By MARISA LORANGER, Staff Reporter.
Living Proud, Saginaw Valley State University’s LGBT group, raised $3,042 for the Great Lakes Bay Region AIDs Walk during the eighth annual Charity Drag Show.
The show consisted of 12 drag queens and two drag kings, all there to raise money for the GLBR AIDs Walk.
Living Proud president Brandon Errer said, “I am super excited this year, to again, take part in this charity event to bring AIDs and HIV awareness. It’s important for us to make more people aware of such a horrible disease.”
The show’s proceeds came from ticket sales, t-shirts, silent auction items donated by local businesses and tips the audience gave to the drag queens and kings during their performances. In its first year the event raised $300 and last year the event made $2,500.
This year’s drag show made a total of $864 just from tips to the performers.
DeeDee Chaunte, a novice to SVSU’s drag show said, “It’s important for me to be here, to raise awareness and also to give back to the community.”
Jackie Leigh Peters won first place for receiving the most money during her performance. Peters started doing drag seven years ago.
“At first I started doing drag to put myself through school,” said Peters.
The ticket patrons received at SVSU’s drag show also got them into the Mixx the same night to continue the party with another drag show.
“I’ve been in SVSU’s drag show basically since its inception,” said Peters. “It’s just tradition for me to be here now.”
Tyler Bradley, president of SVSU’s Program Board said, “People have said we have the best college drag show in the state.”