This Saturday Oct 24 is Prep day for the Chestertown Halloween Parade and TDOR Vigil! Join us at Fountain Park

We had a fine group of energetic souls at our monthly meeting this week.  They had not experienced marching in one of our many local parades....so, when the Chestertown Halloween Parade was mentioned....they were ready to go! So...

THIS Saturday Oct 24 (and next Saturday Oct 31) save your midday hours for some fun with us! We will be in Fountain Park at the Farmer's Market from 9-12 with our usual information table and Rainbow Umbrella. Then we will continue creatively making posters, buttons and decorations for use in the next Saturday's Halloween Parade from 12-2. If it is too cool or windy outside we will go upstairs above the Nearly New Shop (also in Fountain Park)...find our umbrella!
TDOR Vigil posters will also be available for distribution.

NEXT Saturday Oct 31 dress for the weather and add some Halloween and colorful fun to your morning.  Parade line up is from 9-9:45 sharp on Dixon Drive in Chestertown. We will provide you with decor to wear, throw and enjoy...but feel free to dress yourself too!  Simply look for our Rainbow flag to find our spot in the line up. This is a great way to promote our important work and our upcoming TDOR vigil!

At 10 am the fun parade will begin moving down High Street ending at the Chester River.  There will be music, food and Downrigging happenings at the riverfront as the parade ends.  We must remember to get a good group photograph!  Don't miss it! Family and friends are welcome to join us from the sidelines as we march, but give yourself an extra smile by proudly joining us from the start. Remember PFLAG is all about Parents, Family and Friends! Questions? Call Linda 443 480 3138.

Presenting Our Nov 20, 2015 Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil with special Guest, Kristin Beck!

Tuesday October 20th is our monthly Chapter Meeting, 7 pm

Next Tuesday, October 20^th at 7 pm we hope you will join us at our monthly Chapter meeting.  We will be in Chestertown, MD at the Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River, 914 Gateway Drive.  Our meetings consist of time for socializing, a program and support opportunities as needed.  Drop in and bring new friends. Everyone is most welcome.

This month we will be doing some prep work for our Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil to be held on Friday, November 20^th 
at 7 pm at the Garfield Center for the Arts.  Our special guest for TDOR this year is Kristin Beck, formerly a Navy SEAL and the focus of the movie, “The Lady Valor.”  SAVE THE DATE NOW AND TELL YOUR  FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Next Tuesday we will be prepping the name cards to be read at our vigil and making plans for poster distributions to advertise our big November event.  (The TDOR event will be our monthly meeting in November.) 

There is always a lot to catch up on with one another as well as fun new ideas to share. We want to plan some social and supportive occasions for the winter holidays ahead.  Any thoughts are welcome.  The National PFLAG meeting taking place in Nashville TN this coming weekend will also be a good topic for conversation and sharing.

Thanks to all who are helping to organize these activities and carrying on with our outreach to area schools and local organizations. Together we are all making our Eastern Shore a safer and happier place for many families and individuals. 

Changes in Oct 2-3 weekend plans due to weather

Rain, rain, go away!...or not.

After the beautiful fall weeks we have enjoyed so much, now the rain clouds are dominating!  We did need the rain, yet the predictions (including a possible hurricane arriving on Monday) are making many plans change.

So, both the First Friday evening reception and Saturday morning information table will not be set up this weekend.  (Best wishes to the Harry Potter Festival folks, go support them instead!)

Another change is affecting plans for our Tuesday Oct 20 7 pm monthly meeting.  We will be meeting but our speaker will be rescheduled for another month due to a conflict.  Don't fret, we have plenty of things to talk about!  More details later.

Fall is definitely here.  Find a friend and share some cider.  Go ahead and do the Out of the Darkness walk on Kent Island.  I haven't heard of any cancellation plans from them.

October arrives next week! Start with a Walk next Saturday October 3rd in the afternoon.

October arrives next week! 

This Saturday September 26th our PFLAG table will be at the Chestertown Farmers Market from 10-12 noon.  Stop by and say hello!  Also enjoy the Chestertown Riverfest weekend of events! http://chestertownriverarts.org/events/riverfest

SAVE the afternoon of Saturday October 3^rd to Walk to Fight Suicide.  The Out of the Darkness Community Walk will take place at the Chesapeake Exploration Center on Kent Narrows. Registration time begins at 3 pm.  Walk time begins at 5 pm.  Get involved to honor a loved one or to raise money for this important cause.  For local information contact Patricia Kotzen at 410 643 7674 or pskotzen@atlanticbb.net

We had a meaningful group meeting in September when we discussed suicide prevention. Thanks to all who attended and shared. Some follow up materials can be found on our website and at http://www.afsp.org/.  The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has so many useful resources and is the organization that sponsors the Out of the Darkness Community Walks. 

