Auckland gay community bars Urge and Caluzzi have presented a cheque for $11,000 to the New Zealand AIDS Foundation: It’s the proceeds from their Beer Garden and Dance tent at this year’s Big Gay Out. The latest donation means that the K Road bars have contributed around $40,000 to the NZAF over the last five years of running the tents. Urge owner Paul Heard said the money raised was made possible by the great number of volunteers who gave up their time to help out at the tents this year. NZAF Executive Director Shaun Robinson says the Foundation is incredibly grateful to Urge owners Paul Heard and Alan Granville and Caluzzi owner Campbell Orr for their on-going support. He says the bars continue to be two of the most consistent supporters of the NZAF. “This year is the fifth year in a row that they’ve donated their event proceeds to the Foundation. They don’t have to do this but the fact that they do shows a real commitment to our cause and to the importance of the Get it On! Big Gay Out to the LGBTI community.” Robinson says the money will be used to help pay for new HIV testing technology, fund outreach testing clinics and resource the growing volume of counselling for people living with or at risk of HIV.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 20th March 2013 - 10:33pm