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Pride, AIDS Agencies Benefit Mobile's Bleather Weekend 2011 Draws Bears, Leathermen from Across the South (July 29-31, 2011/Mobile, AL) Bears and Leather are alive and well along the Gulf Coast! That fact has once again been proven in Mobile, Alabama, as the city celebrated it's third Mobile Bleather Weekend.  
Mr. Southern Renegade 2011 Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2011 Rob Mills Kevin Patterson
Bleather is a combination of the bear and leather communities, a name originated in Mobile by The Southern Renegades and The Gulf Coast Bears, who host the free 3-day party. Bleather 2011 surpassed previous crowds, drawing men from as far away as Tampa and Texas, with especially large contingencies from New Orleans and Pensacola. Visitors were especially generous this year, contributing toward  Mobile Alabama Pride's collection of $2,800. Meanwhile, contestants for Mr. Gulf Coast Bear and Mr. Southern Renegade collected more than $1,400 to benefit South Alabama C.A.R.E.S., Mobile's AIDS help agency. Door donations from B-Bob's added another $500 toward the gift to C.A.R.E.S.
Bleather events rotate between three sponsor bars (B-Bob's, Gabriel's and The Midtown Pub). Each year has a theme, and this one was "On  Patrol" (uniformes encouraged...) Friday kicked off with a welcome cocktail party at Gabriel's, hosted by the Southern Renegades, followed by the Mr. Southern Renegade Contest at B-Bob's. Four contestants competed for this year's title, won by Mobilian Rob Mills. Capping of the night? Bleather's Notorius Black Party at The Midtown Pub. The event lived up to its name thanks, in part, to special guest Steven Richards of Raging Stallion Films. The motorcycle will now have to be realigned...  Saturday saw the Gulf Coast Bears hosting their elongated-brunch at The Midtown Pub referred to as "Sausage Fest". The feed was followed by a bear pool party at host hotel Holiday Inn Downtown, followed by the club's pre-contest cocktail party at Gabriel's. At ten, the crowd shifted to B-Bob's for the Mr. Gulf Coast Bear contest, emceed by perrenial host AJ McKay of Louisville. Birmingham's Kerry Patterson emerged from the field of four as Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2011. Next stop? Gabriel's PTD party (Party Til Dawn) on the patio.
Sunday, the whole mess was sent home with the annual Bleather Farewell Brunch, hosted by the Southern Renegades at The Midtown Pub.  As is the tradition with Bleather's brunches and cocktail parties, it was complementary. Bleather 2011 is successful only through the hard work of members of the Gulf Coast Bears and the Southern Renegades, and our three supporting bars- Gabriel's, B-Bob's and The Midtown Pub. The Bleather Committee would also like to thank our supporting sponsors; Bud Light, Jagermeister & Barenjager, and the Holiday Inn Historic Downtown Mobile. And thanks to the growing Bleather community, whose attendence has made Mobile Bleather Weekend the South's Premier Bear/Leather event! For more info, visit www.mobilebleatherweekend.com
Birmingham Bear: B'ham's Kevin Patterson Takes Title of Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2011 (July 30, 2011/Mobile, AL) Kevin Patterson of Birmingham emerged from a pack of four very promising contestants to take the title of Mr. Gulf Coast Bear during this year's event at B-Bob's in downtown Mobile. The contest was part of Mobile Bleather 2011, the  third such bear/leather weekend in the city, drawing a record crowd for the three day event. Todd Arnold and Michael Crosby, both of Pensacola, and Phillip Purvis of Mobile completed the field of contestants. Michael, who is the current Mr. Roundup, was awarded first runner-up. Mr. GCB is always a key draw to Bleather, entertaining the crowd by putting contestants through paces that keep with the event's theme. This year it was cops "On Patrol", and the Gulf Coast Bears delivered, with emcee AJ making a grand entrance as Officer Dangle from Reno 9-1-1 (complete with child size motorized police car). Among the tasks required of the contestants? Displaying their shooting skills with a gun that projected ping pong balls toward a target crotch, a "breathalyzer" test, and a "find the contraband" frisking performed by Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2010, "D-Day". Congratulations, Kevin! You have an entire year to make Birmingham proud!
