Compass marks 20th gala in Palm Beach with gratitude
Talk about evolution!
Twenty years ago, when the folks at Compass — then called the Compass Gay and Lesbian Community Center of the Palm Beaches — wanted to host a fundraising reception in Palm Beach, almost every venue they approached turned them down.
"Too controversial," they said.
When the event's co-chairman, the late Alfred Fiandaca, turned to his friend Dan Ponton, the owner of Club Colette, Ponton welcomed the group with open arms.
Today, it's hard to believe that gay-friendly Palm Beach was any other way.
More Palm Beach society news here.
On Dec. 11, Compass hosted its 20th annual Cocktails For Compass ... at Club Colette.
“Club Colette in Palm Beach has been the home for this event every year since it began,” said Julie Seaver, executive director of Compass Community Center. “Club Colette stood with Compass to host an event for the LGBTQ+ community when others wouldn’t, and we were reminded once again why it is such a special place."
The sold-out crowd began the evening with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the courtyard, then moved inside for remarks from Seaver, who highlighted the successes of the past year, including the largest Palm Beach Pride ever, launching Pride Month 2022 nationally on Good Morning America, expanding the Youth and Mental Health departments, and continuing to be a safe space in a state that has become increasingly hostile to LGBTQ+ people.
The night's highlight was guest speaker Kevin McClatchy, the former CEO, managing partner and eventual owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who shared humorous insights on his experience as an openly gay man in professional baseball.
McClatchy is now co-chairman of the board of amFAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).
Longtime supporter Bill Bone served as the evening’s emcee in his signature style and, on learning the night was falling short of its $200K goal, started shaking people upside down until $30K fell on the floor.
Figuratively.
The night continued with dessert and dancing into the wee hours.
There: Jacqui Michel, David E. Weisman, Guy Clark and Harrison Morgan, Peter Conn Jr., Oscar J. Garza, Stephane Castoriano, Burt Minkoff, Donald Burns, Michael Lizanich, and a whole lot more who know the terms "out late" and "up early" mean exactly the same thing.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach Society: Compass marks 20th gala with gratitude and humor
