By Valerie Milano
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 2/24/26 – On a picture-perfect Palm Springs evening, The Ocotillo Club officially opened its season with a welcoming and well-attended reception at O’Donnell Golf Club, and for me, it marked my very first event as a new member.
With more than 418 guests in attendance, more than double last year’s turnout, the evening was a powerful reflection of both momentum and mission. Surrounded by familiar faces, longtime friends, and passionate supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, the night felt celebratory, connective, and deeply meaningful.
The Ocotillo Club is The Center’s vibrant circle of sustaining donors; individuals committed to strengthening and uplifting the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ community. Through membership, donors engage deeply in The Center’s mission while coming together for exclusive receptions and genuine connection. Most importantly, Ocotillo Club support makes a tangible impact by directly funding The Center’s wide range of programs and services.
As guests arrived via hosted valet parking and entered through the Palm Springs Art Museum’s north lot, they were greeted by warm desert air, glowing twilight skies, and a beautifully staged outdoor setting. An open bar and generous charcuterie spread encouraged conversation and camaraderie, while the iconic O’Donnell course proved to be the perfect venue, elegant, relaxed, and quintessentially Palm Springs.
With recent snow and ice storms impacting so much of the country, I found myself especially grateful for our desert winters. As I often joke with friends and family, we don’t have to shovel sunshine. Yet beyond the weather, the evening carried a deeper sense of gratitude. In a time when increased cruelty and hostility are being experienced by so many nationwide, the safety, security, and connection fostered here in our valley truly feels like a lifeline.
CEO Mike Thompson addressed the crowd, joined by the full LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert staff, an intentional and powerful show of unity. He spoke about The Center’s mission and its three strategic initiatives: ending isolation and loneliness, connecting people to resources and community, and enriching both individual and collective experiences. Seeing the entire team present reinforced how donor support directly fuels this life-changing, and often lifesaving, work.
Membership in the Ocotillo Club represents more than philanthropy. By joining or renewing, donors are part of a collective effort to ensure that everyone in our community feels accepted and celebrated. It’s about fostering friendships, creating affirming spaces where people can live authentically, and investing in The Center’s enduring legacy of inclusivity.
As a new Ocotillo Club member, I was honored to receive a warm welcome and to officially support this mission with a $1,200 annual contribution. That level of giving, along with additional opportunities at higher tiers, helps ensure The Center can continue expanding its reach and impact throughout the Coachella Valley.
The evening closed with laughter, hugs, and the unmistakable feeling that something special is growing here. With four Ocotillo Club receptions each year, early access to major events like Red Dress Dress Red and Center Stage, and exclusive gatherings such as What’s the Tea? with Mike T., the Club offers meaningful engagement alongside real impact.
If this opening reception was any indication, the Ocotillo Club is thriving, and so is the community it supports.
