2007
Marks
the
sixth
annual
atlanta
Cotillion
Ball,
featuring
the
drag
debut
of
seven
local
men
who
dedicated
their
summer
to
raising
money
to
support
AID
Atlanta’s
fight
against
HIV/AIDS.
The
ball,
set
for
Sept.
15
at
the
Georgia
Freight
Depot,
will
see
the
crowning
of
the
Queen
of
the
Atlanta
Cotillion
Ball,
the
deb
who
through
a
series
of
events
throughout
the
summer
raised
the
most
money
to
contribute
to
the
year’s
total
fundraising
goal
of
$80,000.
Co-chairs
Edward
Holifield
and
Greg
Whitmire
look
forward
to
the
culmination
of
this
year’s
Cotillion
fundraising
season,
noting
the
dedication
of
a
smaller-than-usual
group
of
debs
as
well
as
active
involvement
from
Holifield
and
Whitmire
themselves.
“We
have
seven
debs
this
year,
and
of
course
the
less
debs
you
have,
the
more
challenging
it
is
to
raise
the
money,”
says
Holifield,
“but
the
co-chairs
have
really
stepped
up
with
their
sponsorship
solicitations
…
and
the
debs
are
amazing,
just
really
compassionate
and
committed
and
enthusiastic.
It’s
overwhelming
each
year
to
meet
and
get
to
know
a
new
group
of
guys,
and
it’s
their
enthusiasm
that
keeps
us
motivated.”
Whitmire
credits
the
debs
—
Jay
Dempsey,
Lance
Elliott,
Jeremy
Faulkner,
Rodney
Hinote,
Steven
Igarashi,
Ray
Macon
and
Chris
Mayer
—
with
breathing
new
life
into
the
lead-up
events.
“This
year
for
the
first
time,
we’ve
had
a
group
of
debs
that
have
chosen
a
lot
of
different
ways
in
which
to
raise
their
money,”
Whitmire
says,
noting
that
the
fundraisers
in
years
past
largely
took
the
form
of
a
series
of
pool
parties.
“They
have
only
done
a
couple
of
those
this
year.
We’ve
seen
debs
do
fashion
shows,
art
gallery
exhibits.
We’ve
seen
them
going
more
after
the
corporate
sponsors,”
he
says.
“We’ve
been
extremely
thrilled
with
the
way
the
debs
have
changed
for
a
different
market.”
Aid
atlanta
is
also
pleased
with
the
the
efforts
of
the
co-chairs
and
debs.
“I
consider
it
grassroots,
old-school
fundraising,”
says
Jon
Santos,
AID
Atlanta
special
event
manager.
“It’s
deep
in
the
trenches;
it’s
house
parties;
it’s
a
series
of
different
sorts
of
events;
and
it’s
personal
appeals.”
He
says
Atlanta
Cotillion
helps
AID
Atlanta
keep
in
touch
with
their
original
mission.
“It’s
very
personal,”
he
continues.
“With
AID
Atlanta,
fundraising
can
become
very
institutionalized
25
years
after
the
onset
of
the
pandemic,
but
they’re
still
out
there
working
hard.”
The
ball
itself
takes
the
form
of
a
formal
cocktail
party,
with
attendees
purchasing
one
of
two
types
of
ticket:
a
$75
Belle
ticket,
which
requires
the
purchaser
to
arrive
in
“ladies
formal
evening
attire,”
according
to
Cotillion’s
website,
and
a
$150
Escort
ticket
that
allows
the
purchaser
to
attend
in
black
tie
“gentleman’s
formal
evening
attire.”
Escort
tickets
are
limited
to
a
maximum
of
200
sold.
“We’ll
probably
have
a
record
[attendance
of]
400
or
a
little
bit
more,
which
is
really
exciting,”
Holifield
says.
“We
just
continue
to
grow
each
year.”
Tickets
may
be
purchased
through
Atlanta
Cotillion’s
website.
