Check out AFAN online at AFANLV.com

“The Best Party of the Year!

What did you do on Saturday? Party with 3,000 of your closest friends? That’s what I did and it was the party of parties. If I had a nickel for everyone that told me it was “The Best Party of the Year” I would have a thousand dollars which I could turn around and donate right back to AFAN. That’s how good this party was!

And what made this party so great was the mix of ingredients: free sponsored alcohol, free food from the best restaurants in Vegas, the hottest venue in Vegas, chromatically challenged costumes and thousands of revelers all with a common cause.

Every year AFAN, Aid for AIDS of Nevada, throws the Black & White Party and this year for the second time at the Joint at the Hard Rock. AFAN and its army of sponsors and supporters made great use of the space at the Joint. Each level was covered with partiers and vendors handing out free food or free drinks.

The White Queen - literally and figuratively!

Some of the notable sights of the night included: the stiltwalking couple who towered 10 feet above the crowd. Most of the ceilings accommodated their extreme heights but they didn’t venture off the main floor (they couldn’t fit in the elevators.)

Chris Twist, twisting himself into perceivably uncomfortable positions. (Then quickly getting asked to stop it for some reason.) I first met Chris when he was performing with SwingShift SideShow in FREAKS, Anthony Cool’s freakshow at O’Sheas on the Strip. Chris is now gogo dancing and performing at Secret Boutique and Cabaret in what used to be the Velvet Lion at Twain and Valley View.

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley boasting about how she’s never missed a Black & White Ball. For some reason, I didn’t know if I could believe her since she showed up in a PURPLE bohemian outfit that Stevie Nicks threw away 30 years ago.

Chris Phillips, one half of Zowie Bowie, announced their return to Red Rock.

Chris Phillips and Marley Shelton, better known as Zowie Bowie, took the stage. For a moment, the crowd got excited thinking the duo might treat us to a song but… NO. It was just another tease, but they did tell us all to come and see them when they take back the stage at the Red Rock Casino, the place that launched their Vegas career. Marley looked SUPER HOT as a brunette.

Also at the event (although probably not having as much fun as the rest of us) was Southern Wine & Spirits Master Mixologist and SINNER Magazine’s resident Gluttony kingpin, Armando Rosario. When I happened to stop by the booth, Armando barely had time to say Hi and toss me a cocktail, he was that busy. In fact, he was busy ALL NIGHT LONG. I never saw less than 40 people waiting in line for his Absolut Berri Acai Lemonade with a blueberry garnish.

Another alcohol booth worth mentioning is the Ambhar Tequila setup on the second floor. By the time I stumbled on them, they had run out of a popular cocktail but I enjoyed the Ambar and 7 they had left.

Armando worked his a$ off making sure we got plenty DRUNK!

A Black & White Party rundown would be incomplete without mentioning a couple of the snacks that were littered on the gradual steps of the Joint. I completely enjoyed the BOA Steakhouse teriyaki sticks and the Outback’s shrimps hot-off-the-barbie. The shrimp was so large @24k, Chris Rauschnot, couldn’t believe it. After seeing our plates, he rushed off and scored the LAST PLATE of shrimp. SCORE!

I happened to be out on the Red Carpet when Penn & Teller showed up after their show at the Rio. I didn’t have the Canon with me so I snapped a couple quick shots with my MyTouch and twittered those straightaway.

Penn & Teller have been the biggest supporter of AFAN and this year raised $150K for the oldest AIDS charity. Penn & Teller were the Grand Marshalls and matched all the donations that were raised  through their Penn & Teller challenge which included tickets to their award winning live show at the Rio.

Since the epic time we had at The Black & White Party, I have preached the awesomeness of AFAN’s annual event. Everyone needs to attend this event. For $35 a ticket, you get your money’s worth and more. Besides who doesn’t want to help a good cause

Find out more about AFAN and how you can help in the next issue of SINNER coming out in September.

Diva Delafuente, Miss Las Vegas Pride 2010

See Chris Twist do his thing at Secret Boutique & Cabaret.

The More Men Missionaries were definitely on a mission

Opportunity Village is a non-profit organization that assists people with intellectual disabilities. The Thrift store located in Downtown employed over 40 people and raised $5000 a day in revenue. Since almost half of the building is destroyed, those people are out of work and they are losing that income that the Thrift Store generates for Opportunity Village programs.

The community needs your help. Cash donations are always welcome but you can also help by donating clothing, furniture and household items that may be sitting in your closet or garage. These donations will give the Thrift Store inventory to sell when it reopens. The organization is confident that they will rebuild. The community is responding and your help can speed up the process. Please do your part and help. It takes a Village…

Donations of clothing, furniture and household items are being accepted at any of our three Las Vegas campuses:

6300 W. Oakey Blvd
Engelstad Family Campus
6050 S. Buffalo
Walters Family Campus
451 E. Lake Mead Pkwy

Click Here for Maps

Please call 702-259-3741 if you would like to help. Thank you to our community for always being so supportive of Opportunity Village.

Follow Opportunity Village on Facebook here.

Or visit their website for updates here.

As we live our daily lives it’s easy to forget what’s going on in other parts of the world.  On January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake hit Haiti and the US joined forces to help out.  Most Americans took a moment from their busy lives to watch the media coverage and many gave money to help those less fortunate, some even went to Haiti to lend a hand.  The US banded together to help Haiti and I’m proud of us.

