- Words by Toby Tannas Photography by Darren Hull
Bringing people together is Rudy Tomazic乌鸦传媒檚 speciality. The Kelowna-based realtor and business owner does big, impactful things for his community but he does them in what乌鸦传媒檚 become his signature way: quietly, behind the scenes.
乌鸦传媒淭he thing I enjoy most is making people happy,乌鸦传媒� Rudy says with a smile. 乌鸦传媒淚 get a real charge out of that. I don乌鸦传媒檛 need accolades; I just want to do it.乌鸦传媒�
As the owner of Friends of Dorothy, the Okanagan乌鸦传媒檚 first LGBT2Q+ cocktail lounge (now with a second location in Victoria), Rudy has created a fun and inclusive environment that embraces the very best of queer culture.
乌鸦传媒淲e live in a world with too much judgment,乌鸦传媒� Rudy says. 乌鸦传媒淲e are judged on our clothing, our face, our hair and body size. Everything is judged. But when you walk into a queer-focused place, everyone is welcome and we乌鸦传媒檙e not judging at all. We want you to come in and just have fun.乌鸦传媒�
Friends of Dorothy or simply Dorothy乌鸦传媒檚, as Rudy affectionately refers to it, is a place to grab a snack and a drink and take in a drag show. At least it was until COVID-19 restrictions put the kibosh on performances. But in true star fashion, Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 resident queens continue to show up for Rudy.
乌鸦传媒淭he queens in Kelowna aren乌鸦传媒檛 being paid to come in right now, but they do! They乌鸦传媒檙e dressed in drag, they乌鸦传媒檒l just sit on stage with the microphone and talk and heckle people,乌鸦传媒� he chuckles. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檙e doing it not only to keep what we乌鸦传媒檝e created alive but to make people laugh and feel good through these challenging times.乌鸦传媒�
They乌鸦传媒檙e also doing it as a show of respect and gratitude for the man who gave them a permanent stage.
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The appreciation for Rudy extends far beyond the LGBT2Q+ community. Together with business partner Nate Flavel, Rudy has turned an annual pop-up drag queen party into a significant fundraiser for the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation. Noir has sold out in each of its three years, allowing Rudy and Nate to donate upwards of $40,000 to the KGH Foundation.
乌鸦传媒淓veryone needs a hospital, not just the LGBT2Q+ community. Everybody. There乌鸦传媒檚 not a single person on the planet who isn乌鸦传媒檛 going to need medical attention at some point in their lives,乌鸦传媒� Rudy notes.
The proceeds from Noir have gone to support some of the region乌鸦传媒檚 greatest needs for advancing health care. This includes JoeAnna乌鸦传媒檚 House, as well as a campaign to offer complete cardiac services at KGH by bringing in electrophysiology. Proceeds from Noir also supported the We See You campaign, a fundraising effort in support of KGH staff and the areas of greatest need during the pandemic response.
乌鸦传媒淩udy is very humble about his contributions to our community, but he is so generous,乌鸦传媒� says Allison Ramchuk, Chief Development Officer for the KGH Foundation. 乌鸦传媒淲e are so grateful for his gifts to support local health care, and his endless energy and creativity when it comes to fundraising. He乌鸦传媒檚 a very special partner.乌鸦传媒�
A second event called Diva will also be a fundraiser for the KGH Foundation once COVID-19 regulations are relaxed. Rudy is eying 2022 for the return of both drag shows.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just so humbled by the support. I乌鸦传媒檓 the type of person who charges full steam ahead into a project or a business. I don乌鸦传媒檛 really stop to think about a Plan B if it should fail. I only ever have a Plan A,乌鸦传媒� he says, laughing.
Rudy乌鸦传媒檚 drive and penchant for taking risks (he went ahead with plans to open a second restaurant in the midst of the pandemic) were instilled in childhood. It乌鸦传媒檚 a self-taught survival mechanism that came from growing up in a family that he says never really supported his dreams.
乌鸦传媒淪omeone was always telling me that I would never be able to do what I wanted. I was told this is the way it乌鸦传媒檚 going to be and this is the way you乌鸦传媒檙e going to do it. He wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer, but all I ever really wanted to do was make a difference.乌鸦传媒�
Rudy can check the box on that dream. His philanthropy has helped and will continue to benefit an entire region. Through his real estate/development company and his two restaurants, Rudy is keeping dozens of people in Kelowna and Victoria employed, all while celebrating the LGBT2Q+ community and putting drag queens in the spotlight.
乌鸦传媒淚 really couldn乌鸦传媒檛 do any of this without the support of my three sons, close friends and, of course, the Friends of Dorothy teams in both Kelowna and Victoria. They乌鸦传媒檝e all been right there with me on this journey. When you look at queer culture, we乌鸦传媒檝e come a long way but we still have a long way to go.乌鸦传媒�
Rudy is determined to keep pushing forward on that. His next dream is to take Dorothy乌鸦传媒檚 nationwide.
乌鸦传媒淚 want to build a staple for the LGBT2Q+ community. If you乌鸦传媒檙e in Calgary, or Vancouver or Toronto and you乌鸦传媒檙e looking for an LGBT2Q+ establishment, you乌鸦传媒檒l see Dorothy乌鸦传媒檚, and you乌鸦传媒檒l know what you乌鸦传媒檙e going to get! A place that welcomes everybody.乌鸦传媒�
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Rudy admits he has struggled through this pandemic because it乌鸦传媒檚 kept him from the thing he loves most in life乌鸦传媒攂eing shoulder to shoulder with people.
乌鸦传媒淎s humans, our nature is to be together. When I乌鸦传媒檓 in the restaurant, I乌鸦传媒檓 not just managing. I乌鸦传媒檓 bussing tables, I乌鸦传媒檓 doing dishes, helping prep, doing whatever is needed. I like to mingle, and I can乌鸦传媒檛 do that right now, which is difficult for me because I just love to hear people乌鸦传媒檚 stories.乌鸦传媒�
Rudy is now focused on the future and the day he can invite the queens and all the entertainers back on stage to let the good times and the giving roll. Until then, he says, it乌鸦传媒檚 on all of us to keep that diva magic alive.
乌鸦传媒淢ore than ever we need to be kind and aligned. Together we will get through this.乌鸦传媒�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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