WayGay - October 2010

8/12/2019 WayGay - October 2010

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A u t u m n H a p p e n i n g s a tY o u r C e n t e r !

The William Way LGBT Community Center - 1315 Spr uce Street - Philadelphia, PA 19107w w w . w a y g a y . o r g - 2 1 5 - 7 3 2 - 2 2 2 0 - i n f o @ w a y g a y . o r g

W a y G a yTM

The William Way LGBT Community Center Newsletter October 2010

It s not easy having a g ood time, even smiling makes my f ace ache, said D r . Fr ank- N- Fur ter of the 1970s cultmovie classic T h e R o c k y H o r r o r Pi c t u r e S h o w . We at the C enter r espectf ully disag r eed w ith the g ood Doctor so p i n io n . I t i s e a s y h a v i n g a g o o d t i m e a t y o u r C o m m u n i t y C e n te r t h i s A u t u mn w i t h t o n s o f e v e n t s t o c h o o s e f r om !

On Satur day, October 16, 2010, w e invite you to pur chase your ticket f or Philadelphia s pr emier e Hallow eenscr eening of T h e R o c k y H o r r o r Pi c t u r e S h o w ( $10 f or member s/$12 f or non- member s) at the C enter. We w ill dothe time w ar p in style as the C ity s beloved T r ansylvanian Nipple Pr oductions cast per f or ms l ive in f r ont of thes c r e en ! T i ck e t s s e ll o u t q u i c kl y s o d o n t d e l a y : r e s er v eyour s pot by call ing the C enter at 215- 732- 2220 or pur chaseonline at www.waygay.org. P r o p b a g s w il l b e o n s a l e a sw ell!

I f a c u l t m o v i e n i g h t i s n o t e n o u g h f o r y o u , c o n s i d e r j o i n i n gPhilaVentur es f or one or mor e of their MANY outing s in Oc-tober. Fr om a f amily f r iendly tr ip to Linvil la Or char ds f ora l l y o u c a n c a r r y p u m p k i n d a y t o a n i n v i go r a t in g h i k e t o t h ePinnacle along the Appalachian T r ail, this outdoor activitiespr og r am of the C enter is sur e to have something to w hetyour appetite. Vis it the PhilaVentur es w ebsite atw w w . philaventur es. or g to f ind out mor e about these eventsor the many other hikes and outing s happening this month.B ike r ides, hikes, and outing s g alor e!

If you r e in the mood f or something a bit mor e edif ying , youcan check out Way Gay U s C r e at i n g a S p ac e f o r Ou r s e l v e s :

A Hi st or i c al Wa lk i ng Tou r o f Ph il ad e lp hi as Ga yb or h o od pr e-sented by C enter ar chivist ex tr aor dinair e B ob Skiba on Sat-ur day, October 9, 2010. Please note ther e is a r eg istr ationf ee associated w ith the event, but you w ill cer tainly not bedis appointed as Skiba takes the g r oup on a pr ovocative tour of w hat is now know n as the C ity s evolving Gaybor -hood. Spr uce Str eet B oys, Lur id Locust, activism, and other community g r oups ar e all on tap. S i g n u p a tw w w .w a yga y.o rg b y O c t o b er 2 , 2 0 1 0 t o res erve yo u r s po t !

Stay tuned f or ex citing and moving events coming up in November as w ell. Ar tist Wolf ie E . R aw k, a local tex tilear tis t, takes the ar t g aller y by stor m in November w ith a show unlike any you have seen in the C enter s g aller ybef or e. R aw k is a Leew ay g r antee, has ex hibited w or k in the Leslie/Lohman Galler y in New Yor k C ity, and is cur -r ently an educator thr oug h the Philadelphia Mur al Ar ts Pr og r am. He uses f abr ic and embr oider y to discuss thebody, tr ansg ender identity, disabil ity, tr auma, and healing in his w or k.

