International LeatherSIR / Leatherboy

and Community Bootblack

Honoring the past, Playing in the present, Building the future

Bill Hoeppner   (contact)

International Leatherboy 2008
Mama's Sugar boy
Pantheon of Leather Man of the Year 2009

bill was introduced to the Leather Community in 1993 in New York City. At that time the community was still galvanized by the AIDS Epidemic. The philanthropic nature of the leather community was what immediately drew him in and is one of the many things that still inspires him today.

bill became an associate member of The Philadelphians MC and at that time began his work as a volunteer for non-profit organizations, supporting the community through fund raising. During his volunteer career, bill was the Co-Founder of Positively Sober, a Ft. Lauderdale support group for sober people living with HIV/AIDS and in 2007 helped to create Clean Sober Leather (CSL), an online support group for sober leather men and woman struggling with staying sober today in the leather community. He is proud to have been able to support local and national organizations through fundraising events including: The Leather Archives & Museum, Chicago, Illinois; Equality Florida; Care Resources, Miami, Florida; Tuesday's Angels, Ft. Lauderdale; Hospice of the Florida Keys; Project Link of Ft. Lauderdale; Kids in Distress; Toys for Tots; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. He has served as President of the Board for Bound South, Inc./ The Leather Masked Ball, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and is one of the founding members of the South Florida boys of Leather. As an active member of the South Florida Leather Community, bill has worked hard to establish the EDC (Enforced Dress Code) monthly event, is engaged with Beyond Leather in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida as Contest Director for the Southeast LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/Community Bootblack Contest and has served as Producer of the Mr. Ramrod Leather Contest for three years.

he is honored to have received The Pantheon of Leather Man of the Year 2009 Award at IML 31, been recognized twice at the local SAL Awards as Leather Person of the Year and was recently welcomed into Mama's Family where he was personally pinned by Mama Sandy Reinhardt as Mama's Sugar boy.

Having been sober 23 years, bill brings his experience strength and hope to help educate and raise awareness regarding the ongoing struggle with substance abuse and its impact on the leather community. This journey has given him people he will always call friends and others who have become family.

You can read more about bill's on myspace at www.myspace.com/intlleatherboy2008.