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Next Meeting Sunday, September 18, 2005 2:00 – 4:00 PM Gay parents will share their experiences as their children have gone off to school, participated in kid’s activities, and become a part of their community. What was difficult, what was ‘easy’?

 

Madison PFLAG at Stevens Point Gay Pride Picnic (August 6, 2005)

Kay Heggestad, Paul Wertsch, Casey Garnhart, and Sharon Whitney represented Madison PFLAG at the Stevens Point Gay Pride Picnic. The PFLAG booth was set up from 12:00 to 6:00 PM. It was estimated that there were more than 500 in attendance.
Organizers and attendees of Saturday's Central Wisconsin Pride festival at Pfiffner Park were pleased both by the turnout, entertainment and location of the first year event held to celebrate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride.

"It's a wonderful turnout," said Jason Jaworski, vice president of the event's planning committee. "We saw a lot of new faces from both the straight and gay communities."

"I think it's fabulous we're at this park in Stevens Point celebrating our diversity," said Jackie Mallory, pastor of the Footstep Fellowship church, one of several nonprofit organizations, like Planned Parenthood and PFLAG, that set up information booths at the festival.

Action Wisconsin Volunteers

Thanks for your interest in working to defeat the constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage! We need you and cannot succeed without your help. For volunteer opportunities, please contact Saad at (608) 441-0143 ext. 307.

We need help with phonebanking, office work, and outreach to events around Wisconsin. We run most events out of our offices on 122 State St in Madison, but we can also give you ideas for volunteer projects no matter where you live.

http://www.actionwisconsin.org/volunteer.html

Picnic at the Landing

PFLAG members, family, and friends enjoyed a pleasant summer evening with a potluck hosted by Joyce Larsen. The weather was great, the company enjoyable, and the food was delicious and plentiful. Unexpected highlights were Kay's swimming suit cover, and her demonstration of the 'witches cackle' that she uses to help trick-or-treaters celebrate Halloween.

Action Wisconsin receives donation
(by Kay Heggestad)

Frank November, a representative from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), gave a comprehensive presentation on the work of the HRC on August 15 at the Outreach Center. The organization, based in Washington, D.C., recently presented Action Wisconsin with a $50,000 challenge grant to help us fight the anti-marriage amendment in Wisconsin. Please donate to Action Wisconsin to help obtain these matching funds. I encourage PFLAG members to visit the HRC web site: www.hrc.org, view their many resources, and consider joining that organization.

 

Madison Gay Pride Parade

Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager asked the crowd to remember that the parade is more than just a celebration, it's a way for them to continue to fight for their human rights. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin called on the crowd to help defeat the proposed amendment to the Wisconsin constitution that would ban same-sex marriage. "We must try everything we can to stop this nonsense right then and there," she said.

Pictured from left: Paul Wertsch, Sharon Whitney, Casey Garnhart, and Mike Whitney are carrying the Madison PFLAG banner in the 2005 Pride Parade.

Farmers Market
(by Kay Heggestad)

The market may be found at the capital square every Saturday morning from late April until early November. PFLAG has a table at the South Hamilton corner from 8 a.m. until noon most every Saturday. If you would like to sit at this table for an hour or two, talk to the public, pass out PFLAG literature, and have a generally wonderful time, please contact Kay (kahegges@yahoo.com) to learn more about it and be scheduled.

PFLAG Board Meeting
(Kay Heggestad)

All PFLAG members are invited to attend all board meetings. The next one is at St. Marys Hospital, Dining Room A, at 6:30 PM on Monday, September 12. If you would like to go through the cafeteria line, perhaps come at 6:15. Bring your ticket with you from parking and it will be validated for free parking.