The celebration of the year Christmas on Cape Cod held it's 7th annual party on December 5th at its new home in Hyannis, The XXXXXX Inn. A lot of planning, much of it from Candy's hospital room, had gone into making this years party the success that it was. There were about 90 ladies in attendence.
This was the first major Innvestments event that The XXXXXX Inn had hosted and it was a learning curve for all concerned. The key factor in making the event a successful accomplishment was the super accepting perspective that the XXXXXX exhibited toward Innvestments and the transgender community. They have shown a unique willingness to work with us (as we want to work with them) in making not only our larger events successful, but our regular monthly meetings as well.
We had our normal welcoming table set up and received many more favorable comments on this than in past years. We feel that this was due in part to the fantastic entrance to The XXXXXX Inn lobby and the fact that not everyone was familiar with the hotel setup. We feel that this table is always a posi-tive addition and will keep this welcome arrange-ment for future events. A special thanks to Rachia for her dedication in staffing this table.
Ms Liz, Innvestments President started the evening off with Carolann once again performing magic with her fashion show. The lovely models; Brenda L., Robyn L., Judy T., Denise S., Noelle R. and Jayne L., all Innvestments members, paraded and twirled with the finest of fashions from Carolann's Model's Resale. We want to thank Carolann for her usual fantastic accomplishment; to Robyn L. who played escort to the girls; to Theresa Marie for her quick change assistance, all behind the scenes; and to all the ladies who modeled the elegant clothes. Then came the dinner, with everything from clam "chowdah" to desert, and yes it was good. During the introductions, Liz introduced each of the TG groups that had members attending the affair. We had representatives (and individuals) from groups from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania as well as from Massachusetts.
After the introductions the annual Innvestments Awards were announced. An "Atta Girl" award was presented to Robin Kelley for her exceptional work at the annual summer picnic where she was chief cook as well as bottle washer. The Presidents Award was presented to a completely surprised Joan Cossey. We do not have enough space to publish the many, many ways in which she has assisted Innvestments in realizing its goals and achievements. We later learned that of the various awards she has received from the business community and other civic organizations, she considers this award the most meaningful. Both awards were well deserved.
YOUR INNVESTMENT is a publication of Innvestments, P.O. Box 2194, Orleans, MA.02653-2194 / P.O. Box 354, Sagamore, MA 02561-0354. Innvestments is a non-sexual service organization founded to support and to provide a socially acceptable outlet for the crossdressing, transvestite, transsexual, transgendered community located primarily in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint any article in Your Innvestment is hereby granted to non-profit similar organizations provided that publication and authorship credit be given. Any commercial use of Your Innvestment material is hereby prohibited. Some material may have previously appeared in print. Publication and authorship rights of material reprinted from other sources remain with its originator. The editor/s of Your Innvestment are not under any obligation to accept information and advertisements. Information and advertisements may be published in any form deemed acceptable. Any information about services, products or sympathetic locations published in Your Innvestment is not considered an endorsement of such by the staff of Your Innvestment or the Board of Directors of Innvestments. Innvestments is also know in open source publications on Cape Cod and the Islands as Cape Cod Cross Dressers (Triple C-D).
Liz W..................................President
Julie W...........................Vice President
Brenda L...............................Treasurer E-Mail Brrendaa@aol.com
Candy Scott........... .....................Board E-Mail Candyscott@capecod.net
Judy Thompson...............................Board
Membership (including newsletter) is $30.00 per-year (pro-rated after Jan.) with a $15.00 meeting fee. Meeting fees payable only for those attended. Subscription only rates are $10.00 per-year.
The prestigious "Jennifer Eaton Special Service Award" was this year presented to The Tiffany Club of New England. This was a departure from previous years when the award to specific individuals. It was felt that the Tiffany Club had undergone a sort of transformation. It has expanded it programs by including an excellent Thursday night discussion group; had started a health screening program and a family therapy group in concert with a local therapist; it has expanded it's First Event program and it's open party calendar. Taking all of these things into consideration it was felt that TCNE should be recognized for its overall support to the community. Again, an award truly deserved.