Perha ps t he mo s t mo vi ng event ha ppeni ng i n N o vemb er i s I nt erna t i o na l T ra ns gend er Da y o f R ememb ra nc e( T D O R) . M u l t ip l e e v e n t s a r e o c c u r r i n g i n m e m o r i a l a n d c e l e b r a t io n o f t r a n s g e n d e r l i v e s l i v e d a n d l o s t . OnSatur day, November 20, 2010, f r om 7: 00 9: 00 PM at T. I. P. , 21 South 12th Str eet, 10th Floor, Stephen Gir ar d

B uilding , a pow er f ul and moving memor ial takes place to r emember those individuals w ho have been mur der ed ortaken their ow n l ives because of hate- based violence and discr imination. T he f ollow ing day, a celebr ation w illt a k e p l a c e t o h o n o r t h e t r i u m p h s a n d j o y t h a t g o a l o n g w i t h b e i n g a t r a n sg e n d er i n d i v i d u al o r a l l y. T h i s e v e n t o c -c u r s a t t h e W i l l i a m Wa y C o m mu n i t y C e n t er a t 5 : 3 0 P M o n S u n d ay, N o v e m be r 2 1 , 2 0 1 0 . W e a r e h o n o re d t o b e apar t of these events and encour ag e you to attend as a s ig n of solidar ity and suppor t.

So, w hatever your taste this autumn as the leaves f all, the C enter has something sur e to eng ag e, enthr all, andempow er you!

Transylvania Nipple Production Cast Members from 2009s The

Rocky Horror Picture Showpose after the show(photo by Candice Thompson).

October 2010:Layout 1 9/17/2010 2:37 PM Page 1


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Did you know that your Center touches the lives of hun-dreds of high school students every year? Thats right:

the Centers LGBT Bookmobile visits area high schoolsevery year and this month it receives an extra boost justin time for the beginning of the new school year! Commu-nity members like you will have the opportunity to helpexpand the John J. Wilcox, Jr. Librarys young adult liter-ature section the week of Sunday, October 10th throughSaturday, October 16th by participating in a Borders Ben-efit for the Center!

T he C en te r i st hr il le d t ha tB or de rs cho seour Library lastApril to be a

beneficiary forthis amazing program assisting local non-profit organiza-tions and educational institutions bring in much neededrevenue and supplies.

We entered into discussions last April with MichaelThompson, Borders General Manager at Broad and Chest-nut Streets in Center City, and he worked with us to max-imize what we could do during the week, which includesan in-store book display of LGBT teen literature customerscan buy from and donate to the Center through a bookdrop. Were truly grateful for this opportunity but arealso relying on folks to turn out and donate to the cause,says Candice Thompson, Director of Center Services.

There are two ways that you can contribute during th

s peci al week. Yo u c an m ak e a ny p ur ch as e o nl ithrough Borders Web site or in store at their Broad aChestnut location. You can also double the benefit pur ch asin g an LGBT Young Adult book and dona ting to the Centers Library through the drop box at this cation and the Center will also receive a portion of tsale!

The Center will provide coupons during OutFest, on Web site, and at the Center, which you must present the time of purchase. For each item you purchase w

this coupon, the Center will rcei ve a por ti on o f t he s aprice. Online sales also app

during that week and the moyou buy, the greater percenage the Center receives to hee xp an d o ur s el ec ti on s fLGBTQ youth!

The Center encourages you stop by Borders the week of October 10th through Ocber 16th to make a purchase that will benefit your locLGBT lending library. We truly rely on your support athank you. You can help us expand the LGBT Bookmoband help distribute LGBT related literature to your comunity!

Center Spotlight:The LGBT Bookmobile Partners with Borders!

The William Way LGBT Community Center - 1315 Spruce Street - Philadelphia, PA 19107w w w . w a y g a y . o r g - 2 1 5 - 7 3 2 - 2 2 2 0 - i n f o @ w a y g a y . o r g

Borders Benefits

the Center

October 10, 2010 -

October 16, 2010

Online or

In-Person!

N e w R e s t r o o mU p d a t e !

