Community and allies rally at North Fork Women’s Lavender Soirée

Labor Day is right around the corner, so that means North Fork Women’s Labor Day Benefit — rebranded this year as the Lavender Soirée — is upon us too.

Sunday, Aug. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m., the American Legion Hall at 102 Third St. in Greenport, will welcome members of North Fork Women and its allies to raise money that will then be distributed as grants to women in need, who are in the LGBTQ+ community.

According to board member and one of the soirée lead planners, Makai Ballo, they wanted to rejuvenate the fundraiser, now in its 34th year, with a more impactful name. “The Lavender Soirée is a tribute to women from the ‘Lavender Menace’ of the 1960s and ’70s,” she said. “They fought for lesbians to be included in the women’s rights movement, so we’re really aligning ourselves with a commitment to visibility and community impact,” Ms. Ballo added.

The impact North Fork Women has had since 1992, is significant, and they are looking to build on it. According to Ms. Ballo, they have granted half a million dollars to women in crisis, experiencing financial barriers, disability, illness or unexpected hardship. They have funded over $35,000 in medical alert subscriptions for aging women, which helps them remain home and independent. They have also doled out $74,250 in scholarships to local North Fork high school seniors.

This year, the Lavender Soirée is hoping to have a bit of fun while continuing to building up those funds for women who send in applications for grants, found on northforkwomen.org. There will be live music, passed appetizers, a buffet dinner, dancing and a cash bar. Besides the ticket price, the event includes four auction opportunities.

Donations to the Live Mission Auction will go toward their most in-demand grants: medical grants, non-medical grants, medical alert buttons and dental grants. The Janet Swanson Silent Art Auction, an auction of art made by talented locals, a 50/50 raffle and a chance auction with opportunities to win gift certificates, baskets and services from North Fork businesses will run. Those unable to attend, but who want to donate can do so also on northforkwomen.org.

Ms. Ballo said the desire to donate to organizations that promote and support women’s health, such as North Fork Women, has only grown recently. “I found that in reaching out to some businesses and individuals to support this fundraiser, a lot of people — even the photography company that’s coming to donate their time — they were saying ‘access to women’s healthcare is on the chopping block’.’ and obviously’ … I think that’s definitely something that is on people’s minds,” she said.

Regarding the group in general, Ms. Ballo said she was surprised to find it to be such a sizable, cohesive organization. “This is a group that has been around for 30-plus years, and when I moved out onto the North Fork and found them, I was definitely very impressed and surprised that there was such a large community of lesbians and queer women really bonded to one another,” she said.

Ms. Ballo was asked to join the board — the Lavender Soirée event committee — due to her other work with queerli.org, an organization that strives to create safer spaces for the queer and trans communities across Suffolk County.

“You know I’m really honored and proud to serve on the board and really help them move forward,” she said. “I think we’re moving forward into the next stage of just being very proud of who we are. You know you have to be more out there and loud and proud so that people know what we’re offering to the community — so that people know that these resources are available.”