Communtiy Compass
Community Compass
Community Compass is a service of OITM. GLBT organizations from around the state are invited to provide briet — 200 words or less — descriptions of recent or upcoming activities and events. Send your submissions to us by email by the 15th of the month.
Brattleboro Area AIDS Project
AIDS Walk for Life 2000, Brattleboro Area AIDS Project’s major community event, will be held on Saturday, June 10, on the Brattleboro Town Common. Walkers are asked to gather pledges in support of the Brattleboro Area AIDS Project. All funds raised by the AIDS Walk for Life help reduce the impact of AIDS in the community by providing direct services to people with HIV/AIDS and through a wide variety of education and prevention services.
Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd, partners in North Hill, will open their extensive garden in south-central Vermont this summer to benefit the Brattleboro Area AIDS Project. Joe and Wayne, nationally recognized garden designers and horticulturists, started the garden at North Hill in 1977.
Contributions to the Brattleboro Area AIDS Project are taken at the entrance to the Garden. Please send your request in writing to the Project with your choice of date (Monday, July 31, or Thursday, August 31) and of time (9 am - 3 pm). Limit is 4 tickets per request. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and mail the request to BAAP (address in the Source).
On Wednesday, June 14, from 6-9 pm, you will have an opportunity to explore the world of HIV, learn more about what BAAP does, and find out about volunteer opportunities are available. We have a variety of interesting presentations planned. If you would like to know more about what it is like to have HIV in 2000, what is currently being done to stop transmission, and how BAAP helps, please call Michael at BAAP for more information.
Green Mountain Freedom Band
Lesbian and Gay Bands of America held its annual conference from April 27 to 30 in Washington, DC, in conjunction with the Millennium March on Washington. More than 120 musicians from around the US combined to perform at the Metropolitan Community Church’s mass wedding ceremony, in the Millennium March and on the main stage at the rally. Representing the Green Mountain Freedom Band of Vermont were Peter Thomas of St. Albans and Michael Brown of Morrisville.
Green Mountain Men 2 Thousand
More than 40 gay and bisexual men gathered from May 19-21, in Fairlee, VT, for the second annual Green Mountain Men retreat. Sponsored by ACORN, the weekend brought men together from throughout the state for a weekend of brotherhood, learning, and sharing. Many of the men had never attended an event like this before, according to Tom Aloisi, one of the organizers. “Many of the men who attended had been in heterosexual relationships until recently. Other men live in very rural areas, and had never had a chance to meet other men like this before.”
Held at the Hulburt Center on Lake Morey, topics of the retreat included civil unions, rural gay life, ageism in the gay community, safer sex, spirituality, massage, and STD prevention. “We have tried to get a diverse group of men together, and we have succeeded for the past two years,” Aloisi said. “We hope to draw more men under 30 at the 2001 event.” For information about the 2001 retreat, contact ACORN. (See Source)
Samara Foundation of Vermont
Pride Day on June 17 will bring the announcement of Samara’s grant awards for the year 2000 and the recipients of Samara’s first youth scholarship awards. All those receiving grant awards and scholarship will, of course, be notified in advance.
This is a reminder to check the Calendar for the two fundraising workshops on June 3 and 15, offered by the Gill Foundation and hosted by Samara.
The month of June also welcomes Bill Lippert back to his position as Executive Director of Samara, with a huge amount of pride for all his incredible work and eloquence in the legislature this past session!
Vermont Freedom To Marry Task Force
Okay, now that the state has a strong interest in promoting stable and lasting families, including families based upon a same sex couples, where do we go?
Well, one of the first things Susan Murray and Beth Robinson did was to organize a wonderful celebration at the Moose Meadow Lodge in Waterbury. There was great food, upbeat music, an opportunity to sample the new Gay Pride beer, games and speeches by our organization’s illustrious chairs, Beth and Susan, our lobbyists, and Gov. Dean.
To show the legislature that there was support from all around the state, VFMTF enlisted assistance from regional coordinators from all fourteen Vermont Counties. Many of those people were able to attend the party. Wow, it was fun to finally meet each other. Thank you everyone involved in making this a special event.
This party was also an opportunity to show our gratitude to those special people or business whose support has been tremendous. Quickly, they are: Susan Murray and Beth Robinson our valiant leaders, Dorothy Mammen our wonderful statewide coordinator, Joseph Watson and Michael Warner for incredible administrative help, Bari Shamas and Oliver Beauchemin for keeping our Web sites going and current, Scottie Ginn and Pat Tivnan, fundraisers extraordinare, Sandi Cote and Chris Tebbetts for their unending organizational support, SoVerNet for donating our accounts (we wouldn’t be here without email), and Langrock Sperry and Wool for all their support.
In addition, THANK YOU to every single Vermonter who offered to call, write, or meet with their legislators, write a letter to the editor, attend informational hearings, and talk to others. This was a tremendous grassroots effort that succeeded. (And for those of you long-time activists, you know how rare this achievement is)
And now, our work is far from over. A look at statewide papers letters to the editor makes it clear that we need to continue the education process as to why this law is needed. Check out our Web calendars (www.vtmarriageacition.org) to see how and where you can get involved. Or contact a regional coordinator (see Source).