This last year and a half have been like a roller coaster for us all. Here at Club 200, we have tried our absolute best to try and navigate the closures, the restrictions, and the emotions that came along with all that.
Although at times it has been hard to appreciate, amongst all the bad there has been patches of joy and happiness. The first time we were able to re-open and welcome our family/community back…the messages of encouragement from across the continent…the opportunities to help folks who were struggling even more than we were…this is how we got through. There were times we had our doubts about going on and fearful of what our business would be coming out of this or if there would even be one to come back to.
However, the last two weeks has been encouraging and uplifting. The Miss Club 200 Alumni, led by past Miss Club 200s Anita Stallion, Lita Takeela, and the current reigning Miss Club 200 Prairie Sky, organized a Go Fund Me page for the Club. The response and support from our customers, friends, community, and other businesses has been overwhelming and frankly very humbling. Not only were the donations a great surprise it was incredible to hear and be reminded of the reasons we do this. So far we have had 500 plus donations totaling over $40,000.00. This money will go a long way in helping us recover from the debt accumulated as we wait to fully reopen and make sure we are around for another 30 years!
Several times during this campaign people asked why the Club is important to the community and what role we play. The best answer we came up with was this…we are important simply for the fact that we exist. Of course, we are a bar that serves drinks, food, dancing, and fun memories. But we also exist to give young people a safe place to find themselves, explore their sexuality and identity…a place where folks in middle life can discover their true self without fear of being alone…a stage for so many artists and performers to perfect their craft…a place to work and play for our staff and friends…a gathering place and meeting room for many important organizations in the community…a needed life line for people who are struggling and just need someone to listen to them…a mentor for other queer owned and operated business.
It would be impossible to thank everyone that has donated here in this message, but we do want to mention the businesses/organizations that have donated and hope that you all find a way to support them coming out of this pandemic…Barn Hammer Brewing, Chip’s Vintage Clothing, Dikes on Bikes, Drag in the Peg, King’s Head Pub, Ken Can Do It, Love Nest, Not This Fragrance, Reel Pride, and Winnipeg Pride. We would also like to give a huge thank you to our friends at Roughage Eatery who have always had our back and have been one of our biggest supporters before and during this pandemic! (sincere apologies if we missed anyone).
When you do come back to the club you will notice some changes. One of those is our new menu and commitment to bring you the best food, drinks and entertainment Winnipeg has to offer. We take our place in the community to heart and it truly has been a life’s work that we are very proud of. Thank you Winnipeg for allowing us to do what we truly love, and we are excited to welcome you all back and make more fantastic memories once this is all over.
With gratitude and gratefulness…
Allen, Joel, and all the staff at Club 200
