Brian Weide and Kristin Decker, two of the 18 members of the SAVE Inc. board of directors, work in completely different professional industries. Yet their involvement with SAVE is a common mission. They recently spoke with Camp about their efforts for the organization.
Brian Weide
Weide, who has lived in Kansas City for about 15 years, works for Commerce Bank downtown.
His involvement with SAVE Inc. goes back over 10 years. That work includes helping with the group’s former fundraiser at the Kansas City Zoo that was called “Corroboree.” At that point, he said, the event was handled internally by staff and board members.
Eventually, he said, that event ran its course, and it has since been replaced by the annual “HomeComing” event, now in its fourth year.
“By changing it up to HomeComing, now it is as successful as it was at the zoo,” he said.
Weide said that SAVE Inc. will also benefit from the many house parties that are held in the weeks before HomeComing, which will be Nov. 6 this year.
“It’s a lot of fun with a serious overtone,” he said.
Donors range from one-time contributors of small amounts to large corporate donors, Weide said.
“Our development group does a great job of writing grants to reach out to those corporate donors. Every dollar that we can put toward our clients, no matter how large or small, we’re grateful to get it,” he said.
Weide said that because funding from federal sources like the Ryan White Care Act has declined, SAVE relies more on fundraisers like HomeComing and AIDS Service Foundation events, in addition to its donor base.
Weide has served on the board’s finance committee for a little over two years.
“It really makes you think about where every dollar goes and where every dollar comes in from,” he said. “It’s pretty tough. I will say that Becky Hunkins, our finance director, and Blaine Proctor [CEO> do a great job of managing the money.”
Weide said they also rely on other events for fundraising.
Weide said the monthly happy hours at various restaurants and bars in Kansas City that board member Michael Mackie and development director James Townsend are able to arrange – “can bring in a couple of thousand dollars here and there and help us give vouchers to people who might not have had them in the past.”
“And you know there is never enough money. It’s always interesting to see what can be done with minimal resources. There are always more people to help than we have resources for, unfortunately.”
Money for the agency’s new administrative building that opened this fall, called Silverleaf, was raised specifically for that project, Weide said.
“That was our goal,” he said, “to have it stand on its own and not take away from our general operating funds.
“By having our presence over on 31st Street, it makes a statement. We’re here. We’re here to help. We’re not going to be back around the corner. We want people to know who we are and what we do. That’s part of our campus.”
Over the years, Weide said, SAVE’s clientele has expanded beyond solely HIV/AIDS patients.
“When you go back to the original mission of what SAVE was, it was hospice care. As we moved forward, we expanded our mission a couple of years ago to include those who have mental illness, substance abuse. It’s not just the single gay male population any more. About 25 percent of our client base is made up of kids. It has been interesting in the last couple of years to see that shift,” he said.
Weide attributed much of that change to the voucher program that SAVE Inc. provides clients for housing so that they can live wherever they wish to live, or perhaps in whatever school district they already attend.
“Home is home. You don’t want to disrupt people’s lives. We do everything we can to keep them in the area they want to be in.”
Weide said his involvement with SAVE has been rewarding for him.
“At the end of the day, when you look back and say, wow, there was actually a difference made,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Kristin Decker
Decker is director of client services for HighTower, a commercial furniture manufacturer located in the Crossroads area of Kansas City.
She has been on the board for two years and has been involved with SAVE Inc. for more than seven years, beginning as a volunteer on Corroboree.
“Then I went to the development committee and have been there for about six years,” Decker said. “We kind of talk about the big picture with HomeComing and figure out what our goals are for the year and what we want to do.”
The HomeComing court of men and women is new for the event this year.
“It’s fun,” Decker said. “It’s the perfect time of year, when homecoming would be.”
She said that HomeComing this year has exceeded their goals and is doing even better than other years with sponsorships and donors. HomeComing, Decker said, serves two main purposes: raising money and offering exposure to the public about SAVE Inc.
“It is something that we rely on, certainly when it comes to the money. But also exposure, for sure, to introduce people to SAVE in a fun environment and really get them involved,” Decker said.
In other ways, she said, HomeComing is also a thank-you party for SAVE’s many donors, sponsors and volunteers.
Decker said that SAVE Inc. also educates the public about what they do by giving tours.
“We will always do tours,” she said. “We are looking at doing something like the No Place Like Home luncheons and bringing in a big speaker and focusing it on mental illness. Mental illness is so prevalent in the news right now. I don’t think people realize how much it affects the homeless community. We’re trying to really emphasize that this affects the people we serve.”
Decker also spoke about how the mission of SAVE Inc. has changed from hospice care to more health concerns over the years. “It has changed so drastically from when it was mainly AIDS. And we certainly still serve those people and want to. But now there are so many other things that affect people. There are numerous diseases that affect our clients.”
Decker said they served more than 2,100 people in the last year alone.
“We’ve served more people this year than we ever have, which is a good and bad thing,” she said. “We don’t want to have to be doing this, but it’s a good thing that we’re here to be able to help people that we’re helping.”
From the perspective of SAVE, she said, housing is health care.
“If you don’t have a place to stay, how are you going to be taking meds you need or visiting a doctor or counselor on a regular basis? It’s easy to fall into those negative things too, when you feel your life is at a loss.”
Decker said that the organization gives welcome kits – a bucket with basic household items, cleaning supplies, and dish towels – to clients when they first arrive. The kit costs about $25, she said.
Last year, she said, her employer, HighTower, got involved and the employees contributed money to create the welcome kits. The company even took the resources from their planned Christmas party to SAVE. She said that many staff members said, “We don’t need a Christmas party. I’d rather just give it to the clients of SAVE Inc.”
She said it was the reactions of clients that got her hooked on the work that SAVE does.
“When I met the clients and just saw how appreciative and grateful and thankful, and how much they loved having dish towels, and they’ll show you their dish towels and pots and pans,” she said. “They are so grateful for having some of the simplest things that we take for granted.
“Once you see them change and making a better way for themselves, that’s inspiring.”
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WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.