Following the awards, the entertainment for the evening was Devon Cass from New York City. Devon is one of this countries premier "Cher" impersonators and it really felt that "Cher" was there in person.
In the last act "Cher" came out with her friend John Filimon who looked just like "Sonny". Their rendition of "I've Got You Babe" brought tears to many eyes. John had worked with Devon on the writing of their book "Double Take, The art of the Celebrity Makeover". After the program they had a book signing and then went to the Mallory Dock/Duval Street Station where they all mingled, mixed and danced the night away. A special thanks to Robyn Roberts for working the sound system, to April Ashley who was drafted to operate the spotlight and to Joey Dowick who invited us all to the club to dance.
In between acts a drawing was held for several items and gift certificates that were donated by individuals who have supported Innvestments in it's endeavors. A special thanks to: Karin Ferron from A-Plus Electrolysis; Anthony and Reggie Andrews from Hair Additions; Diane Ellaborne; Vanessa Murray from the IFGE Bookstore 'Synchronicity'; and from Carolann Gillard of Models Resale.
The officers of Innvestments want to thank everyone, those involved and those attending, for making this event the success that it was and to wish everyone happiness in the new year of 1999.
As you now know, we no longer will be meeting at the XXXXXXX Hotel (the old XXXXXXX Inn). At the end of September we received a letter from then informing us that unfortunately they would not be able to host either our Christmas party or Valentine's affair. This was not in anyway due to their wanting to toss us out but only due to the business situation in which they presently found themselves. With the kitchen and lounge closed it would have been impossible to have the events as scheduled.
We checked with the XXXXXX Inn and they welcomed us with open arms. Our good reputation at the XXXXXXX Inn had preceded us and they were very accommodating. They also indicated that they would be pleased if we had our monthly meetings at their location as well as our parties. The main difference was that for monthly meetings instead of having two separate rooms; one a meeting room with bathroom and across the hall, one bedroom for changing, also with a bathroom; we now have a suite with an upstairs and a downstairs. This was rather tight for our November meeting but has since been worked out for subsequent meetings. The hotel graciously volunteered to remove the bedroom portion of one of the suites and replace it with chairs for a meeting room. We now have an upstairs sitting room (with bathroom) for changing and an extra bathroom downstairs in the new meeting room. We also have a kitchenette which provides us the space for serving pizza, etc. We have also had the Christmas party at the XXXXXX and this worked out very well.
It has been a learning curve for both Innvestments and The XXXXXX Inn. We know we still have a few wrinkles to work out but the overall acceptance by The XXXXXX Inn has more than made up for any difficulties. A special thank you to all at The XXXXXX Inn for making this a beneficial and positive transition!
CUPBOARD
_ Gem for the day: When wearing your cowgirl skirt set, don't sit down with your spurs on!
_ I want to thank all those who sent me cards and flowers while I was in the hospital. The flowers were delicious and the cards (and phone calls) were all greatly appreciated. I became sick at Fantasia Fair in October. Came home, spent a week in bed before going to the hospital where they kept me in ICU for a week and then in the recovery ward for 11 days. After 4 good days at home I had a complete relapse and spent the next 2 weeks in bed. After just getting on my feet, we had a call to go out west as my father-in-law was not doing well. We drove to Minnesota and when, after several days, he started doing better, we continued on to my daughter's in Montana for Christmas. Out there I got sick again. We then came back to check on my father-in-law and then came home. After trying to stay out of the hospital over New Years I finally had to go back the day of the January meeting. Since then I have once more been hospitalized and have been laid up at home ever since. I suppose....When you get old and have been there and done that, it is time to do this, but after there and that, this is no fun.
_ OK. Who is the culprit? "For the past 5 years, a woman apparently has been stealing high-quality bras - size 44D - from Schep's Clothing in the aptly named Twin Valley, Minn. She has stolen about $1,000 worth of brassieres. The proprietor, Betty Schoephoerster, said she doesn't regard every buxom customer as a suspect. But she is convinced the thief is a woman" Hmmmmmmm!!!
