Thirteen years ago, Annette Hatton saw the need for a GLOBE-al community.

In an effort to provide support for gay students, faculty and staff at the University, Hatton founded in 1994 GLOBES – Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees and Supporters.

The organization hosted its annual fall reception Thursday at the Founder’s Garden.

Hatton, who is a retired manager of the Georgia Review, said the event was a chance to welcome new and returning people to their community.

“This is an opportunity for people to celebrate who they are,” she said.

Prominent members of the University and Athens attended the reception. Among them was Mayor Heidi Davison.

The mayor made opening remarks, welcomed new students to campus and encouraged them to get involved.

Davison has attended the reception every year she’s been in office.

“Collectively, the organization has been working on a variety of issues. They’ve been able to make changes,” Davison said.

“Last year we changed our domestic partner benefits for government employees, and this group was very much involved in bringing that issue to us.”

The reception featured speakers including Rodney Bennett, vice president of Student Affairs, and Cheryl Dozier, director of Institutional Diversity.

“I think that every diverse group needs to feel that there is an organization where they can feel safe and comfortable and can express themselves and raise issues,” Dozier said in her speech.

“This is a cohort of students, faculty and staff that makes it real clear that there is nothing wrong with diversity,” she said.

“Those of us who represent diverse groups are really the strength of the community.”

GLOBES is unique in that it is inclusive of all faculty, staff and employees at the University, not just students.

“Faculty and staff are oftentimes overlooked,” said Shawna Scott, student director of information for the Lambda Alliance. “Their issues are different. They have to deal with such things as childcare and healthcare benefits.”

The group also welcomes graduate students, said Nancy MacNair, an influential member of GLOBES.

Hatton said many times they don’t even know who are their members. The only thing connecting them is the listserv.

She said this provides the privacy and discretion one may wish to have without feeling isolated.

“We filled a niche, we provided a tool to let people know that we are here and that person on the e-mail list is not alone,” Hatton said.