Next Meeting - May 20, 2007 Wisconsin Gay Hockey Association The New Advocacy in Madison: Patrick Farabaugh, a new transplant to Madison, not only has developed one of the largest GLBT hockey leagues in the nation right here in town, but is also the driving force behind a new GLBT magazine that will distributed free start-ing in June. Meet this 29 year old dynamo, hear his story, and get energized.

Pot Luck Dinner Party

Immediately following the May meeting, you are all invited to George and Brian's home in Cambridge for a potluck dinner!

Directions are:
Drive east on south beltline, stay on Hwys 12 and 18 to Cambridge, turn left to follow Hwy 18 at the edge of Cambridge, then turn right on Wolff Rd.

The address and phone number:
N4482 Wolff Rd.
Cambridge, WI 53523
608 423-3336

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Sympathy

Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathy are with Diane Wensel and her family on the recent loss of her husband and her brother.

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Farmers' Market

If you want to have 2 wonderful hours on a Saturday morning, contact Kay for information about being a mar-ket sitter. Email Kay to reserve a time from 8-10 or 10-12 for any Saturday morning. First come, first served.

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PFLAG National Convention

Mid October, in Washington, D.C.
Please see the national web site, www.pflag.org, for details about the convention. Several of us are going and it is going to be super this year.

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PFLAG Cruise in March, 2008

This is a week cruise that leaves from San Diego. See national web site ( www.pflag.org ) for details. It is for PFLAGers and LGBT folks and all of our families. Plan on going and taking your extended family with you. Cindy Lauper is the headliner.

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Post Card Campaign re: Employment non- discrimination act (ENDA)

See national web site, read the instructions, get a pack of cards for family, friends to fill out, then the cards go back to National (not to the senators/reps) since the national folks will take them all at once to the legislators just before the vote. Kay will bring some to May meeting for show and tell. They need to be back to national by July 6.

 

Pride Parade and Picnic in July

See madisonpride.org for details (nothing on the site as of 5/6). We will staff a table at the picnic on Saturday, July 21, and then march in the parade on Sunday, July 22. Actual times and locations are not yet available. If you cannot access madisonpride.org, and do not receive PFLAG emails from Kay, then please call the PFLAG hot line, 848-2333 and ask for information on the pride events, or give Kay your email address.

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Changes

Joyce Larson has retired from our PFLAG Madison Board after many years of super service. We all thank her! To fill her shoes, we had to recruit two people: Nancy and Ken Jones will finish out her term.

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Legislative Win

Human Rights Campaign and Fair Wisconsin newsletters both noted the passage of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Fair Wisconsin email newsletter for May 4 is quoted below:

Yesterday marked an incredible victory for LGBT rights across the nation. Thanks to the bi-partisan coalition of leaders, most notably Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin, the House of Represen-tatives voted 237-180 in favor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shephard Act. This is a huge step forward, as the Act includes protection for gay, lesbian and transgender individuals who are victims of hate crimes.

Kay reports that she was in the house gallery when they voted for the hate crimes act. She says that everyone is talking about Tammy and her great speech.

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Legislative Loss – from Apr. 25 Fair Wisconsin email newsletter

The Joint Finance Committee has announced they will be removing Governor Jim Doyle's pro-posal for domestic partner benefits from their version of the budget bill because they are unable to garner a single Republican vote in favor of the proposal. However the Assembly and the Sen-ate still have the opportunity to put domestic partner benefits back in the budget for all state em-ployees.

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Reminder of a CHANGE in Membership Dues for PFLAG

No, the amount has not changed, but the date on which National PFLAG would like us to collect and pay our portion to them has changed. Instead of a calendar year membership, they have switched to a program year membership. To accommodate this switch, our chapter is asking you to submit your membership dues ($40/couple, $30/single) to our treasurer, Karen Baker by September 2007. Please download and fill out the form. If you are a current member and nothing has “changed” (address, phone or e-mail), then submitting your check is sufficient. You can mail it to Karen at 3634 Graham Paige Rd. Cottage Grove, WI 53527.