First Friday in April is here. Celebrate our Kids Who Care Award Winners!

Wednesday April 1, 2015

This First Friday in May will be lots of fun with so many opportunities to celebrate spring happening around Chestertown. Don’t forget about our drop in opportunity to say Hello and celebrate our Kids Who Care Award winners!  Kirby Powell and Bryan Betley have been awarded this honor for their project of creating a network of Gay Straight Alliances in our area. 

This project called the “GSA Umbrella Krewe” gives our youth and the adults who work with them opportunities to get together to share ideas, socialize and build stronger connections among the area schools, faculty and families.  First Fridays from 5-7 pm we open the doors at 320 Spring Street in Chestertown.  Thanks to the generous hospitality of Bradley Lake, we gather in his office space above the Nearly New Shop in Fountain Park.  We will have some information available about upcoming events and want to hear about your schools plan for participating in the Day of Silence on April 17. 

Much collaboration makes our work strong on the Eastern Shore. We have been in touch with the Big Brother Big Sister Network, the Kent County Department of Social Services and tomorrow we will have an exhibitors table at the Home Ports Community Health Fair.  This fine event will take place at the Kent County Middle School from 8 am to 1 pm on Thursday April 2.  Please consider attending to see all the resources they have gathered.  We will be offering information on many topics including specific materials from the SAGE.org…Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders.

Do you know about the Rainbow Delmarva of Alliance (RAD) Meet up group?  Search for it online at Meetup.com and join the fun!  We want this group to become more active and you can help.  In addition to PFLAG related activities, any member can post a meet up!  Travis has posted a trip to Annapolis to see the new movie KUMUHINA.com.  This is a film we are considering for our TDOR film next November.  There must be a minimum of participants for the Annapolis show before it is on.  Check it out and join us!

See you this weekend I hope!  Your next reminder will be about the April 21 special presentation from our panel of speakers and our annual election of chapter officers…mark your calendars now…7 pm.

Tuesday March 17 Meeting Plans in Centreville, MD and announcing our April 21 Special Presentation

PFLAG Chestertown Chapter will meet on Tuesday March 17, 2015 in Centreville, MD at the Queen Anne’s County Arts Centre with our program beginning at 7 pm. The QAC Arts Centre is located at 206 S Commerce Street.  

We will have signs directing you to our meeting space inside the main entrance.  At 6 pm our chapter leaders will be meeting to discuss our annual chapter leadership election and upcoming event plans.  At 7 pm our program will focus on the status of various Gay Straight Alliance student led groups in area schools.  Anyone having an interested or currently working with the LGBTQ youth and their allies in area schools is especially encouraged to attend.  We invite you to bring in interested teachers, youth leaders from other organizations and parents who want to share their ideas for helping our youth network within our community and school settings.  Both meeting times are open for all to attend.

In April our monthly meeting is a special panel presentation event that will be marketed widely especially to our area teachers and school administrators. Please read below as we announce the fabulous panel of parents and school leaders participating on April 21st.

And don't forget about our new First Friday Open House invitations for the months ahead.  We had a good turnout in February and March.  The networking has begun!  Thanks everyone.  Keep up the great work...our community needs your involvement.

It's March and IT IS TIME TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!

COME ON OUT THIS FRIDAY!

February Events Continue

We enjoyed last weekend in Chestertown with their version of Mardi Gras celebrations.

The PFLAG/GSA "Umbrella Krewe" entry in the Chester Gras parade won Third Place!  The photo shows why….what a colorful bunch!  Thanks to all the participants who marched, cheered and encouraged our Mardi Gras Second Line Strut!  Thanks also to those who attended the Mardi Gras Dance on Saturday evening.

The February First Friday gathering of the “Umbrella Krewe” of the Gay Straight Alliance clubs also went well.  We had students and adults attending and 5 schools were represented.  They included: Gunston School, Kent County High School and Middle school, Chesapeake and Washington College.  Thanks everyone…more plans are in the works.  Mark your calendars now for First Fridays in Chestertown.  The generous hospitality of Bradley Lake will continue to give us all a “place to hang out together” from 5-7 pm on those dates. 