CHECK BACK SOON! SPECIAL BLEATHER 2011 PIC PAGES COMING!
  
 
At Bleather 2011: Mobilian Rob Mills wins Mr. Southern Renegade 2011!
(July 29, 2011/Mobile, AL) In a contest that brought out the uniforms and entertained a full house in B-Bob's loft, Ron Mills of Mobile captured the title of Mr. Southern Renegade 2011 at Bleather Weekend 2011. Rob left a mark on the judges with his frank, personal answers during the interview, and stirred the crowd with his leather image "cop on the beat" look near the end of the contest. First runner up Gary Owens put away his real uniform and leathered up for the evening, eager, he says, to help raise cash for South Alabama CARES. And all four contestants did just that, raising a little more than $700 in just 15 minutes! With the title comes accomodations in New Orleans in October. That's where Rob will represent the Southern Renegades and B-Bob's in the Mr. Louisiana Leather Contest, a preliminary to the International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago Memorial Day Weekend.  
(Above, Left to right) ConteStant Allen Johnson from Birmingham, contestant Andreas Nuss of Mobile, First Runner Up Gary Owens of Mobile, and the New Mr. Southern Renegade 2011, Rob Mills, Mobile. Andreas Huss of Mobile and Allen Johnson from Birmingham left their  mark as well. Andreas charmed the crowd with his handsome smile and thick, German accent (he knows how that goes over...), while Allen pulled the bear audience into the mix, and left an impression with the judges for his honesty and enthusiasm during the private interview. We'll be posting contest pics as your editor receives them. This is the third Bleather Weekend for the Southern Renegades and the Gulf Coast Bears, and the crowd, once again, has eclipsed the previous year's total. Thanks for coming, guys. It's great to see MEN again! (Below) Judges and SR Contest Committee members (and Andreas, who just happened to walk by...) 
| | Thanks for making BLEATHER 2011 our best attended and most successful bear/leather weekend to date!
Thanks to Sam & Richard Official photographers for Bleather 2011
A few are still available! NOW$5 (Big man sizes slightly higher) Available at B-Bob's, Downtown Mobile OUR HOST CLUBS: The Southern Renegades Gulf Coast Bears & Leather Assoc. Click to link
PROMOTIONAL ASSISTANCE:   BEAR+LEATHER = BLEATHER Whatza Bleather? In case you're new to the idea, Bleather Weekend is three days of fun every summer, featuring club hosted cocktail parties at our local bars, as well as our annual Mr. Gulf Coast Bear contest and Mr. Southern Renegade/Mobile contest. The idea to create one bear/leather weekend is unique, as far as we know, and last year brought in guys from Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and even Wisconsin. Bleather 2011 is our third Bleather Weekend. THANKS FOR ATTENDING OUR CONTESTS! 
Intercepted E-Mail: Bleather Attendees Generous to Mobile Alabama Pride (August 1, 2011/Mobile, AL) Mobile Alabama Pride greatly appreciates the contributions, donations and assistance of all during our visibility and fundraising events in conjunction with the Annual Bleather 2011 Weekend (July 29th, 30th and 31st, 2011). More than 28 hundred dollars was raised through pre-sale tickets for our prizes, and those purcahsed at Bleather events. A special thanks to: Gulf Coast Bears and Southern Renegades; South Alabama Cares; BBob’s - Downtown;-Gabriel's - Downtown; The Midtown Pub; The “G-Gift” Spot – West Mobile; Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mobile; OutBack SteakHouse. Richard and Sam (digital photography and video coverage); Pride Volunteers David and Sonja. On behalf of the entire Mobile Alabama Pride Board, thank you. Best regards, Darrell M. Johnston, President
Mobile Alabama Pride, Inc. www.mobilealabamapride.com 
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