief Suhr also stressed that there will be zero tolerance for open containers of alcohol.

While there is no official City sponsored celebration or street closures for New Year’s Eve, there is an annual fireworks display over San Francisco Bay for which many people line the sidewalks along the Embarcadero to observe at midnight.

“It’s a wonderful, celebratory evening but one in which people sometimes take their partying to the streets,” says Chief Suhr, noting that over the years, New Year’s Eve has sometimes become an excuse for nuisance and even violent behavior. Just in case, Suhr makes clear: the SFPD, including its alcohol control officers, will be out in force to ensure public safety. “This year – as in years past – we just want to remind people to keep it safe, sane and sober in San Francisco this New Year’s Eve. Spending the night with the SFPD – in custody – is no way to ring in the New Year.”

LGBT Founded Start-Up & Fun Maps Help LGBT Movement

Media Contact: David Perry
415-693-0583
news@davidperry.com

www.gyde.ly
www.funmaps.com

12 December 2012 – San Francisco: Gyde.ly (www.gyde.ly) an event guide app provider, is partnering with FunMaps (www.funmaps.com) publisher of the most widely used gay and lesbian publication in the U.S., to create a holiday gift for the LGBT movement. For 2013, Gyde.ly and FunMaps will provide a free event guide app to any LGBT event benefiting LGBT nonprofit organizations.

“Events are an important component of the LGBT movement. Gatherings like San Francisco Pride help raise awareness and funds for the cause,” said Shane Mayer, Gyde.ly Director of Sales and Marketing. “Gyde.ly is pleased to partner with FunMaps to provide complimentary apps for events benefiting the LGBT movement. Our guide apps enhance events and create a new revenue opportunity for event producers.”

“For over 25 years, we have provided our guides to the LGBT community. We are delighted to partner with Gyde.ly to cover the cost of apps for LGBT events,” said Alan H. Beck, Publisher and President of FunMaps.

Gyde.ly produced the first ever mobile app guide for San Francisco Pride this year. SF Pride is one of the largest Pride gatherings in the world, and the second largest public event in California. Gyde.ly helped SF Pride generate $5,000 in new revenue through their app.

Event organizers who sell sponsored activities inside their guide app generate extra revenue. They also can provide timely updates to participants at their events. LGBT event organizers should contact Gyde.ly at www.gyde.ly/lgbt for their free app.

About Gyde.ly

Founded by three LGBT entrepreneurs, Gyde.ly makes mobile apps that put event guide and program information in the hands of attendees. Gyde.ly allows all events to create a full-featured guide with 1,000 downloads for free and to upgrade to a low cost plan if more downloads are needed. Gyde.ly also brings sponsors to events through unique activities inside the Gyde.ly app that engage brands with their target demographic audience at events and can raise new revenue for events.

About Fun Maps

Since 1982, FunMaps® have been promoting gay and lesbian friendly businesses in resort areas and major cities throughout the United States and Canada. Each FunMap® contains detailed street maps, business directories, community resources, listings and beautiful display ads, all of which welcome and invite gay and lesbian patronage. Celebrating 25 years of serving the GLBT community, our circulation is now over 3.5 million maps, making FunMaps® the most widely used publication in the gay and lesbian market today!

‘Broadway for Sandy’: A Holiday Concert

Media Contact: David Perry
415.676.7007
news@davidperry.com

www.broadwayforsandy.com

WHAT: ‘Broadway for Sandy’: A Holiday Concert
BRAVO TV personalities in San Francisco benefit
WHEN: Monday, December, 10: 8pm
WHERE: The Elbo Room (647 Valencia Street, San Francisco)
DETAILS:

Alissa Simmons, Marcus Lovingood and Hermione Way from BRAVO’s ‘Start-Ups: Silicon Valley’ hope to raise $50,000.00 for Hurricane Sandy Victims by hosting a Broadway Benefit Concert in San Francisco. This exclusive, 100-seat only holiday concert event will be performed at the Elbo Room in San Francisco and bring together Top Broadway Stars and Technology heavyweights to ring in the season and raise money to help Sandy recovery. Proceeds raised will go toward the American Red Cross and Occupy Sandy disaster programs specifically allocated for Hurricane Sandy Relief. Broadway headliners will perform classic and contemporary Holiday tunes to a live orchestra with a catered fundraising reception to kick off the evening and a star studded VIP after party. Music Directed by: Jesse Vargas.

BROADWAY PERFORMERS:
Kate Rockwell – Currently the lead in Bring it On, Legally Blonde, Grease, NBC’s – You’re the One That I Want
Darius De Haas –Children of Eden, Dreamgirls
Nick Blaemire — Godspell, Glory Days
Pip – Star of the second season of The Voice on Team Adam Levine
Nathan Parrett – Star of the second season of The Voice on Team Adam Levine
Foster Miller – Rocky Horror, Girl From Hell: The Musical


Futureleap Media:

Marcus Lovingood’s online Production and Distribution Company will use the powers of social media to virally distribute the live album and documentary series about the making-of ‘Broadway For Sandy’ to be released on Facebook before Christmas. Producer Marcus Lovingood hopes to raise an exceedingly large amount of donations from record sales and merchandising, using the powers of viral video and Facebook fanbase building to raise money for Americans in need, as reflected in his successful social media campaigns for President Obama in the 2012 Presidential race.

