Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Gay rights movement gets $65 million boost

|
|
 
  
Published: Feb. 24, 2008 at 4:51 PM

SEATTLE, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A gay rights foundation in Seattle, along with 10 related non-profit groups, has been left $65 million by a man who helped create Microsoft.

The Pride Foundation and the 10 other organizations have received the estate bestowal from Ric Weiland, who helped found the technology giant with Bill Gates and Paul Allen, The Seattle Times said Sunday.

That generous donation may mark the largest financial donation to the U.S. gay and lesbian community in history, the newspaper reported.

Altogether, Weiland donated $160 million to charity, including a $60 million donation to Stanford University. Groups focused on scientific research and environmental protection also benefited from Weiland's generosity.

Zan McColloch-Lussier, Pride Foundation director of communications, said the donation from Weiland, who committed suicide in 2006, would help maintain the fight for equal rights for all gays and lesbians.

"It's a gigantic investment in our equal-rights movement," he told the Times. "It will be here long after our kids' kids are gone."

Topics: Bill Gates, Paul Allen
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 20
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visited in Washington
View Caption
Veterans etch the names of their friends inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War on May 26, 2012 in Washington, DC. More than 58,000 names of the servicemen who were killed or missing in the war are engraved on The Wall. UPI/Pat Benic
fark
For sale: Fixer upper. 48 bedrooms, no bath. $4 million. No HOA
Woman recognizes image of God in mixing bowl -- probably because it resembles all the pictures she...
Online petition for Diane Tran has reached 20,000 signatures and almost $30,000 has been raised...
Brain surgeon hides engagement ring in the sand at the beach for his girlfriend to find, then can't...
Submitter needs suggestions for a House Fly home remedy - anyone got something better than this?...
How to select the most appropriate wine by vintage and bouquet for your delicate palate after you...