A time of shock and for mourning among all communities

There are no words to describe the feelings and complexities we share today as we learn of the horrific events targeting our dear families and friends.  We must dig deep into our hearts to send out as much strength as possible to those most impacted and then again gather our pride and energy for the important work that continues to be needed in EVERY corner of our great country.  Change only happens one person at a time. Whether it is a conversation about weapons, love or hate in general or specifically, we must come together in real conversation and intention to begin to address the extremes.

When we are able to put together a sensible plan for sharing with one another, we will announce this on the bcc list and here. Until then, please simply hug those you love and care for and send your best spiritual strengths out to the rest of our dear world.

While I personally don't participate in FB,  I will ask our volunteers who manage that page to share this message there as well.

LD for PFLAG Chestertown

April is the month for political focus in Maryland! Try to smile and be part of the process. We have FREEDOM.

Hi folks,

April is the time to focus on politics in Maryland!* April 5^th is the last date to adjust party affiliation!

MORE STATEWIDE Election INFO BELOW…AND THIS WILL BE THE MAIN TOPIC OF OUR APRIL MEETING. Tuesday April 19^th, our regular monthly chapter meeting (at UUCR, see the website) will focus on politics! (YES!....PFLAG is a non-partisan non-profit organization, we are respectful and careful about the related guidelines!)

At this meeting we will have FUN discussing the topics of the day using a “random” tool…a card game that brings up many “topics of the day.” I will leave the rest to your imagination. The INTENT is to provoke thought and conversation…as well as try to learn from one another about the complexities of the ballot issues and position of individuals running for various positions in various parties….A free for all conversation to be sure! (We intend to set a tone of dark/silly humor and info sharing/respectfulness side by side.)  Should be interesting!

We will also hold our own annual local chapter officer elections…as required by our chapter bylaws.

The chapter officer ballots will be pre-printed, anonymous voting, in person only and will include a write in space.  These positions are real and require work and commitment.  The results will be tabulated, checked independently and announced that evening.  More details are available about the individuals proposed for the offices…as are thanks for those who have served our chapter with their generosity.  (Kendall Ruffatto, our Chapter President since our inception in 2011 is stepping down. We appreciate your commitment and ongoing support in new ways Kendall!)

The PFLAG Chestertown Chapter proposed 2016 Officer ballot overview is:

President:  Linda Dutton (currently serving as Chapter Secretary since 2011.)

Treasurer: Jonathan Chace (has served in this same role since 2011.)

Secretary: Barbi Bedell (Long term member and Chapter leader, bio available)

These roles are our three required Chapter Officer positions.  We also welcome other leaders to less formal (but vital!) roles that are being swapped out…and those details will also be announced at our meeting.)….please check out our website for several other opportunities for to involve yourself in our work.  I don’t want to post them all as it is overwhelming…but note where they are from and involve yourself!  PFLAG is a resource for support, education and advocacy….a link among many, but from your closest local connections….help us continue to be simply that!

The main program of the meeting on April 19^th will focus on the Maryland State wide process!

What are the dates and details about elections in Maryland this year?  http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2016/index.html

May I change parties? Yes. To change your party affiliation you can use Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) or submit a new voter registration application or a signed written request to your local board of elections. The deadline to change your party affiliation is April 5, 2016 for the Presidential Primary Election and October 16, 2016 for the Presidential General Election. If you request a change in party affiliation after these dates, your request will be held at your local board of elections and processed when registration reopens after the elections.

Events of Interest TODAY at Wash College and in the near future....hope to see you!

Hi friends,

There are several timely announcements/opportunities in this post, so skim on down as needed to get them all…

Sorry for the late notice about this, but tonight at Washington College consider:

Kand McQueen, a national advocate for transgender awareness, will discuss the limitations of gender identification and how society’s strict interpretations can negatively affect a culture.

Like much of the world, Western society rests on the assumption that all persons exist unambiguously as either man or woman. As a society, however, that assumption is being questioned and challenged in ways that are creating a growing national conversation on the topic.

On March 2, that conversation will take the stage at Washington College when Kand McQueen, a nationally known keynote speaker and advocate for transgender awareness, will speak on “Sex and Gender: Two Are Definitely Not Enough and Why It Matters.” The event at 7:00 p.m. in Decker Theatre of the Gibson Center for the Arts is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the program.

The goals of the talk are to help the audience see how the binary categories of “male” and “female” are inadequate to contain that part of human experience referred to as sex and gender, and to understand how our strict, dichotomous thinking negatively affects all people. In the talk, McQueen will make the case for a greater acceptance of all human beings and the diversity of our species.

McQueen, who addresses issues of transgenderism, intersexuality, and the inadequacies of our current two-and-only-two sex/two-gender way of thinking, earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology—Inquiry Methodology from Indiana University.

This event is variously supported by the Office of Intercultural Affairs, the Gender Studies Program, the Department of Education, and the Office of Wellness and Prevention Education. Major sponsorship comes from the William James Forum and the Gibson-Wagner Psychology Department Fund. Theta of Maryland, Washington College’s Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, will host the reception.

Next week, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING…only a few spots left!

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

March 11, 2016 from 8:30am-5:00pm

Pizza will be provided for lunch

Location: Kent County Library

Yellow Building, 207Calvert St., Chestertown, MD 21620 

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. 

COURSE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE

With support from the Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Foundation

All participants will be certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid and receive a certificate of completion valid for 3 years 

For Professionals:

8 CEU’s available for social work, psychology, counseling (for a fee of $30) and nursing CEU’s are free

To register for this course contact Danielle Murphy with

Mental Health Association in Talbot County at 410-822-0444or email dmurphy@mhamdes.org ….call since registration is almost closed.

