Supporters
Tom (Tomcat) Pence; Founder and President of A Celebration Of Friends, Inc.
A Celebration of Friends, Inc was founded by Tom (Tomcat) Pence, a former U.S. Marine, who realized early on that "Maturity Matters" in the youth-oriented gay world and that there should be a time and a place for it to be celebrated. Operating on a tight budget, the first Celebration was held in 2002 in New Orleans, LA where 100 men met, celebrated a wonderful weekend and raised $1,000 for "Buzzy's Boys" a non-profit organization benefiting Hospitalized children suffering with the HIV virus. The next year, ACOF moved to Fort Lauderdale and (except for a one time excursion to Miami) has met there every year since. In October 2011, the ACOF and Tomcat was acknowledged by Tuesday's Angels for giving over $100,000 to Fort Lauderdale area charities. Over the past 10 years more than 5,000 men have participated in these annual Family reunions and over $144,000 has been raised for local charities. After the passing of his partner, Bill "The Colonel" Elder, Tomcat moved to Fort Lauderdale, where he is hard at work planning the next Celebration and putting together his pet project “A Habitat of Friends, Inc” a low-cost retirement community for retired men on a fixed income. Tomcat’s spirit and dedication have kept the Celebration’s credo "Keeping the Family Together" burning bright and endorsed the spirit that “We’re all in this together!!! . . and together, we Can Make A Difference!!!".tomcat9722@aol.com
Alain Lecusay, Vice-President ACOF/AHOF
Born in Cuba, Alain came to this country when he was ten years old.
Upon graduation from high school, Alain enlisted in the Marine Corps to travel the world. And travel he did, spending the next twenty-five years visiting the Pacific Rim, Kenya, Jordan, Somalia, China and Australia before retiring as a Master Sergeant.
Alain is currently working for one of Florida’s local City Police Departments in the data entry field. He believes in the ACOF and the need for the A Habitat of Friends so deeply, he gladly volunteered to be be on the Board and is one of its hardest working members.
Please do not mistake his shyness for insecurity, at the last Celebration this five foot five, former marine single-handily escorted a six foot, three hundred pound party crasher off-property.alainlec@msn.com
Nate Horner; Owner/Chef of Tropics Bar and Restaurant
One of the main reasons the ACOF comes yearly to Fort Lauderdale is because of the hearty lusty appetite for life our members possess. The embracing ambiance and mouth-watering cuisine Chef Nate has created at his establishment not only quenches those appetites but also enforces the notion that when we are at Tropics Restaurant, we are home!
A three-time winner of the Community Choice Awards for "Best Restaurant", whenever a mature man anywhere in the world thinks of Fort Lauderdale, he thinks of Tropics Bar and Restaurant.
Nate appreciates his customers, so please say "Hello" to him next time you are there! (But if he is busy, just remember, that white blur you thought you saw while sitting down in the bar or restaurant...was probably Nate!)
Channel 10 News survey said Tropics Bar and Restaurant was voted the 4th best brunch from Boca to Key West and the only Gay Restaurant nominated out of the top 25 of the best restaurants for brunch in all of south Florida.
Bob Adams - ACOF Board Member/Advisor
Bob retired from a long career at the University of Illinois and has kept active by pursuing a number of hobbies and interests. Bob enjoys world travel, auctions, collecting (too many things), cooking, raising tropical fish, photography, sweepstaking, teaching CPR classes, etc. etc. In his younger life, Bob was a professional handler of show dogs, was involved in harness racing and horse shows and an avid gardener specializing in roses as a Consulting Rosarian for the American Rose Society. At present his partner lives in Europe. Very active in and enthusiastic about the A Habitat of Friends project, Bob encourages all members of the ACOF to get involved. Bob would enjoy hearing from other ACOF members. Contact him at showbill@hotmail.com
Bill Derby and Maurice Jones: ACOF Board Advisors
Bill served as ACOF vice-president for six years until his health made him step down. Maurice has been working security for us since our inception in New Orleans. Bill, a retired middle school teacher, currently resides in St Petersburg, FL while Mo who lives in La Place, LA is working like hell to retire and join him. Both are great believers in the ACOF, and serve on the Board as advisors. Bill: golfersp@tampabay.rr.com • Maurice:lawrestler2002@yahoo.com
Richard Smith and Justin Dungan: Advisors/Security/Registration
Richard was born in Miami, Arizona. After serving in the US Army in Orleans, France, he became an elementary school teacher of language arts for 36 years, retiring in 2000. Richard collects and grows Cacti and succulents from the deserts of the world and is a member of the Phoenix Prime Timers. He enjoys reading and is a fan of most science fiction, historical fiction and mystery books.az1215@cox.net You can meet both Richard and Justin at the 2012 Celebration. Richard will be working at the registration table while Justin will be keeping us all safe working security! Justin was born in Calexico, California and was raised in the rural community of Holtville, California. Living in Palm Springs in the 90’s, he purchased and renovated rental income property. In 2004 he met Richard and moved to Arizona where they have been together ever since and where he has continued his property investments. He enjoys his time in his art studio and his time with Richard. az1202@cox.net
Gene Fett and Ted Sanborn: ACOF Advisors/Musician
Gene Fett was raised on a farm in southern Minnesota. He spent his entire career of 45 years working for a financial services company, most of those years in Minnesota. He retired in Denver in 1993 and relocated to the Phoenix area. Gene will be working the registration tables during the Celebration. Gene's email is: gene8915@aol.com . He has been with his partner, Ted Sanborn, for seventeen years, living in the Phoenix area all of that time. They enjoy traveling, having been on two cruises, a trip to Germany and a variety of trips in the US.