_ If you are a spike heel affectionado and received a sharp pain in the heart this past October 2nd and did not know why...this could be your answer. Roger Vivier, the shoe designer who created the stiletto heel passed away at the age of 90. Besides the stiletto, Roger's most noted designs included the "comma" heel, a curved steel creation developed with aeronautical engineers, and the "choc," a high heel that curved dramatically inward toward the arch of the foot.
_ The invention of the Wonderbra gave small-chested folks the opportunity to have cleavage. Now, along comes the Water Bra, which gives another kind of big-bust experience. The Water Bra, should more accurately be called Oil and Water Bra. The breast-enhancing cup inserts are filled with 55 % body oil and 45 % water. One 34B individual who test wore the Water Bra said "You know how those women feel who want breast reduction." Often by mid-day, it tends to sag toward the abdomen. Hey, it's better than those water filled balloons we all used to use. The Water Bra sells for about $36.00 and is available at Filene's, Macy's, Lord and Taylor, and Lady Grace.
_ Those of you who have made sojourns to Jacque's in Boston have no doubt met or seen the performer known as "Silvia Sidney," otherwise known as the "Bitch (or Mouth) of Boston". Sid Sushman passed away earlier this month after succumbing to complications from diabetes. This ended a 52-year drag career that started when he was only 16. Sid used to say that he was not a drag queen. He made fun of drag queens and said "I'm a man and I like being me." With Sylvia Sidney's infamous raunchy voice he claimed to have once told off Rita Hayworth and Carol Channing. He got his start at the old Rick's Cafe and was considered one of the oldest working drag queens in the country. Brought up in Roxbury, Sid worked as a banquet waiter in local posh hotels. Sylvia/Sid continued performing until just a few weeks ago. He recently had played in Las Vegas. Sid was also a frequent visitor to many P-Town locations.
_ Another gem for the day: Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
Hello to you all. I hope that your holidays were joyous and full of love and special treats. For many of us, this time of year is also a time of great opportunity to stretch out our favorite gender role. For me, this has meant several trips to Boston, some time in Providence and a delightful day of shopping "enfemme" in Connecticut. To those who do not live full time in our second gender role, there are often times of great challenge and reward. The pure joy and satisfaction of being out in the community, being accepted and engaging with any number of people is hard to explain. I am very fortunate that with some small exceptions, my experiences in public have been very positive. I have met so many people, had so much fun and made so many friends.
Recently, however, I have become increasingly aware of the continuing series of violent attacks on transgendered people. In addition to the murder of two people in Boston, there was also a very well reported assault on a transvestite in Providence. Much has been written and said about these and the hundreds of other violent incidents perpetrated against transgendered people and society's response to those incidents.
There may be many perceived reasons for these attacks but there is absolutely no excuse for any of these acts of violence. Neither we nor society can every accept or condone these actions.
While no one is responsible for violence except for the perpetrator, we can, however, lessen the chances of becoming a victim. Common sense, caution and situational awareness need to be part of our preparation and presence in the community. Park your car in well lighted areas; travel with a friend; and be aware of where you are and who else is in near proximity to you. Presenting oneself as a female in public, automatically increases your vulnerability.
In the next few months Innvestments will be encouraging discussion and education about violence against members of our community. We cannot and will not tolerate this behavior. We must be diligent in avoiding dangerous situations and learning ways to deal with these situations should they ever occur.
I look forward to discussing this important issue and sharing in the opportunity to learn. Our March meeting will feature a presentation on situational awareness and self protection.
Oh yes....and don't forget the Valentine Party. I look forward to seeing you all dressed up in your finest!
The question has been asked several
times by non-members as to how Innvestments was named.
Simple, yet ingenious. It was the brain storm of Chrystal Raymond.
In the beginning when she was formulating the concept of a group
in Southeastern Mass., the Cape and the Islands, she used to muse
about different names. She did this while standing in a shopping
plaza accross from where we were meeting. The name Innvestments
came from just that. A contraction of the XXXXXXX Inn and
vestments which we all wear, consequently Innvestments,
spelled with TWO letter N's.
