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Lords of
Leather
Hurricane
Relief Fund Inc.

The Lords of Leather continue their efforts to maintain
this unique fund in anticipation of future disasters that will inevitably
accompany life in our coastal areas. The krewe still accepts any
donations as a federal chartered 501(c)3 organization to the fund and
returns to doners proper credentials for IRS reporting.
The Lords of
Leather, New Orleans, announce the formation of Lords of
Leather Hurricane Relief Fund Inc. (LLHRI). This charitable
organization was established in November, 2005 in response to the Hurricane
Katrina disaster that occurred within the leather communities of Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama. It was formed as a Louisiana corporation
separate from the existing Lords of Leather organization, both financially
and structurally. The Fund received its IRS status as a 501(c)3 non-profit
charity in late December, 2005.
The purpose
of the Fund is to provide charitable relief to individuals in need who have
had their lives, homes, and livelihoods destroyed as a result of Hurricanes
Katrina, Rita, Wilma and other future qualifying natural disasters impacting
the Gulf Coast of the United States. Targeting members of our leather
family, the Fund is unique in its response outside the bounds of regular
public based organizations such as the Red Cross and Volunteers of America.
"...relief funds for this and other disasters are not Leather Tribe based.
Our purpose is to collect and distribute donations specifically for members
of the Leather Family, not recognized by broad based public programs."
quoted by Mike Zuhl, President DCI Productions and copied per
www.leathersir.com.
“As we
move forward with our fund raising efforts we will expand our goals and
purpose to assist those individuals in need. We will also continue to
gather donations from our leather family throughout the world in this
effort. The Fund is designed to continue for many years to come as the
premier facilitator of such need to the leather community of the Gulf Coast.”
stated Todd Cole, Fund President and Mr. Louisiana Leather 2001 in an
interview with The New York Times
The
application process for receipt of these funds specifically within the
states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, hardest hit by Hurricane
Katrina, is in progress and will be available shortly on the Lords of
Leather web site
www.lordsofleather.com.
Confidential applications will be accepted and reviewed by LLHRI. The Board
of Directors for LLHRI consists of:
Todd
Cole, President
George Hester, Vice President
Ernie
O'Steen, Treasurer
Dr.
Timm Holt, Secretary
The first
major funding grant was received from DCI Productions/International
LeatherSIR & Leatherboy. LLHRI greatly appreciates the tremendous
response through phone calls, fund raisers, and donations to the Fund from
our worldwide leather family, but the need continues to grow.
Many of the
material needs of our leather community have been met in the months after
Katrina. During 2008 both Hurricane Gustov and Ike reminded many of
the vulnerability and possible needs of our leather brothers and sisters.
The krewe remains committed to the cause of the fund and continue to raise
money for future needs.
FUND Updates
January 30, 2006
- Application for assistance goes for legal review and is now
available as a PDF
soon.
Press
Release
February 20, 2006
-
The application is completed and the FAQ is published.
February 28, 2006 -
Additional Fundraising information
available
March 06, 2006
- Press
Release issued
March 14, 2006
- Article
appears in the New York Times.
March 15, 2006
-
FAQ
and
Application available online.
August
29, 2006 -
FOX News
transcript,
August
29, 2006 -
President's
email
to members / supporters
(*note this email has been modified to remove the addresses of those
intended recipients.)
June, 2011 -
IRS confirmed continuing
status as 501.C3 charitable organization.
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