But there are still problems.  Not only do we need to keep vigilant in helping Haiti after the media attention has died down, but human trafficking is a worldwide problem that needs some attention.  With all the problems in Haiti from the devastating earthquake it has become a breeding ground for human trafficking.  This is NOT something that happens only in other countries!  It happens right here in the Unites States!  The UN estimates that one in four million people worldwide are trafficked each year.  Keep an eye out in your neighborhood and if you see something suspicious please call the National Hot Line to report trafficking at (888) 373-7888.

“Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery in which people, mostly women and girls, are abducted, deceived or coerced into situations of forced labor, including agricultural and industrial production, domestic service and sex work.”  (www.abolishslavery.org)

I had the chance to meet with Aaron Cohen and Jennifer Serdienis from Abolish Slavery Coalition and was shocked by what they told me.  I had no idea that human trafficking is the second most lucrative criminal activity generating more than $9.5 billion in annual revenue.   Media coverage gets people to look at the problems but when the media goes away a lot of the help goes away too.  It’s human nature; out of sight out of mind.  It’s pertinent we remember our modern day slaves and make the effort every day to help them.  It’s only a text message away to give what you can if you text “freedom” plus a dollar amount to 27138 – it’s that easy.

Abolish Slavery Coalition is literally saving one person at a time, they are making a difference in the world.  They are the super heroes of our generation.  It’s time to lend a helping hand to these heroes, visit www.abolishslavery.org to see what you can do to help.  If you’re in the LA area and want learn more please visit My House (7080 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA) for a fundraising event with Matt Sorum and special guests on June 10, 2010 from 9pm to 1am.

Tomorrow when I wake up I’m going to skip my morning latte and take a quiet moment to think of others in need, then I’ll donate the money I would’ve spent on my latte because every little bit helps.

Not content to a show of support for just one day, the Miracle Mile will keep it going all month. In between, the regularly scheduled fountain shows, the fountain will glow a constant red.

In addition, ALL the change tossed in the fountain and the center’s indoor rainstorm will be donated to the American Heart Association. The AHA strives to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The association’s goal is to reduce coronary heart disease, stroke and risk by 25 percent by the end of 2010.

So get down there tomorrow and the rest of the month and show your support too. Wear your red and bring your change!

More than 3300 US troops–my friends–your family, have died since this fight against terrorism began.  Nearly 24,000 have been seriously injured.  We now have a fight on two fronts:  the War On Terrorism and the return trip home.  Thankfully, Couture and XCGF joined our cause, putting down fists and lending a hand.  And we all know when Randy throws hands, it’s done!  Already the XCGF, a non-profit organization, is raising money via Poker Tournaments, 5K runs, golf outings, some awesome gear and visits by Randy himself to soldiers in need.  All proceeds go directly toward helping injured soldiers and their families recover from hardships suffered while deployed in our fight for freedom.

The XCGF website, xtremecouturegifoundation.org, has a UFC style with a flash-bang dose of reality from today’s Warfighter.  The site lists some scary, but ever so real, stats from our nation’s most recent call to arms.  You can tell from the start that this organization means business and is serious about getting it done; nothing less than we would expect from Randy “Captain America” Couture and our own US Armed Forces!  The website is attractive, patriotic and simple, much like the act of giving should be.  As much as Couture and XCGF are doing, there is still more blood, sweat and tears soaking the ground every day.  The XCGF website makes it extremely easy for all of us to get involved with online, with snail mail, and phone options listed under the DONATE link.

In my eight years of military service, I’ve seen some well-intentioned Armed Forces support programs lose their purpose with all the marketing.  I think the straightforward, brutal-truth approach, so evident with XCGF, is too often overlooked.  Not everyone wears the uniform, but we’re all in this fight.  It’s refreshing to see an organization  with intensity and sincerity that matches those it supports.  With Couture and the XCGF , we can all look indifference in the face and beat the !@#* out of it.

SINNER’s Guide to giving back

WHO THEY ARE: Xtreme Couture GI Foundation. Started by Randy & Kim Couture.

WHEN THEY STARTED: MAY 2007

WHO THEY HELP: The brave men and women who serve our country.

WHAT THEY DO:  The goal is to help the troops returning from war to fulfill any of their unmet needs as they get back to civilian life.

HOW THEY DO IT: The Foundation receives referrals from the Military Severely Injured Center for soldiers and families who are experiencing financial crises. The Foundation will assist in payments to prevent families from becoming homeless, paying bills for those who could not handle the extra expense of staying near their convalescing soldier, and helping discharged soldiers restart their lives back home.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Donate! Any amount of money you can afford; every dollar helps. Go to http://www.xtremecouturegifoundation.org/donate.asp or call 702.616.1022,  and they will assist you with the process of donating.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN PARTICIPATE: You can also give back by purchasing some merchandise from which the troops will receive the proceeds. See the website for more details  and photos. A few items to check out include:

Bracelets woven by soldiers in Iraq for $50.

Limited Edition Operation Xtreme Sacrifice Signature T-Shirt – $150.00 by Affliction & Randy Couture.100% of the proceeds will go into the GI Foundation Fund. Limited supply, so get yours fast.

The Natural, The Randy Couture Signature Electric Shaver by Axis $139.99.

You can also raise money for the cause by participating in one of the many events the Couture’s host including a poker tournament. 5K run or golf tournament. Visit the website to see how you can get involved.

Lead by example, Get your friends involved, and be grateful for the things he have. Our freedom is protected by the Veterans of our country. Let’s show some love.

REMEMBER, SIN RESPONSIBLY.™