There are times when you attend an important event and you realize history is being made. It could be a rock concert, a political speech or simply a family gathering.

For the newly-rechristened New Haven Pride Center, their 6th Annual Dorothy Awards was one such case, an event that proved to cement a tradition that the event will be important to the GLBT community for years to come. While this writer had attended previous years' events, this year's iteration, which featured the theme "The One Serving the Many," seemed to have a spark and energy of its own, pushing the event forward into a new level.

All of the ingredients were in place, starting with the honorees, who were all top-notch choices. Fran Rzeznik and Zinka Benton, who have made their mark as exceptional documentary filmmakers and have been active with Love Makes a Family, were recognized on the heels of their latest documentary (done in partnership with LMAF), "Marriage Makes a Word of Difference." The timing couldn't be better, given the recent ruling by the state Supreme Court that legalized same-sex marriage.

Rev. John MacIver Gage, who is senior pastor at United Church on the Green and is the first openly gay pastor, has been rooted in Connecticut for much of his life, and has led an open and accepting parish to become one of the prominent GLBT-friendly churches in the state. As the first openly gay pastor to head a church in Connecticut, he was another great choice, again well-timed.

Of course, there was also the Connecticut Gay Men's Chorus, who have for more than two decades both entertained people from across the state and have been very much involved in the community, supporting a number of great organizations along the way. They treated us to an impromptu performance of "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In" after winning their award, which was a crowd pleaser.

The host, Frank DeMayo, was quite entertaining in his own right, bringing a number of characters to life throughout the evening, including Diana Ross and Glinda the Good Witch. DeMayo kept the evening's pace moving beautifully, and provided great performances along the way. He's a pretty good singer too!

Deborah Wang and Fullsound Productions was the night's musical entertainment. She's been prominent at other GLBT events, and rightfully so: she's a consummate entertainer with a beautiful voice, and her band was a great accompaniment. The music was varied throughout the evening, from more subdued music during cocktail hour, to danceable tunes and slow ballads during the dancing portion of the evening.

A silent auction and live auction gave the 150-strong audience a chance to get deals on some great items, all while supporting the Center. Simon Rich, a board member at the Center and co-chair of the Dorothy Awards volunteer committee, took the reins of a lively live auction that was quite exciting to watch.

This year's Dorothy Awards had a number of friends supporting it, including Yale University, United Church on the Green, Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, and the New Haven Advocate. Metroline was also a sponsor. Even dessert offered its own twist on a tradition, with a beautifully decorated cake provided by Ellen Iaed, who has some talents of her own. The cake, made especially for the event, wasn't only delicious but beautifully designed (and almost completely edible!)

Each of these pieces provided their own value, but the overall atmosphere of the evening is what took me. Everyone appeared to be having a great time throughout the evening. The room was full of energy and everyone was engaged throughout the event. There was a well-represented cross-section of the community, and the age range of a formal event like this was impressive.

Also impressive was the number of volunteers at the event; during one portion of the awards, Dorothy Awards co-chair and Center board member Joshua O'Connell asked the volunteers who helped make the event possible to stand; almost 20 people stood up. It seems that the event has a lot of friends who make it possible, and even more friends who attended and supported the Center, even during a challenging year in the economy.

Momentum is clearly on the side of the Center, which had a big success in this year's Dorothy Awards. This, combined with the Center's recent relocation, points to what appears to be a recharged Center that will be more active in the community. The Center's almost 15-year history in being involved with the community has been potent, but this year's event hints that the Center may have more ambitious plans to come. If the Dorothy Awards, executed flawlessly, is any indication, the Center appears to be taking a more energetic and dynamic role moving forward.

More Auction Action

The New Haven Pride Center isn't done yet. Building upon the success of the silent auction and live auction components of the Dorothy Awards, the Center will host its first sealed bid auction directly through its Web site. The Center will be auctioning off a couple of very impressive offerings, including a full wedding package and a six-person catered dinner in your home. Details will be posted to the Center's Web site at www.nhglcc.org, with updates as the auction nears its start date.