Ted Sanborn is a singer/songwriter in Phoenix, Arizona area where he performs his solo acoustic shows. His interest in songwriting ignited twelve plus years ago and he pursued that interest by studying at Berklee College of Music's online extension school, ultimately receiving a specialist certificate in songwriting. Ted also plays a number of instruments including guitar, bass, keyboards and drums and his playing and songwriting is showcased on his self released album Yo! (available through online merchants including iTunes). Ted will be performing at ACOF each evening. Ted's email is: info@tedsanborn.net and you can visit his website at: www.tedsanborn.netwhere you learn more about him and his music and sign up as a fan.
Ramon Lago, Sculptor
A Hemingway look-alike and Internationally respected artist and sculptor, Ramon Lago will have many sculptures of older portly men exhibited at the Hilton Hotel.
Mr Lago studied at the Newark School of Fine Arts, The Arts Students League In New York City, and The National Academy of Design. He has received many prestigious awards for his craft and creativity.
Collections of his artwork and monuments are located throughout the Northeast, mainly New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and in the Southeast in Florida. Much of his work is privately collected by art connoisseurs throughout the United States, Canada and in Europe. If you wish to contact Ramon, you can do so via his email of ramonlago@comcast.net
Chuck Kennedy, Artist
The Official Artist for the ACOF, Chuck Kennedy (Chuckee) created art for Weird Tales in the 1950s. There are two "Chuck Kennedy Banquet Rooms" in the San Francisco Bay area. The "Stinking Rose" in Beverly Hills has three rooms of his work, one of which is a room of Old Masters done with garlic themes. He also has received two mayoral proclamations and a Chuck Kennedy Day. The Dead Fish Restaurant in Crockett, CA, has a room with hundreds of his caricatures which include Joan Crawfish, Orson Wales, Nat King Cod, Liza Minnow and Judy Gar, Laurel and Haddock, etc. He has created miniatures of headliners in Reno and Tahoe. His work is in the collections of Debbie Reynolds, Shirley MacLaine, Don Rickles, Bill Cosby and dozens of other celebrities. He has done well over 1,000 dioramas for people and places in Holland, London, the Italian Riviera and all over the West Coast. He now lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with Dan Doty (Dandee) who has been his partner for over 34 years. chuckeart@bellsouth.net • Dandee2@bellsouth.net
John Avery & Ray
John lives with his life mate Ray. They met in 2008 on the Silverdaddies site and have lived together ever since. Ray is from Rhode Island but moved to Fort Lauderale where he and John share a home in northeast Fort Lauderdale. They share a love for travel and go on many cruises together as well as a trip to New England every summer. John and Ray are very happy together and encourage others looking for a longterm relationship that it can happen for them too.
Frank Hawkins & Joe Coulombe, Photographers, Inputers and Advisors
Have attended ACOF every year except the first year in New Orleans.
Frank collects the data for ACOF. Joe takes many of the photographs for the website galleries.
They retired in California in 2004, moved to Florida and have not regretted a single day.
Sidelines Sports Bar
Sidelines Sports Bar has prospered by becoming the only true sports bar for gay men and women in South Florida. Owners Marty Kildea, Laurie Whittaker along with marketing expert Jennifer Morales (Laurie’s thirty year life partner) have worked hard to make Sidelines Sports Bar one of the "it" hangouts in South Florida. Since its inception, Sidelines has always given back to the community and to many charities, The Florida AIDS Walk etc. and now is proud to announce they are now one of the major sponsors of The Celebration of Friends weekend. Located directly across the street from Tropic’s Bar and Restaurant, Marty, Laurie and Jennifer have pledged to make Sidelines Sports Bar a ‘home' for the Celebration attendee as he discovers this unique gay sports bar that is like no other. Whether Sports is your thing or you just like watching hunky guys in tight outfits, Sidelines Sports Bar is a fun place to go for making new friends or having fun with old ones.