First Friday October 2 in Chestertown from 7-9 pm and Saturday Oct 3 from 10-12 noon are open for our volunteers to set up and staff our information and hospitality table.  We need YOU to make it happen though! Offer your weekend time and energies by emailing pflagchestertown@gmail.com or leave a message at 443 480 3138.  We will find a task for you!  Be fore warned it is also the weekend of the Harry Potter Festival! What fun! see http://www.chestertownhpfest.org/

Later in October we will be meeting on Tuesday Oct 20, location TBD. Dr. John LaFerla will be sharing his expertise as a physician and public health expert as he answers your confidential and anonymous questions in a “Doc in a box” style! Come to learn some new health tips as well as to giggle your way through some uncomfortable topics!  Time for socializing and support will also be part of our gathering.

September Has Arrived!

Welcome to September 2015

PFLAG Chestertown Chapter Activities

First Friday Reception September 4, 5-7 pm Fountain Park, Chestertown, Stop by and say hello!

Saturday mornings Information Table at the Chestertown Farmers Market,

September 5, 12, 19, 26^th 10-12 noon

September 14^th Monthly Meeting on MONDAY 7 pm this time!

Location at UUCR, 914 Gateway Drive, Chestertown

Topic: Suicide and Prevention...Let’s talk about it!

Group Discussion facilitated by Bradley Lake, LICSW

We look forward to connecting with you as we work together offering advocacy, support and education to our community.  Thanks are due to so many of you doing our work in many quiet ways in our schools, health care settings and extended families.

http://www.welcomingschools.org/blog/entry/4-ways-to-make-your-classroom-gender-inclusive

Other area opportunities that may be of interest to you:

Early Bird Registration Ends September 15^th for the 2^nd

Gender Conference East November 13-14

            http://www.genderconferenceeast.org/join-us22.html

The Delaware Renaissance group has expanded their meetings and services serving the Transgender Community since 1994.

See delren.org for more information about these opportunities.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING

Offered by Maryland Coalition of Families in partnership with Mental Health Association in Talbot County 

September 18th, 2015 from 8:30am-5:00pm

Location: Caroline County Library, 100 Market Street  Denton, MD 21629

About Youth Mental Health First Aid:    Evidence-based training that teaches the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders.     Provides individuals with tools to respond to a mental health emergency until professional help arrives.     Provides action steps to take in order to help a young person ages 12-17 experiencing the early signs of a mental health disorder.    Designed for parents, teachers and caregivers of that age group.

August activities and a preview of the fall lineup

First Friday in August is this week

Please say Hi when you are out and about this Friday, August 7 in Chestertown.  The forecast calls for rain, so if we aren’t down in Fountain Park, we will be “up” in Fountain Park using the upstairs office space of our friend Bradley Lake, above the Nearly New Shop.  There will be some treats to munch on, some news to share, some friends to see!

We know many other fun things are going on at the same time during first Friday, but hey, it’s a small town so we can try to make the rounds.  Consider checking out the special event at JR’s hosted by Maryland’s NARAL Chapter. 

We are back! Find us on Saturdays at the Farmer’s Market in Chestertown

We will start hosting our informational table at the Farmer’s Market in Chestertown from 10-12 noon.  The table will be a place to share local news and info as well as pick up a copy of the latest publications from the National Office.  Of course you might want to join our organization and receive the information about LGBTQ training opportunities and public policy advocacy needs designed just for you!  We are the family friends and allies of the gay and trans community! 

Rainbow Alliance of Delmarva (RAD) is an online meet up group

After the market shuts down at noon is a great time to share a lunch or picnic with a friend.  The Rainbow Alliance of Delmarva meet up group has posted this opportunity.  Stop by and meet some new folks to the area who are happy to have found our beautiful and quiet Eastern Shore.   Join http://www.meetup.com/Rainbow-Alliance-of-Delmarva/events/224315118    You will find 135 members looking for something fun to do.  Anyone can post an idea…make it happen!  Summer is the best time to plan for play and meet some new friends.

Speaking of upcoming events

August is here and hopefully more impromptu social plans will be announced.  The fall brings several programs and inspiring opportunities in the process of being planned.  In September look for announcements about collaborative work with Washington College addressing the topic of suicide.  September is national suicide prevention month and sadly, we all have work to do to address the needs of others.

Suicide: Break the Silence. Talk about it. Save a life. www.break-the-silence.org

In October we will offer resources for answering your questions about healthy vs unhealthy habits in your personal life…begin thinking about all those questions you want to ask, but are just too….whatever. We have health care professionals who are willing to be the “doc in a box.” Confidentiality guaranteed!

November brings us to our Fourth Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance activities.  Wow…we have a great surprise in store for you this year.  Stay tuned!