Our facilities staff at the Center is proud to say that in-

stallation of the new handicapped-accessible restroom is

moving forward quickly and should be entirely finished in

the coming weeks.

It took a lot of hard work from our Facilities Technician,

Jim Crouch, and were glad were now finishing the final

improvements surrounding the elevator, says Interim Fa-

cilities Coordinator Avis Albaladejo. Also, with our ownstaff doing the modifications and installation, we save

thousands of dollars! The contributions received during

Building Bash fully fund this bathroom, so thank you!

Soon, not only will the Center have the restroom avail-

able on the first floor, but it will also have cold, fil-

tered water available in the lobby as well!

As you can see,

facilities staff has

completed the walls,

ceiling, and

electrical systems.

We now only have to

install the flooringand plumbing before

the restroom is

working!

(Photo by Josh

Kruger).



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October Calendar




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G r e e t i n g s f r o m t h e E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r


Dear Friends,

Thank you

I want to thank our volunteers and contributors again with deep sincerity. Tony Pinto, our dedicatedbookeeper, explained to me the "Center Magic: the ways that our community members step up to help in justthe right way at the right time. I have seen this magic come into play as volunteers have jumped in to help uswhen we need it most, and I am continually amazed when a donor drops an anonymous check off at the frontdesk or contributes a gorgeous item for auction. We are blessed by the participation of our community, and Icertainly cannot say it enough: thank you for the many (and ongoing) ways that you all step up to supportus!

Seniors and Housing

You probably have read or heard about the opportunities for a new proposed senior housing program being con-sidered for the William Way Community Center. Mark Segal and his colleagues at the Magnus Hirschfeld Fundhave generated lots of support, energy, and goodwill for the project, and the Board of Directors of William Wayis taking the time to deliberately review the proposed project and consider possible next steps. Obviously,there are many considerations, and I realize you may have many questions about the project. I'm happy to

answer your questions by phone or email: don't hesitate to drop me a line or give me a ring at the Cen-ter!

The Business of the Board

Recently, the Centers Finance Committee approved a draft budget for fiscal year 2010/11 (our fiscal yearstarts on October 1, 2010). The full Board of Directors will put the budget to a vote at its meeting on Septem-ber 28th, 2010. This budget maintains our existing programming with growth in some areas, and we are ex-pecting to maintain and modestly grow our income! This year, we managed to raise as much from our loyalcontributors as the year prior, and we are expecting (even in these trying economic times) to maintainthe same level of success this year. We'll publish the approved budget in next month's newsletter, but Iwanted to let you know that we are aiming to continue to grow the crucial work of the Center. To do so, how-ever, well need your help! In other business, the Board of Directors has begun its nominating process for can-didates for the Board. If you have a candidate to recommend for our Board of Directors, please begin adiscussion with me so I can talk to you about roles and responsibilities of a board member, and you can haveme answer any questions you might have.

Getting Drawn into the Center

Lately, I've been reflecting about what it takes to draw people into the Center's doors from Spruce Street.With a population of well over 60,000 LGBT folks in Philadelphia, there are many people who still have yet todiscover the magic of the Center. I'm curious what brought you through the door the first time. Was it a pro-gram, or a friend, or something you had read? I am committed to creating new ways of being welcoming toall individuals, whether that means increasing exterior signage, online efforts, or through valuable word ofmouth advertising from our program participants, members, and volunteers. Do you have a great idea tobridge the gap between Spruce Street and our lobby? Let me know! I'm eager to hear your ideas. Writeto me at [email protected].

Center Treasure

I wanted to mention the latest Center Treasure that I have discovered: a cabinet filled with t-shirts andbuttons that represent the history of our LGBT communities in Philadelphia located in our fabulous third floorarchives! Wouldn't it be wonderful to reproduce some of these t-shirts and buttons as a promotion for the Cen-ter? Thanks to Bob Skiba, our valuable archivist, for the great ideas and for keeping our archives in such fineorder.

