Have A Gay Day Dayton

06/02/2026

June 5th is our next National Panda Express Fundraiser! Almost all locations in the USA take part in this. 28 percent of sales will be donated to Have A Gay Day. If you see this post in the wild, please give it some love.

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

Seen in Dayton ohio

06/02/2026

Saw this in the comments and wanted to shout them out. We don’t know all the places that are supporting us so if you end up running into any kind of fundraiser for us at all, please let us know so we can say thank you and let other people know it’s happening.

06/01/2026

I'm sure I will get to say thank you many times over for this but The Flower Shoppe reached out to us this morning and is donating centerpieces for all the tables this week for the Pride Dinner! This is so huge and so gracious! Thank you to Mark and the whole team! You all are so amazing!

06/01/2026

To anyone that visits Pure Ohio Wellness POW, there is a strain this month called Animal Mints and Have A Gay Day will be receiving a portion of the profits during the month of June!

06/01/2026

Digital billboard up with artwork by Transpainter on interstate 75 facing southbound this week on the left side of the highway in Dayton Ohio. Next week another digital space facing Northbound 75. Space donated by Lamar

06/01/2026

On the first day of Pride month I am going to share something with you all. First, my name is Michael Knote and I started this page and organization over 14 years ago. It has grown in such amazing ways and after 14 years as a volunteer the board of Have A Gay Day hired me just over 2 months ago. So, I want to share something with you all.

This week I'm doing something pretty big for me. Probably the biggest thing I've ever done. I worked at Fedex for 10 years and every week I saved a few dollars for my retirement. When I left Fedex I let the board of Have A Gay Day know that I was issuing a challenge. A challenge to start an endowment at the Dayton Foundation for Have A Gay Day.

The legacy of Michael Knote isn't that I need an award or to be seen. The legacy of Michael Knote is that I work to ensure that as long as possible humanity benefits from my life. I know some people might imagine what they will about me and in the community I have supported what I can quietly for years. This year with my leaving Fedex I did something a bit shocking to some but I cashed out my retirement savings. With that money I issued a matching challenge to Have A Gay Day to start the endowment with a personal $25,000 match from me.

To date this year over $17,000 has been raised by the organization and this month during pride month I will be presenting the organization with a check for the full amount that has been raised. They will still have until the end of the year to raise the rest but this will give them the ability with the donation this month to start and open the account. What this means for the organization is every year they will get a check or a deposit with a percent all the funds donated into the fund for all time every year. That amount will grow and grow and the org will get a percent of everything invested. People that want to donate property, stocks, bonds, cars, leave the org in their wills can do that. It means that the organization will have funds coming in every year that will be able to pay the bills they won't have to fundraise for. It means that some day when I am no longer here the board, the volunteers, the community will still benefit from my life and legacy.

Creating good is a wonderful thing but sharing that good for generations is an amazing feeling. I am investing in future buildings, all the food pantry days, the volunteer outings, the emergency funds for the ada gaden project, pet care and pet food, laundry appointments, heater and fan give aways. I am leaving the greatest gift I can a legacy that doesn't depend on who is in office and where the next donation may come from. Who will or won't support the organization based on the climate of if it's safe to say gay. Thank you to all my friends and all the community that have donated to help with starting this fund.

I don't share this with you to be seen or for the show of it. I share this in case you didn't know it was happening and for the people that ask what they can do to support this organization. Your dollars are matched by me personally for about another $8,000 this year. There is an endowment page on the website of have a gay day that you can donate directly to or can make a check to the org with the memo for endowment or contact the board for other details. I have come from nothing and saved little bits of what I can. This good is something that 10 years ago I could have never imagined possible, but here we are.

Thank you for letting me not only exist, but thrive for community. The best part about this gift is that I know the potential impact it will have for everything and everyone. Hugs to the room.
You have created Have A Gay Day, empowered it, funded it, volunteered with is, and honestly without you where would we all be. I love you all so dearly and hope this creates places at the table for everyone for generations.

Michael Knote
Founder, Executive Director
Have A Gay Day Inc.

06/01/2026

Good morning!!

Please remember tickets are required for this event.

With just a couple days away from our Second Annual Pride Dinner we wanted to reach out and share some updates with you all. First, a huge thank you to all of our Sponsors that have made this event Free for the Community to attend! The Transformative Justice initiative, American Eagle, The Family of Kathleen Lauri, The Rubi Girls, The Gaily Grind, State Farm Barney Reisbeck, Wheat Penny, Mary Whetstine, MVUUHF, and Sinclair Community College. With their support this is our largest Pride dinner so far with over 400 seats planned.

What to wear? This is a family friendly event but you don't have to be formal and you don't have to dress up. But if you want to wear all the rainbows, if you want to dress in your best do what you want. Community is a beautiful mix of everyone, honor community and honor yourself. We just want you to feel loved, be seen, and make sure that you are included.

Where to park? Under building 12 there is free parking. The sign may say you need to get a ticket or pay but we got you. You will want to enter in the South Entrance to the building for this event.

What time does it start? Doors will open at 5:45pm and seating will go till 6:30pm. There are two sets of stairs into the event and an elevator also. Check the itinerary for all the details. Please have your QR Code Ready at Check-in

What's on the menu? The meal is a Baked Potato bar with Chili, Shredded Chicken, Queso, Alfredo Sauce, Steamed Broccoli, Bacon Bits, Sour Cream, Whipped Butter, Scallions, Tossed Salad Bar with Dressings, Cookies, Brownies, and a few other Desserts. For beverages there will be water, tea, and lemonade with flavorings.

Is there entertainment? Yes, this year we will be joined by an amazing group of vocalists with an arrangement by Phillip Drennen. One of the co-writers of the off-broadway show The Big Gay Jamboree. We will also be joined by Serenity Sky Dancer and other performers sharing artistry with ariel performances. We will also be featuring local artists from the Dayton Society of Artists.

Is there accessibility? The location is accessible from parking to space between tables. The venue itself is designed to be able to seat 800 people and with 400 tickets we are hoping to make sure pathways are clear and open. We have also designated a quiet room that anyone wishing to eat in a quieter space may utilize. We will have ASL for the event. If you may be attending and need power please let us know. There are power sockets built into the floors in case you have a need for power for an accessible item. If you have any additional requests or concerns please let us know.

Is there a Theme for this event? There isn't an official theme but we are going on the message of the billboard we placed in Dayton Ohio this year with a partnership with Transpainter of You Are Loved. We will have a smaller version of this billboard at this event and floral decorations and rainbow lighting all over. The tables will be set in white linen and each table will have different colored napkins.

Is this a fundraiser? This is not a fundraiser. There will be a QR Code or two on tables or in event programs and there may be a mention of supporting the organization but this isn't a pitch or a sale for the organization. This, at the core is a community dinner with the hopes of celebration and bringing us together.

Photography at the event: We will have name tags at check-in for you to fill out. We will have a standard name tag and a name tag that designates that you do not wish to have your photo taken at the event. You are more than welcome to take as many photos as you wish and we welcome you to share your evening.

Hopes for the event: We hope that as a community this is an opportunity that creates a seat at the table for everyone. We hope that you will spend a few minutes and meet someone new or reconnect with friends and family and Pride dinner becomes a lasting community tradition with you and your household.

Security: This event will have security from Sinclair Community College.

If you have tickets and can't attend please make sure to let us know or cancel the request in EventBrite. There is a waitlist.

We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday at Sinclair for the 2nd Annual Have A Gay Day Pride Dinner.

Special shoutout to all the volunteers of Have A Gay Day and the board for ensuring this event thrives for the community!

05/31/2026

Thank you everyone!!!