Next Tuesday February 17^th is our regular third Tuesday of the month meeting. (It also happens to be this year’s “Fat Tuesday” date.)  Our program for this meeting will be to view the 23 minute DVD “Faces and Facets of Transgender Experience.”  We also have new materials from PFLAG National to share about being a Transgender Ally.  We continue to offer time for socializing and support as a part of these gatherings.  This meeting will take place at UUCR 914 Gateway Drive in Chestertown at 7 pm. Hopefully our combined plans with other local groups and neighboring locations will be set soon!  

February Fun begins with Mardi Gras weekend in Chestertown

Hi Everyone, 

Let's have some fun this weekend!  Encourage our youth by marching in the Mardi Gras parade with them on Saturday morning...details below for Friday and Saturday February 6-7, 2015

Kent County Youth Gay Straight Alliance and PFLAG Chestertown Activities and Mardi Gras Celebrations

First Friday Feb 5

5-7 pm “Open House”

to welcome youth forming the new

Kent County GSA Umbrella Krewe

at the office of Bradley Lake

320 High Street, Suite A

(above the Nearly New Shop in Fountain Park)

Refreshments will be served.

In addition to meeting and greeting youth from various area schools, we will prepare and share costumes/masks/decorations for anyone interested in marching with PFLAG in the Sat AM Mardi Gras Parade.

Saturday Feb 6

12:30 Line up, 1 pm Mardi Gras Parade beginning at the Kent County Court House Parking lot.  Masks, throws, décor provided….just show up or bring and wear your own costume.  Find us by looking for our Rainbow and Mardi Gras Flags.

1-5 pm “Chester Gras!”

Live Music, Face Painting, Gumbo Cook off Competition under the heated tent in front of the Garfield Center for the Arts on High Street.  Sponsored by Peoples Bank, this event benefits the Kent County Backpack Program.

7 pm Doors Open 8 pm Music begins for the

Mardi Gras Dance Party located at the Garfield Center for the Arts.

http://www.garfieldcenter.org/gcaevent/mardi-gras-dance-party/

Costumes Encouraged, All ages welcome. King Cake served.

 Adult tickets $25 including a $5 donation to the Backpack program

PFLAG Chestertown will pay for student tickets reserved in advance (a $10 value). Call Linda Dutton at 443 480 3138 for information.

Yes, we will be having a monthly meeting on Tuesday February 17th!  More about that in the next post.....

Hi friends,

A week ago today many of us gathered to celebrate the adventurous Brittian Family. Cindy and Susan, we are grateful to you both for so many contributions to our PFLAG Community. There are (and always will be) so many amazing stories to share when it comes to the both of you!  What a great surprise to have out of town PFLAG friends from Baltimore also attend your party!  If you haven’t seen the photos….we will post some on the website.

Since we are in the party mode….let’s keep going and focus on:

Chestertown’s Saturday February 7, “Chester Gras” activities followed by the 4^th annual Mardi Gras Dance Party at the Garfield Center for the Arts. Many LGBTQ folks have requested a gay friendly dance!  This is your opportunity!  The  Chester Gras and MGDP events are truly a fun time, welcoming of all ages, stages and inclinations! Costumes are encouraged all day long.  

​

Our chapter is pleased to subsidize the ticket cost for any Gay Straight Alliance Youth who would like to attend the dance. This is a $10 value for you.  Please call Linda Dutton at 443 480 3138 to reserve your ticket.  We want our youth to network with other youth planning to attend from area schools.  Don't have a ride?  Reach out and we will try to help. Get creative and shock your parents by asking them to go to a dance party with you!  After arriving you both may simply become invisible to one another in the crowd full of costumes.    

We also want to encourage all ages in our chapter to participate in the Chester Gras Activities and Parade that afternoon.  The line up will take place in the Kent County Court House Parking Lot at 12:30 pm. The parade loops around Fountain Park beginning at 1 pm.  Our group will be obvious with our usual rainbow flag as well as some added Mardi Gras flags and umbrellas!