Best wishes to all for a lovely and relaxingly cool autumn. As ever, please be in communication with me withyour thoughts and ideas.

Best regards,

Chris BartlettExecutive Director



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Philanthropy Corner


Oftentimes, our members ask where their generous

donations actually go. Wed like to take thisopportunity to demonstrate exactly how every dollarthe Center receives is put to work immediatelyimpacting the community in the most positive waypossible.

Did you know that of every dollar the Center receives,over 82% goes directly into programming? It pays forthe electricity, the materials, the food, the office sup-plies, the training of staff, and the support of volun-teers. This 82 cents of every dollar given dramaticallyimpacts your community by providing:

Peer Counseling

Senior Programs like Connecting Generations, Morn-ings Out, Womens Wednesdays, and More!

Art Gallery Exhibitions Promoting the Fabulous Workof Local LGBT Artists

Archival Services Preserving Our Communitys Richand Diverse History with Photographs, Magazines,

Newspapers, Personal Notes, and More!

Library Services Giving Our Community Members an

Opportunity to Check Out LGBT-Related Books and

DVDs at NO cost!

Recreational Groups like PhilaVentures JoiningTogether Diverse Groups of LGBT Folks for FieldTrips, Regular Hiking Outdoors, and Dining Out

These are just a sample of how your generousdonations make a huge difference in yourneighborhood and local LGBT community! Think abouthow your regular gifts can continue to make our LGBTcommunity in Philadelphia one of the most diverse,cultured, active communities in all of the nation.

And, the Center makes it easy for you to give

automatically every month, making a small gift of $10turn into $120 annually. So we ensure that everyonewishing to improve the community for the better hasthe opportunity to do so without impacting their dailybudget!

If youd like more information on how your gifts im-prove the Center and community or how to give au-tomatically, contact Development Coordinator JoshKruger at [email protected] or 215-732-2220.

Ask Jessie and Jordan:S e n i or H o u s i n g Pr o j e ctDear Jessie and Jordan:

I read in the Philadelphia Gay News recently that thereis a plan to build some sortof senior housing buildingat William Way. Is there await list? When will it becomplete? How does it im-pact Center programs?

-Curious But Enthusiastic!

Dear CBE:

Were glad you wrote in! Since the PGN article, theCenter has gotten many questions, and were very happyto begin addressing them here in the newsletter.

Currently, there are discussions going on with the Boarof Directors and others to explore the details of fundinand how such a project might impact the Centers mis-sion.

The Board of Directors is committed to keeping all Center programs operating, its core mission in tact, and twelcoming atmosphere throughout the Center humminAll talks are preliminary, and well be sure to keep all

individuals in the community aware of any new develoments!

We LOVE the idea of affordable housing for ALL seniorsincluding LGBT ones, and we hope that well have mornews soon!

-Jessie and Jordan, the Dancing [email protected]



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Center Snapshots


C a p t i o n s(Counter-clockwise from Top)Community members attend the

opening reception for The Lower

Nine: A Post-Katrina Odysseyby

local artist Christina M. Molieri;

Community members view Molieris

works (photos by Mark Kleinwichs);

The gents from Mornings Out say

farewell to Lou ODonnell as he pre-

pares to move to Palm Springs

(photo by Candice Thompson); Fa-

cilities Tech Jim Crouch and Facili-

ties Coordinator Avis Albaladejo

unload supplies for the new rest-

room (photo by Josh Kruger).



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NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S.POSTAGEPAID

PHILADELPHIA,PA

PERMITNO.5411

TheGayCommunityCenterofPhiladelphia

1315SpruceStreet,Philadelphia,PA19107

t/a

TobeplacedontheCen-

tersdiscreetmailinglistor

formoreinformationaboutthisoption,pleasecontacttheCenterat215-732-2220

MondaythroughFriday,

9:00AM-5:00PM.

Markyour

calendars!

OUTFESTon

Sunday,

October10!

Contact

[email protected]

volunteeror

call215-

732-2220!

Coming Soon.


WayGay - October 2010

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