Hi Friends,
While we’re all still coming to grips with Orlando, the whole event just underscores our need for community. That said, this is your friendly reminder letter of our next monthly support group meeting, this Monday, June 27 at 7:00pm. We will welcome Giovanni Santiago, who formed META Center, Inc in Akron, a center for transgender youth. He will speak for a few minutes before we break into groups. Also, I’ve spoken to the Medina Police Sargeant, and there will be a police presence at our meetings going forward, FYI. We hope to see you there!
So many things are going on…I’m going to try to get out all the items that have come through the OutSupport email so that you are aware!
First, and sadly, this couldn’t come at a better time, Lorie Lerner, who spoke briefly to our group meeting last month, has been in touch with the news that there will be a bereavement group specifically for the LGBTQ community starting soon, at the Hospice Care Center in Akron. We will look for further details, and I will send them out as soon as dates are made available.
If you want to send a message of hope to families in Orlando, please visit the www.WeAreOrlando.org/hope website, and you can send them a message from your heart to theirs.
FYI, there is a new Gay-Straight Alliance forming at Highland High School! That makes 4 high schools in Medina County that have or will have the support that students need to feel safe at school…Way to go Highland!
The 2nd Annual LGBT Wedding Expo will be held on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 from 12:30-3:30pm at the Holiday Inn in Mentor! Wedding bells, anyone?:)
Details at www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
OutSupport has been pretty busy..Westfield had a fantastic PRIDE Event June 1…they have produced an amazing booklet with lots of employees holding signs that say “I am an Ally”, including the President and CEO of Westfield Bank! The booklets are titled “A Guide to Being an Ally”….Very impressive and inclusive! Thank you Westfield!!!
We also spent a lovely evening with Wadsworth Spectrum and a roundtable discussion at Unity of Medina a few weeks ago. We also organized the vigils on the Square in Medina last week. We were all really impressed with the support of the community..lots of thumbs up, people approaching us and thanking us, and even bringing water to pass out. Our pics made the Medina Gazette and Medina Post (front page, actually), in which the Post’s editor said he was most proud of the Medina Community that evening. We will be marching in the July 4th Parade, and if you’d like to join us, please print out the release form and bring to Monday’s meeting or send to :
OutSupport,Inc.
PO Box 1728
Medina, Ohio 44258
www.medinaoh.org/includes/uploads/Independence_Day_Parade_Registration.pdf
Also, we have had several people who would like to participate in the parade, but cannot walk. If you have a vehicle that you would be able to use in the parade, let me know! We’d like as many allies as possible to show Medina how much support IS here for the LGBTQ community.
Infinite Rainbow of Westfield Center and PRISM of Wooster are joining forces! There is a special ceremony that will be held at the Westfield Center UU this Sunday for Orlando. Details on the attachment below.
We would like to congratulate Alana Jochum for being named Executive Director for Equality Ohio!! Alana is an amazing ally, and her passion for equality is exceptional! She is a friend of OutSupport, and we are fans of her!!! Way to go Alana!
Lastly, next month will be our Medical Resources meeting, so we will not be having the regular support group. However, you will learn about the services available in NEOhio. Hope to see you there!
Kindest regards,
Sandy