For John Tayer, emceeing the upcoming Open Door Fund gala on Saturday is what’s great about calling Boulder County home.
“I believe strongly in diversity and inclusion,” says Tayer, President & CEO of the Boulder Chamber and a former Trustee of The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County. “And I believe in supporting those people in our community who are often marginalized, or not respected in ways that they should be. I love the community that the Open Door Fund supports, and I want to continue to uplift the diversity and inclusion it represents.”
“My wife and I have been supporters of the Open Door Fund – and attended most of the galas – since the beginning,” Tayer continues. “In particular, I’m very sympathetic to youths and their issues of identity. Not only do many young people experience normal growing pains, but there’s a particular discomfort in that period of life when you’re dealing with issues of identity, too.
“This event is all about acceptance and tolerance, and celebrating the many contributions of the LGBT community. Not to mention, this event is always a very fun and entraining time.
“It’s a wonderfully loving and generous community…I’m excited to support that, and to help drive contributions to the cause.”
Adds Keith Brown, a co-chair of the Open Door Fund Advisory Committee: “I believe in giving back to the community, and the Open Door Fund is a philanthropic organization that supports a variety of LGBT organizations in the county.”
“This year, our theme is What’s Your Legacy,” says Brown. “We received a $50K donation and we’ve challenged ourselves to raise enough funds to match that donation. It’s an ambitious goal, but I think it’s doable.
“If successful, that’s $100K per year for the next three years – including money to lots of causes that aren’t necessarily LGBT. We also give money to education and safer schools, homelessness assistance and more.”
Indeed, 2014 grantees of the Open Door Fund include Attention Homes, the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, the Boulder Valley Safe Schools Coalition, the Second Wind Fund and the Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center, among several others.
“We encourage people to simply give what they can,” says Kay Maune, a key organizer for the event who anticipates some 250 people at this year’s dinner. “Boulder is a hotbed of LGBT activism, and I’m really excited because we’re celebrating local heroes and heroines.”
Local changemakers to be recognized at the event include Hillary Hall, Boulder County Clerk; and Frank O’Caña, HIV Prevention Director and ATLAS Program Coordinator at the Boulder County AIDS Project. TEDx speaker Ash Beckham will keynote the event. Register for the event on April 11, or learn more here.