When this name was brought before the original group, it was voted
on for several reasons. First, the XXXXXXX Inn had gone out of
their way to support us. Second, it is a good cover name; "I
belong to and Innvestment group" and who knows what kind
of a group that is. Let their imaginations run wild. And third,
it was a neat name that expressed the group.
One thing that was agreed to was that we, for everyone's security,
would be careful how we used the name in public. As we have become
better known throughout the gender community, this is harder to
do but still needs to be done. Remember, it may mean a lot to
your sister.
October was a busy month. First were
the Fantasia Fair events held in Provincetown. We had several
of our folks come down for the open FanFair Follies and the fantasy
ball. Instead of haveing our own separate banquet on Saturday
evening we joined in with the larger FanFair banquet. This was
positively accepted by all Innvestments members who commented
favorably on this arrangement. Also instead of trying to work
out arrangements for separate housing we were able to fill in
vacancies for cheaper rates by using FanFair assets. It should
be noted that several of Innvestments members are working
with FanFair for the 1999 program. Just how we will affiliate
in with the basic program has yet to be determined but we will
ensure that it is not only beneficial to FanFair but also beneficial
to you the member. The 1999 event is the twenty-fifth anniversary
year of the Fair. Many new and sterling events are being planned
so keep the third week/end of October open.
The annual Halloween Party was also held on the 30th at Joan and
Pat's. Once again this proved to be a very popular event with
over 35 folks in attendance. The costumes were outrageous, the
food was delicious and the Joan and Pat's hospitality was, once
again, absolutely delightful. A big hug and many kisses to them
both.
The November meeting, first at our
new home, Innvestments hosted Anthony and Reggie Andrews
from Hair Additions in Plymouth. The program, with Ms Liz as hostess,
started out as usual with some business announcements and a review
of the plans for the Christmas on Cape Cod event. Reggie then
spoke about prosthesis; their composition, manufacture and general
appearance and wear. This was followed by Anthony giving an excellent
presentation on not just wigs, but hair additions to lengthen
or increase the volume of your own natural hair. These presentations
were greatly appreciated by all in attendance. After the meeting,
all adjourned to the lounge (kept open just for Innvestments).
A special thanks to Reggie and Anthony.
Leslie F. was Innvestments
speaker of the month for January. Rather than just addressing
the group, she really facilitated an open meeting. Everyone was
invited to introduce themselves and tell a part of their story
after which Leslie spoke of her own exeriences. Leslie, a therapist-in-training,
is married to a cross-dresser who is also in the health care field.
As each person spoke, it generated questions and other personal
comments from the group. So interesting was this meeting, that
it seemed to be over before it began. Once again the girls retired
to the lounge where the discussions continued well beyond the
bewitching hour. Many hugs and bundles of thank to Leslie for
a very interesting and informative meeting.
This year's Valentine Party will be held on Saturday the 20th
of February at 7:00 p.m. in the evening. This will be our second
major event at our new home, The XXXXXX INN. The XXXXXX is located
on Route 132 in Hyannis, the same road that the XXXXXXX Inn was
located on..
For rooms you may call the XXXXXX direct at 800+XXX-XXXX or 508+XXX-XXXX.
Ask for the special INNVESTMENTS rate of $59. (+ tax).
The meal this year will be a buffet style with something for everyone.
We are fortunate to have some very special surprise entertainment!!!
The coveted "Barbie Doll Award" will again be awarded
to the contestant with the best red dress in the "Best Red
Dress" contest.
Dancing will take place after the party at the Club 477 (former
Mallory Dock/Duval Street Station.
The event is still only $35.00 per person. Please make checks
out to "Innvestments". Please send your reservation
ASAP. We must have a final count to the XXXXXX not later than
the 18th of February. We cannot accept last minute reservations.
Send to Innvestments, PO Box 354, Sagamore, MA 02561-0354. (508+XXX-XXXX)
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