Happy New Year from the NAGAAA Commissioner!

As we begin 2010, a new decade, we celebrate the great World Series Milwaukee put on and we look to Columbus for a great event in August 2010. This new decade will bring a number of 'firsts' for NAGAAA! It will be the first time in 8 years we will be all at one complex with the "A" "B" "C" and "D" divisions and only the second time we have been all together at one complex. It also marks the largest complex we have ever utilized - 31 fields in one complex!! The Columbus Committee has been working hard as the Winter meetings approach and they have prepared a great weekend January 30-31st fro all the city delegates!

The New decade is also a chance for many new beginnings and we hope to see NAGAAA grow and change to meet the growing demand for Gay Softball. We will be working on a number of different proposals that will grow NAGAAA and also help capture our past.

 All the delegates will be in the Winter Meetings discussing a range of issues and working very hard to move NAGAAA forward. A very important part of these meetings is Committee work and I would encourage you if you would like to attend the meeting, please do so and help with committee work. I will report to you in the next newsletter as to what has taken place at the meetings and what changes we can expect at the GSWS.

 As new decade begins, NAGAAA has a new beginning as well. This will be the first time COLUMBUS has hosted the Gay Softball World Series!! If you are a player you do not want to miss the 34th annual Gay Softball World Series in Columbus, Ohio.

 Best Regards,

 Roy Melani
NAGAAA
Commissioner

Welcome from Our Co-Executive Directors!

January 2010 - just seven months until Columbus, Ohio hosts the 2010 NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series. It is hard to believe the time is ticking away so quickly.

We will be hosting the NAGAAA Winter Meeting this month at The Hyatt Capital Square, one of the host hotels for the tournament in August. The NAGAAA delegates will get a chance to see the nightlife in Columbus and tour Lou Berliner Park.

The Organizing Committee has been hard at work to make the 2010 NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series a huge success. Right now it is a little harder to think of softball in Columbus, as it is cold and snowy outside. We are looking past those little items and imagining Lou Berliner Park with all the teams playing in one location, which will certainly be something that does not happen often with the size of the tournament. Berliner Park is home to 31 Softball Fields, making it the largest softball complex in the world.

Convenience is the key word for Columbus. Our host hotels are all located in downtown Columbus. Berliner Park is roughly 3 miles from all of the host hotels. The nightlife in Columbus is all around the downtown area, and most is within walking distance or a very short cab ride. The Short North and Arena District are just two examples of areas you will want to visit while in Columbus.

We cannot wait for you to see what we have in store for you later this summer. You can get more information by visiting our website at http://www.series2010.org.

You may also want to check out:

http://www.columbussports.org

http://www.experiencecolumbus.com

We look forward to seeing you soon and showing you our hometown.

Dallas Aldridge and Brian Lawrence, Co-Executive Directors


The Short North Arts District

Short North - The Short North Arts District is a vibrant, eclectic area just north of downtown Columbus, primarily along High Street. It is known for its art, dining, nightlife, fashion, home decor and unique gifts. Art infuses the area from exhibits in galleries and restaurants to the murals that decorate the streetscapes. The district is very gay-friendly and many of the establishments are gay-owned. Enjoy bars such as Havana, Axis, Union Cafe and Level. Of the many retailers lining High Street, TORSO sells mens fashion clothing, designer underwear and clubwear; and Posh Pets specializes in accoutrements for your favorite cat or dog. And each September is a gay and lesbian theater festival in the Short North. Read some insiders tips on the Short North posted on Gay.com:
Ohio's largest city has two of the components that make for a great gay scene: it has a major collegiate presence (Ohio State University), and it's a center of government (being the state capital). An extremely high number of gays and lesbians live here, and enjoy its lively downtown neighborhoods (such as the gay-popular Short North and German Village areas). Columbus has one of the Midwest's best culinary reputations, a high number of art galleries, numerous gay sports clubs, and a youthful but unpretentious gay club scene. What more could a worldly traveler ask for?


Gay Columbus in a Nutshell:

Few visitors to Ohio are surprised to find that Columbus is such a nice place; people expect a city in the center of this laid-back state to be nice. What seems to amaze almost everybody who passes through here, however, is just how nice Columbus is - it has a great restaurant and bar scene, nationally acclaimed art galleries, a well-educated and generally liberal population, several historic neighborhoods, a dynamic and highly visible gay community, and a vibrant university. If only it were on a bay and surrounded by hills, Tony Bennett would write a song about it.


Getting to Know Gay Columbus:

Ohio's biggest city (population 730,000), Columbus is also the 15th largest city in the nation. Given its size, it probably shouldn't come as any huge shock that it's home to a sizeable gay and lesbian community, and more than 25 gay bars and clubs. But as a visitor destination, Columbus still lags behind many other cities its size, in part because many gay travelers don't realize it has so much to offer.


Columbus is a terrific weekend destination, with plenty to see and do, and one of the most visible gay communities in the country. If you're looking for a relatively affordable vacation spot that packs plenty of punch when it comes to arts and culture, nightclubbing, shopping, and dining, Columbus might just fit the bill.



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