Miami gay chamber to honor philanthropist Patrick Ward and others
Dinner, entertainment and recognition of local philanthropists will all be on the menu at the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s Sixth Annual Gala Awards Dinner.
Sharon Gless, who starred in “Cagney and Lacey” and “Queer as Folk,” will be on hand to introduce singer Jim Bailey, who will perform as “Judy Garland” at the dinner.
The chamber, which has more than 400 members, is the largest nonprofit corporation in the county for gay and lesbian businesses.
One of this year’s honorees is Dr. Patrick Ward, who has only lived in South Florida for seven years, but has already made a big impact. The recipient of MDGLLC’s Community Service Award, Ward has been an active volunteer and philanthropist ever since he was a boy.
“The truth is, my parents always encouraged it,” he says.
Ward is an active member of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (MGLFF) committee. The festival board recently created the Dr. Patrick Ward Angel Award for Outstanding Contributions.
Ward has also served on the board of directors of the Special Olympics for six years, and he was a coach for Best Buddies, a nonprofit that helps kids with disabilities.
He has received a Medal of Commendation and two Meritorious Service Awards from the Navy for advocating for elderly veterans and opening clinics to serve them.
The humble volunteer doesn’t like to boast, but his bio says it all. His college alma mater, St. Louis University, has two statues and a fountain named for him on its campus. He was awarded The honor for his work with a service organization in charge of improving the campus.
By SHERI ELFMAN
posted by iamgay @ 5:30 PM
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