November 15, 2007

Featured Story – Team TRAUMA Adopts Families For Thanksgiving

Think only social services organizations and communities of faith adopt familes for the holiday? Think again!

This year, many individuals and organizations involved with TRAUMA- the annual Halloween fetish ball sponsored by Evolved tattoo and piercing studios and Motion Productions- have joined forces with a host of other partners to provide Thanksgiving meals and more to 10 families in need.

“All of us are privileged enough to attend events like TRAUMA,” said Motion Productions’ Jacob Wooten. “We wanted to spoil someone else and give them a holiday to remember.”

Genesis

How did all of this come about? The storyline goes something like this: Wooten and Evolved owner Nick Wolak had already decided to use TRAUMA as a way to sponsor families for the holidays. Wooten contacted local music phenom DJ Moxy to spin at the TRAUMA event. Moxy contacted Gendala Kelli Ann of Queen Mae and the Bells to perform to one of her tracks. Gendala, who manages Haircolorxperts (HCX) in the Short North, wanted to do even more for the families than feed them- she wanted to invite those families to HCX to get free haircuts and styles, and Gendala enlisted local photographer Andrea Haley of Devyne Productions, who volunteered to take holiday portraits of each family and provide framed prints free of charge.

Meanwhile, Wooten and Wolak arranged with Whole Foods Market to receive a full holiday meal, including an oven-ready free range turkey, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, traditional stuffing, cranberry orange relish, dinner rolls, and two side dishes of their choice. Evolved and Whole Foods are splitting the approximately $1,600 cost.

And thus has born this year’s holiday event. On November 18 from noon-6p, HCX will host 10 deserving families from the Clintonville Beechwold Community Center. Queen Mae and the Bells, The Dolls of Evolved, and staff members from Evolved, and Outlook Weekly will be on hand to provide fun and games for each family, while DJ Moxy spins her unique blend from 3-6p. More than a dozen HCX stylists will donate their time and talents to cut and style the hair of every family member. Haley will shoot a portrait of each group.

Wooten and friends will deliver the finished portraits, along with the complete Thanksgiving meals, to the families on November 21.

Community Call To Action

So how can the community get involved? Donate something!

“We’re collecting non-perishable food items, toys, and clothing for the families,” Gendala said. “Children in these families range in age from 16 months to 19 years, and we need clothing for all ages and genders.”

“Giving back is what this event is all about,” said performer Noka Davers, who will shed drag and donate time and talent to the November 18 event as boy-self Robbie Daniels. “The word ‘community’ has many definitions, and it’s amazing to see a tattoo and piercing studio joining forces with a local hair salon, the local queer paper, a neighborhood community center, and a major grocery store chain to show us just how diverse and caring Columbus is.”

Donations of food, toys, and clothing will be accepted through November 18 at Evolved (1880 N High Street.) Haircolorxperts (771 N High St.), Outlook Media (815 N High St. south basement suite ii), and High Five Bar (1277 N High St.). For more information call Haircolorxperts 614.545.7100.

Michael Daniels