New FGG Partners

The FGG recently welcomed OutInIreland and Team Oregon as the newest Gay Games Partner organisations.
FGG VP of Diversity Kate Rowe identified OutInIreland as one of the groups that the FGG should target for membership during her 2007 travels in 2007. In May of 2008 members of the FGG board first met Frank Kelly, the founder of OutInIreland, at le Tournoi International de Paris, a multi-sport tournament put on by FGG member FSGL. Frank had established Out4Tennis in 2004 as “a network of GLBT tennis players from around Ireland that come together on a regular basis for tournaments and meets. From OUT4TENNIS, it became apparent that there were many tennis players with other sports and interests.” Squash and Rowing were also active sports and have been added to the OutInIreland network. The organisation’s mission is to “promote participation in sport by the Irish GLBT community.” See www.outinireland.net for details.

Team Oregon was created to promote participation in Gay Games VIII in 2010. Based on the publicity its new website obtained, the FGG’s Membership Committee contacted Team Oregon about becoming a partner. The organisation’s marketing expert, Rob Patton, quickly responded with an application to become a Gay Games Partner. This group is really taking off. It had a Team Oregon 2010 Launch Party on January 16 that was well attended. It is encouraging Oregon athletes to organize in order to travel to Cologne next summer. A group of bowlers is actively participating in Team Oregon. See http://www.teamoregon2010.org/ for details.