Estate of Thomas M. Dross Makes Major Long Term Gift to AIDS Emergency Fund

Media Contact: David Perry
415.693.0583
news@davidperry.com

www.aef-sf.org

1 December 2012 – San Francisco, CA: The estate of San Francisco resident Thomas M. Dross intends to donate $1 million to the AIDS Emergency Fund (www.aef-sf.org) to be used over several years including for the solicitation of ongoing challenge grants. The gift was announced today in San Francisco as part of the 30th Anniversary gala benefiting the acclaimed nonprofit that provides ongoing support to the AIDS/HIV population.

“The AIDS pandemic has been with us for more than 30 years, and those living with the disease continue to need care, funding and support, especially as they age,” said AIDS Emergency Fund Executive Director Mike Smith. “This bequest, while the largest single donation ever made to AEF, does not eliminate the continuing and growing need for funding. In light of the continuing financial crisis and the challenge faced by the AIDS/HIV community to raise vital funds, we are especially grateful for the incredible generosity of the Dross estate, and the message it will send: AIDS is not over, and we still need your help in the ongoing fight.” Dross, of Palm Springs and San Francisco, died following a sudden heart attack on January 7, 2012. Originally from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Dross moved to San Francisco in the 1970s where he became a well-known advertising and marketing professional, working for such prestigious firms as Pritikin & Associates. Later, he was the founder and owner of one of San Francisco’s most popular financial district restaurants, “Upstairs, Downstairs.” He attended Widner College in Chester Pennsylvania and received his degree from the University of Pennsylvania. As a youth, He went to St. Mary’s Parochial school, St. Matthew’s High School and was a member of St. Mary’s Church all in Conshohocken. Dross is survived by a family of friends in both Palm Springs and San Francisco and family in Pennsylvania.

“Tom was one of the kindest and most generous people we ever met,” said a joint statement from Alfredo Casuso and David Perry, co-executors of the Dross will. “His will stipulated that the main beneficiaries of his will would be AIDS charities. There is no greater example of the ‘San Francisco Model’ of AIDS care than the AIDS Emergency Fund. We look forward, over the next few years, to working with AEF to make sure these funds get put to good use.

The AIDS Emergency Fund responds compassionately to the AIDS crisis by providing immediate, short-term financial assistance to help people disabled by HIV/AIDS to cover their basic human needs and stabilize their living situations. The AIDS Emergency Fund operates with low overhead to raise and distribute funding to those most in need who are experiencing genuine emergencies or have an opportunity to permanently stabilize their living situation. Short-term financial assistance from AEF is a key element of San Francisco’s continuum of care, and AEF collaborates with other service providers to insure that clients access all available resources and assistance.

Through compassionate intervention by AEF, people living with HIV/AIDS can maintain access to medical care and drug therapies, avoid eviction and homelessness, and live with greater stability and dignity during their illness. For more information go to www.aef-sf.org

AIDS Emergency Fund to Unveil Engraved Boulder Dedicated to Sylvester in National AIDS Memorial Grove

Friday 10 am, Nov 30, 2012

Media Contact: Mike Smith
415-558-6999 x 7
Mikesmith@aef-sf.org

www.aef-sf.org

AIDS Emergency Fund has commissioned an engraved boulder to be added to the National AIDS Memorial in Golden Park in memory of Sylvester James, internationally acclaimed disco-era performer who died of AIDS in 1988. He, along with his backup singers, Two Tons O’ Fun (Martha Wash and Izora Rhoades) lit up the music charts in the late 1970s and were regular performance in the Castro vibrant early-80s dance scene.

Sylvester was one of the earliest performers to give his time to AIDS causes. Sylvester left the rights to his music royalties to AEF and Project Open Hand. His legacy continues to feed and house people battling HIV/AIDS more than 24 years after his death.

WHAT: Unveiling of memorial stone for Sylvester
WHEN: Friday November 30, 2012, 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM
WHERE:
National AIDS Memorial Grove, Golden Gate Park Corner of Middle Drive and Nancy Pelosi Way
WHO: Speakers include:
Mike Smith, Executive Director, AIDS Emergency Fund
Kevin Winge, Executive Director, Project Open Hand
John Cunningham, Executive Director, AIDS Memorial
Martha Wash

Miss Wash is a former Sylvester singer and nationally known dance diva (“It’s Raining Men”, “Everybody, Everybody.”) She is in San Francisco to perform and accept a Lifetime Achievement Award from AEF at their 30th Anniversary Gala in the Grove on Saturday, December 1, World AIDS Day.

Press is welcome. Modest refreshments provided.