Last, but not least…thanks so much to all who attended the Listening Session held at Chesapeake College last week with Free State Legal/Equality Maryland.  The discussion was full of quality and depth…and we are proud to be partnering in this important work together.  More to come from them on the Eastern Shore and everywhere!  Support them!  Visit their websites for details of events taking place in the near future in Salisbury...and see the new PFLAG Chapter in Salisbury!

Our regular monthly Third Tuesday Chestertown Chapter meeting will be held at UUCR at 7 pm on Tuesday March 15. 

 We will recap all the recent events and share proposals as we look to the months ahead.  Our Gay Straight Alliance “grant” phase has ended and we will not be hosting an “open house” event for this week’s First Friday on March 4. 

At our April 19 Chestertown Chapter meeting we will hold our annual chapter officer elections and announce programs plans for the months ahead.

Hope to see you at any of these events with your questions, ideas and resources of energy and caring.  I will be leading the meeting, this month at UUCR, Tues, March 15, 7 pm…we welcome all and will have time for mutual support too!

An important opportunity to be heard and seen! Don't miss it!...a week from today, Tuesday Feb 23

A week from today, next Tuesday, February 23rd...

This will be a great opportunity to network, share and hear others ideas and concerns and enjoy some "face time" with other friends from our wonderful Eastern Shore.

See you at Chesapeake College on Tuesday February 23rd,
Higher Ed Building Room 115 6-8 pm, Refreshments served
 (We will not be having our previously scheduled chapter meeting today, Feb 16.  This is the event to attend instead.)

Saturday Afternoon Feb 6 is Chester Gras Parade and Gumbo, then get ready for the famous Mardi Gras Dance Party 7pm!

Chester Gras 2016

This Saturday February 6 @ 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm and then in the evening....the famous....

Mardi Gras Dance Party 7 to 11 pm All ages welcome!

Daytime admission free, charge for food and drink and some children’s activities

Family Friendly Mini Mardi Gras Style celebration: Festivities in heated tents start at 12:30, 1 pm parade, event finishing up at 4. Food, gumbo, beverages, silent auction, music, 50-50 raffle ALL TO BENEFIT THE AREA BACKPACK PROGRAMS.

Our Chestertown PFLAG and GSA group is marching together in the parade….bring the umbrella’s you decorated and any costumes you want…anything goes!  Traditional Mardi Gras Colors are Green, Gold and Purple.  Line up is at 12:30 in the parking lot near the courthouse (near Fountain Park, not up on High Street like before). Look for Linda’s gray van with loads of costume materials, our PFLAG banner and fun stuff to share as we parade around the park a few times with the other floats.  Bring your smiles, family and friends and join the parade, stay for music and gumbo in the heated tent all afternoon….take a break from 4 to 7 pm to rest up for the big dance party! PFLAG has reserved a hotel room for shared “crashing” in Chestertown….we don’t want you driving home too late….the dance party ends around 11 pm.  Please email dutton.linda@gmail.com or call  Linda Dutton 443 480 3138 for more information if you think would like to stay rather than drive home after the long day. We will arrange this on an individiual request basis and require parental permission if under age.

This is it!

The dregs-of-winter event that everyone's been waiting for, READ ON….

a great chance to party with your friends, draw visitors to our community and cure even the worst case of cabin fever.

Mardi Gras Dance Party

February 6, Garfield Center for the Arts

Bar opens at 7PM — Start rockin' at 8PM

While New Orleans is packed for Mardi Gras, 

we’re rockin’ out right here in Chestertown. 

And the most exciting event of the day-long celebration is the finale, 

a knock-your-socks-off dance party at the Garfield.

KING CAKE will be served!

Two great New Orleans style R&B bands — 

The Dixie Power Trio, back by popular demand for their fourth straight year, 

and our own Alligators, who electrified the biggest crowd ever 

at their high-energy concert in Fountain Park last summer. 

And with two spectacular bands, the fun never stops.

If you’re not a big dancer, grab a drink or free lemonade at the bar, head to the balcony 

and groove to an awesome concert while watching a dazzling spectacle of 

costumed dancers rockin’ to the rhythms below. 

So grab your beads, feathers and most outrageous mask 

(or not) and join the fun!

Tickets are on sale now at the Garfield's website

http://www.garfieldcenter.org/gcaevent/mardi-gras-dance-party-2/

It’s also the best bargain of the year, at $25 for two great bands, STUDENT discount with ID $15.

(plus a highly entertaining floorshow of dancing neighbors) 

or $30, if you’d like to include a $5 donation  to the “Backpack” program, 

which provides weekend meals for local needy children.

Don’t wait! 

The fire Marshall limits the number of party-goers and 

you don’t want to miss this entertaining extravaganza.

See you there!

Mardi Gras Festivities in Chestertown aka Chester Gras Sat Feb 6

Hi folks,

Save the day!  Saturday February 6 for Mardi Gras Style fun in Chestertown, MD.  We are having our 4th annual Chester Gras activities which include a parade, gumbo cook off and Dance Party that evening at the Garfield Center for the Arts.  On First Friday Feb 5 from 5-7 pm we will put the final touches on our Krewe costumes, umbrellas and parade moves.

Posters and details are in the making...so stay tuned.

Thanks to all who joined us for the Board Games Holiday Party...we had a great time together.  Let's do it again.

Holiday Board Game Party Join us Tuesday December 29th, 2015

Please join us for some fun and to enjoy the "social" part of our social justice work!