- Words by Toby Tannas Photography by Darren Hull
Bringing people together is Rudy Tomazic害羞草研究所檚 speciality. The Kelowna-based realtor and business owner does big, impactful things for his community but he does them in what害羞草研究所檚 become his signature way: quietly, behind the scenes.
害羞草研究所淭he thing I enjoy most is making people happy,害羞草研究所� Rudy says with a smile. 害羞草研究所淚 get a real charge out of that. I don害羞草研究所檛 need accolades; I just want to do it.害羞草研究所�
As the owner of Friends of Dorothy, the Okanagan害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淲e live in a world with too much judgment,害羞草研究所� Rudy says. 害羞草研究所淲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害羞草研究所檙e not judging at all. We want you to come in and just have fun.害羞草研究所�
Friends of Dorothy or simply Dorothy害羞草研究所檚, 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害羞草研究所檚 resident queens continue to show up for Rudy.
害羞草研究所淭he queens in Kelowna aren害羞草研究所檛 being paid to come in right now, but they do! They害羞草研究所檙e dressed in drag, they害羞草研究所檒l just sit on stage with the microphone and talk and heckle people,害羞草研究所� he chuckles. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e doing it not only to keep what we害羞草研究所檝e created alive but to make people laugh and feel good through these challenging times.害羞草研究所�
They害羞草研究所檙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.
害羞草研究所淓veryone needs a hospital, not just the LGBT2Q+ community. Everybody. There害羞草研究所檚 not a single person on the planet who isn害羞草研究所檛 going to need medical attention at some point in their lives,害羞草研究所� Rudy notes.
The proceeds from Noir have gone to support some of the region害羞草研究所檚 greatest needs for advancing health care. This includes JoeAnna害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淩udy is very humble about his contributions to our community, but he is so generous,害羞草研究所� says Allison Ramchuk, Chief Development Officer for the KGH Foundation. 害羞草研究所淲e are so grateful for his gifts to support local health care, and his endless energy and creativity when it comes to fundraising. He害羞草研究所檚 a very special partner.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just so humbled by the support. I害羞草研究所檓 the type of person who charges full steam ahead into a project or a business. I don害羞草研究所檛 really stop to think about a Plan B if it should fail. I only ever have a Plan A,害羞草研究所� he says, laughing.
Rudy害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 a self-taught survival mechanism that came from growing up in a family that he says never really supported his dreams.
害羞草研究所淪omeone was always telling me that I would never be able to do what I wanted. I was told this is the way it害羞草研究所檚 going to be and this is the way you害羞草研究所檙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.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淚 really couldn害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檝e all been right there with me on this journey. When you look at queer culture, we害羞草研究所檝e come a long way but we still have a long way to go.害羞草研究所�
Rudy is determined to keep pushing forward on that. His next dream is to take Dorothy害羞草研究所檚 nationwide.
害羞草研究所淚 want to build a staple for the LGBT2Q+ community. If you害羞草研究所檙e in Calgary, or Vancouver or Toronto and you害羞草研究所檙e looking for an LGBT2Q+ establishment, you害羞草研究所檒l see Dorothy害羞草研究所檚, and you害羞草研究所檒l know what you害羞草研究所檙e going to get! A place that welcomes everybody.害羞草研究所�
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Rudy admits he has struggled through this pandemic because it害羞草研究所檚 kept him from the thing he loves most in life害羞草研究所攂eing shoulder to shoulder with people.
害羞草研究所淎s humans, our nature is to be together. When I害羞草研究所檓 in the restaurant, I害羞草研究所檓 not just managing. I害羞草研究所檓 bussing tables, I害羞草研究所檓 doing dishes, helping prep, doing whatever is needed. I like to mingle, and I can害羞草研究所檛 do that right now, which is difficult for me because I just love to hear people害羞草研究所檚 stories.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所檚 on all of us to keep that diva magic alive.
害羞草研究所淢ore than ever we need to be kind and aligned. Together we will get through this.害羞草研究所�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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