All Join Hands (Charitable Foundation)
All Join Hands (AJH) is the informal name for the nonprofit legal entity, All Join Hands Foundation, Ltd. AJH was formed in 2002, and registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation.
All Join Hands is an Associate member of the IAGSDC.
Mission Statement
All Join Hands Foundation, Ltd, is a 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to supporting the funding of projects that will preserve and promote LGBTQ+ square dancing and other associated dance forms. The projects will protect the heritage of the activity and contribute to its growth, emphasizing the social, physical, and mental benefits of square dancing. All Join Hands Foundation will also increase public awareness, educate and inform the general public about preserving the art of square dancing, educating the public on LGBTQ+ square dancers, and educate the public about square dancing as an art form.
History
In 1995, Joe Petersen, a member of the Rocky Mountain Rainbeaus in Denver, left provisions in his will to give money to the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs (IAGSDC). The Petersen Fund was created as a result. Others have since inquired about how they could help further gay & lesbian square dancing.
The idea for All Join Hands came from a brainstorming session by a group of dedicated square dancers who attended the Make Magic convention in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2001. Gordon Macaw spearheaded the small group who made that idea into a reality.
In 2005, the All Join Hands logo was created by John Paul of Spiral Studios, Nevada City, CA.
In October 2009, All Join Hands was admitted to the governing board of ARTS-Dance (Alliance of Round, Traditional and Square-Dance Inc.)
In 2012, All Join Hands Canada, officially All Join Hands Canada Society Foundation, received official Charitable status from Canada Revenue Agency. Canadians can now donate to help GLBT square dancing and receive a tax deduction.
In 2018, AJH commissioned a "Square Dancing For Everyone" logo from Urso Chappell, to counteract the unintentionally-offensive heterosexually oriented square dancing logo issued by ARTS-Dance. The artist who created the logo for ARTS-Dance refused to create a non-gendered or same-sex gendered version, and refused to allow such a variant of their work to be created.
Golden Boot Award
In 2006, Seth Levine presented All Join Hands, represented by officers Randy Clarke, Gordon Macaw, and Greg Wilson, with the Golden Boot Award.
In 2007, Randy Clarke, Greg Wilson and Gordon Macaw, presented the award to Scott Philips.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board is elected by club delegates of the IAGSDC and an IAGSDC Officer is appointed as an advisor to assist the Foundation and explore future projects. The IAGSDC has one representative and then the delegates elect one representative each year for a two year term. An Advisor can serve two consecutive two year terms and then must be replaced for a minimum of one year before they can be re-elected.
Officers & Advisory Board Members
Officers
- President/Chairman - Gordon Macaw
- Executive Vice President - Randy Clarke
- Vice President/Secretary - Mary Jane Wood
- Assistant Vice President - Gary Dougan
- Assistant Vice President - John Faulds
- Vice President/Secretary 2002 - 2004 - Scott Parker
- Vice President/Secretary 2004 - 2016 - Greg Wilson
- IAGSDC Officer - John McKinstry 2007 - 2009
- IAGSDC Officer - Keith Gehrig 2009 - 2013
- IAGSDC Officer - Aaron Wells 2014 - 2016
- IAGSDC Officer - Ed Zeigler 2016 - 2022
Advisory Board Members
- Paul Asente - 2004 - 2008
- Justin Crawshaw-Lopton - 2005 - 2010
- James Ozanich - 2010 - 2014
- Scott Philips - 2011 - 2015
- Ed Zeigler - 2014 - 2018
- John Oldfield, Chicago, IL 2015 - 2019
- Fred Harke Jr, Rehoboth, DE 2018 - 2022
- Chuck Novak, Grand Rapids, MI 2019 - 2023
- Michael Rutkowski, Yardley, PA 2022 - 2024
Photos
All Join Hands "Square Dancing For Everyone" logo
External Links
Note that "All Join Hands" was also the name of the first IAGSDC convention.