Just show up!  We will give you a mask or boa to wear and some goodies to throw.

Chester Gras is sponsored by Peoples Bank of Kent County and the proceeds from these events benefit the Backpack Program.

Gay Straight Alliance Youth:  We will also have our February 6 First Friday gathering at 5 pm in Chestertown.  Details to follow.

Yes, there is also a chapter meeting next week on Tuesday January 20^th at 7 pm at UUCR. The address is 914 Gateway Drive, Chestertown, MD.  This month we will have an open discussion meeting with several new materials to share. Our PFLAG National office has sent us several copies of the new Guide to being a Trans Ally and we have many other new materials donated to our Resource Library by our friends and members.

We also have compiled several resources addressing personal safety and tips for knowing your rights in legal situations.  Remember, 2015 is our year to take better care of one another!  Next month we will be announcing our plans for Safe Space Trainings, coordinated plans among several area Gay Straight Alliances and topics planned for March and April monthly meetings.  

2015, a year to continue: Be safe, care and work to "fix society" for ALL

2015 PFLAG Chestertown Chapter: Our year to learn to be safe and to care….”Fix Society” MORE.

Hi friends,

We have begun…but we must step up to be MORE caring as well as safe and sensitive.   

We are fortunate to live in beautiful, quiet and rural communities. Yet that rural quiet can lead to isolation, especially if you are young and/or without transportation. We know that we need one another and yet, we are often passive and lonely. Let’s try to “fix  society” as young Leelah Alcorn pleaded before her recent death.  Because of the tragedies and known dangers we share, let’s make 2015 a year of community building…of support groups….of reaching out…..of listening to and helping one another.  Let’s model it and work to make sure that everyone “we” know…also knows how to reach out for a friend or family member…for fun and for facing our fears. 

Tomorrow, January 9, we start with a farewell to a family who has generously shared these personal qualities with our community.  Cindy and Susan Brittain are moving on to new adventures and we will help honor them with an open house from 6-9 pm at Emmanuel Hall, on Cross St, across from Fountain Park in Chestertown. 

Our list of upcoming events and opportunities continues to grow…see the calendar on our new website: PFLAG Chestertown.com

Check out the important resources from PFLAG National at PFLAG.org.  Recent focus on support for Trans Kin has created a wonderful new publication. 

Throughout 2015 we will continue to hold monthly meetings at various locations.  Our blind copy email list continues to grow…and so does your opportunity to talk about what you see happening with LGBT folks of all ages in our community.  Among ourselves and our with friends, family, allies we encourage and want our LGBT community to be fully involved and out as they choose to be…or not!  We keep our email list blind intentionally so the individual choice is always respected.

So mark your calendars for the Third Tuesdays of 2015. Chestertown Chapter leaders meet at 6pm and our membership program begins at 7 pm. June, July and August we will encourage your participation in area PRIDE events as well as local fun such as our membership picnic and marching in the Rock Hall July 4^th parade.

We will continue to network with several local and regional community organizations.  Watch for announcements about upcoming fun events at the Garfield Center for the Arts and special First Fridays!  Sign up and plan something for the meet up group: The Rainbow Alliance of Delmarva. Watch for our involvement in new Gay Straight Alliance groups in local schools, programs at Washington College and Chesapeake College. You will see our presence in our local libraries, churches and any organizations you want our help with!  As we, PFLAG Chestertown members and friends, continue to identify ourselves proudly in our various local roles, we create more awareness, more comfort and eventually hope to make “LGBT” an irrelevant label. We can see the day when fairness and equality for all is possible on the Eastern Shore!

Yet in 2015 our work and conversations need to continue. We will talk about:  personal safety, self care and care for others, how to react when stopped by authorities or police, how to strengthen your local support systems, how to speak up when you see or experience injustice.  We all need to feel safe and welcome everywhere in our communities.  ALL of us.