Black Tie Dinner - North Texas' Premier GLBT Event

Press Release

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2010 BLACK TIE DINNER ANNOUNCES 2010 PRESENTING SPONSOR AND RAFFLE VEHICLE

Dallas, Texas (February 15, 2010) - The Black Tie Dinner Board of Directors is proud to begin its 29th year in partnership with and support of the North Texas gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community and its national beneficiary, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF). On March 31, up-to 20 North Texas organizations will be announced as the 2010 Local Beneficiaries. While Black Tie Dinner is a single event, the annual gala results in the distribution of more than $1 million to its beneficiaries creating a year-round operation involving Board members and volunteers.

"The magnitude of the activities and the importance of our relationships with those who consistently support the Dinner create a dynamic, non-stop calendar for this all-volunteer board. Typically, we begin the year with detailed planning activities that include intensive improvement efforts, goal setting, the local beneficiary selection process and immediate engagement with the Dinner's sponsors," said Co-Chair, Ron Guillard. "This year, a year the Board views as a fresh opportunity to distance itself from the economic challenges of 2009, we are already inspired with strong early indicators from many of our previous partners including two key local community champions, GameStop Corporation and Park Place Motorcars Dallas."

Black Tie Dinner, Inc. has announced the return of GameStop as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor for this year's Black Tie Dinner. GameStop, a company which scores 100 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, is a committed corporate partner within the GLBT and local community. GameStop, ranked 348 on the Fortune 500 largest US Companies, is the world's largest video game retailer operating over 6,100 retail stores around the world.

"We find there are a variety of reasons that Black Tie's corporate and individual sponsors are also some of our most loyal supporters. For corporations, Black Tie Dinner is a way to meet various objectives including diversity programs, local community giving and target marketing. For individual sponsors, Black Tie Dinner is a means to support many organizations at once - or simply an exciting venue for personal philanthropic giving," said Co-Chair Nan Arnold, "Regardless of their motives, the common and most inspiring thread, is that the individuals we connect with in these companies, as well as our individual sponsors, are all enthusiastic friends of the Black Tie Dinner, its mission and our North Texas Community. It is an honor to work with each of them."

The Black Tie Sponsor Program contributes significant funds towards the Dinner's top and bottom line. Individual sponsorship opportunities begin at the $4000 Sapphire level, while corporate sponsorship opportunities begin at the $6500 Ruby level. In addition to receiving a variety of benefits, sponsors are the first to select tables in the ballroom based on the date of sponsorship commitment and sponsorship level. 2010 Sponsorships are available now, contact Black Tie Dinner Development Director Maggie McQuown at mmcquown@blacktie.org or 972-733-9200 ext 8.

Black Tie Dinner is also pleased to announce that for the second consecutive year, Park Place Motorcars Dallas will generously underwrite the Black Tie Raffle Vehicle. This year the prize is a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport Sedan equipped with a 3.0 liter V-6 engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, agility control and sport suspension. The Raffle has the potential to raise $200,000.00 for the Dinner's beneficiaries.

2010 Black Tie Dinner Raffle tickets, at $100 each, are now available for sale through Black Tie Board Members and HRC's DFW Federal Club Governing Committee and Steering Committee members. The winning ticket will be pulled on Saturday, November 6, as part of the Dinner Program, from 20 tickets previously drawn throughout the contest calendar. The first pull will be Friday, February 19th at the DFW Federal Club Mixer at Dish; other qualification pulls will be scheduled prior to the November Dinner. Raffle tickets may also be purchased from representatives of the local beneficiaries that will be announced on March 31. Look for raffle information at blacktie.org or call (214) 632-7163.

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