Chicago 2008 Hall of Fame honorees announced

Chicago, IL — The Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues has named the 2008 list of individuals and organizations for inclusion in the only known government-sponsored hall of fame that honors members of th LGBT communities, announced Commissioner and Chairman Dana V. Starks.

Chosen nominees will be inducted at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame's 18th annual ceremony, which will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in Sidney R. Yates Gallery at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., and the program is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Included in the list for 2008 are four important Gay Games supporters:
- Suzanne Arnold, for her long-term work in the local and national lesbian and gay sports community, including her terms as cochair of Team Chicago, female vice cochair of the Federation of Gay Games, and cochair and sports codirector of Gay Games VII in Chicago.
- Kevin G. Boyer, for his service to the LGBT communities, including his work as president of Gerber/Hart Library, cocreator of national Gay and Lesbian History Month, cofounder of the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and vice cochair of Gay Games VII in Chicago.
- Sam Coady, for his advocacy for LGBT workplace equality and for his long-term contributions to the LGBT sports communities, including founding the Chicago Hoops Classic - the largest and longest-running LGBT basketball tournament in the world - and cochairing Gay Games VII in Chicago.
- Joe La Pat (1943-2008), entrepreneur, for his generosity and wide-ranging support for Chicago's LGBT community, including early key support for Proud To Run, Strike Against AIDS, Chicago House, Gay Games VII - especially for international athletes who participated - and the Center on Halsted.

You may read the entire list of honorees and information about the program on the Chicago GLHF web site.

Previous honorees included Tracy Baim, Renae Ogletree, Mona Noriega, CC Carter, Tarrina Dykes, and others associated with Gay Games, prior to this blog being launched.