Covenant House benefit at Long Fork Campground
On Saturday, August 15, 2009, beginning at 3:00 pm, Long Fork Campground and the Mountain State Knights are hosting “The Red Party: A Party for the People” to benefit the Covenant House Food Pantry. If you plan to come, simply bring along some nonperishable food items to donate. But if you can’t make the party, there are several drop off points in Charleston where you can make a donation. These are: Visions Day Spa, Bluegrass Kitchen, Tricky Fish, and, of course, Covenant House.
Covenant House was created in 1981 by Charleston citizens and groups committed to helping those with the fewest resources. Their mission was to work for justice by offering direct services for West Virginians in need while creating social change through advocacy and education. Covenant House provides assistance to the homeless population of the Kanawha Valley and to people living with HIV and AIDS. They’re on the web at wvcovenanthouse.org.
Long Fork is a clothing optional retreat for the gay community located in the lush hills of West Virginia about 40 minutes north of Charleston. Visit them on the web at www.longfork.com for more information. Bring your own refreshments, but remember: no glass bottles around the pool.
Vacation Bible School / Block Party – Mighty Hand Fellowship
Mighty Hand Fellowship (an LGBT friendly Christian church in Charleston WV) will be holding two events in early August.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!
August 3rd –7th 2009
6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Singing * Dinner * Lesson * Arts & Crafts * Games
NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH BLOCK PARTY and GIVE-A-WAY
Saturday August 8th 2009 11:00 am-3:00 pm
Music * Free hot dogs, chips and drinks * Free clothing and more * Children’s Activities
Mighty Hand Fellowship is located at:
805 Bigley Ave. Charleston, WV 25302
Phone: 304-380-1792
Ignition An Mpowerment Project In Charleston WV
Ignition an Mpowerment Project
The Project is run by a “Core Group” of 3-5 young gay/bisexual men from the community with the support of paid staff. The Core Group, along with other volunteers, design and carry out all Project activities. The Project has its own physical space where most outreach events and meetings are held. The Project space also serves as a drop-in center where young gay/bisexual men meet and support each other. The Project relies on a set of four integrated activities:
Formal Outreach - A team of young gay/bisexual men goes to popular community locations to discuss and promote safer sex in a fun and engaging way. They distribute appealing HIV prevention material that they have developed themselves. Additionally, the team creates its own outreach events to attract young gay/bisexual men (e.g., dances, video parties, picnics, discussion groups) where HIV prevention is promoted in various ways.
Informal Outreach – Through their participation in the Mpowerment Project, young men develop the necessary skills and motivation to effectively support and encourage their friends about safer sex.
Ongoing Publicity Campaign – The campaign attracts young gay/bisexual men to the project through word of mouth, articles in gay newspapers, advertisements, web sites, e-mail notices, and other targeted strategies.
M-groups - These peer-led, 3 hour meetings of 8-10 young gay/bisexual men discuss factors contributing to unsafe sex (e.g., misconceptions about safer sex, beliefs that safer sex is not enjoyable, poor sexual communication skills). Through skills-building exercises, the men practice safer sex negotiation and correct condom use. Participants receive free condoms and lubricant and are trained and motivated to conduct informal outreach with their friends.
The Project mobilizes young gay/bisexual men to shape a healthy community for themselves, build positive social connections, and support their friends to have safer sex. The Mpowerment Project can reach large numbers of young gay/bisexual men in a cost-effective manner because it is a community level intervention. It focuses on the entire community of young gay/bisexual men instead of targeting men individually or solely through small groups. The Mpowerment Project is designed to be tailored to the needs of every community; it is based on a set of interrelated core elements that each community adapts to its own unique characteristics. The Charleston area has been defined by the DHHR as MSM ages 18 to 32.
Although elements of the Mpowerment Project may seem familiar to people who have worked in HIV and AIDS prevention previously, how this Project works is different from what typically comes to mind in conducting HIV and AIDS prevention. While the Mpowerment Project includes safer sex promotion, the program is not defined solely by a focus on condoms or HIV and AIDS prevention but peer networking as well.
Please contact the Project Coordinator at (304)437-2927 or at jelswick@pridewv.org for further information or questions.
Also the PDF research papers will lend to further knowledge and information on Mpowerment.
Picture Day for LGBT Community May 7th at Olan Mills
Come join rainbow pride as the LGBT Community comes together for a picture event at Olan Mills.
They will have several portrait collections to choose from. AS well as be available to photography Groups, Drag Promo, Couple and Families.
The Event will take place on May 7th at 10am until 8pm. Please call Christen at Olan Mills at 304-347-9408 for an appointment.
St. Albans teen speaks up for LGBT Students
Photograph - Chip Ellis.
It what seems like yet another reminder that younger generations can teach us a lot about ourseleves, a St. Albans High School student, Clayton Stover, petitioned the Kanawha County school board members to add sexual orientation to the school system’s cultural diversity policy.
We are humbled by such incredible courage to stand before such an audience, let alone live day to day in an environment as brutal as high school, while advocating for justice for ALL people…including those who are so easily maligned verbally and physically assaulted.
31st District House Delegate Carrie Webster also sent a letter to the Kanawha County Board of Education offering support of this addition.
School board general counsel Jim Withrow said the school system is already revamping its diversity policy. About four months ago, a group of teachers suggested the school board include sexual orientation in the policy, he said.
Board members could vote on the revisions as early as next month, he said.
Thank you Clayton for your courage to speak up. We are inspired.
Tonight at the Broadway
Covenant House is reaching out to the LGBT community this evening at The Broadway — encouraging LGBT individuals to stop smoking and offering them smoking cessation classes that are LGBT-friendly.
Throughout the U.S., people who are LGBT are more than twice as likely to smoke as the general population. Because of this – and because of its long history of addressing the health needs of the LGBT community – Covenant House is offering smoking cessation classes to the LGBT community and resources to stop smoking.
“When we think of the health risks that gay people face, we often just think of HIV,” said Amy Weintraub, Covenant House Executive Director. “But high smoking rates within the gay community pose a serious risk as well.”
Anyone interested in more information about this effort – or to sign up for smoking cessation classes – please call (304)344-8053 ext 35 or email jcrist@wvcovenanthouse.org.
Senate Bill 238 Passes in West Virginia State Senate
Senate Bill 238 has passed the state senate. With a vote of 23 in favor and 10 against this bill will now move to the West Virginia House of Delegates.
We expect this bill to be a hot button issue for those opposed to true equality in West Virginia.
Take action now! We need each of you to make a phone call, email, or postal mail contact with each of your Delegates.
To find your delegates visit the West Virginia Legislature web page at:
At the lower right side of the screen you can type in your zip code to determine who your elected officials are.
If you need to know your zip+4 code you can find it at the United States Postal service website at:
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
Let’s stay positive, and move West Virginia forward on the path to equality.
Think Charleston is slow since the Kanawha County smoking ban?
Well,we are happy to report things are going quite well. I hear the Broadway is adjusting to the smoking ban. The outdoor patio is full, and everyone inside the bar is breathing much easier. From what I understand the non smokers are happy to leave the club at the end of the night without smelling like an ashtray.
It has been recently reported to me that the Broadway has now started a You Tube channel. You can check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/user/BroadwayCharleston
Trax had a rough time with the ban. Roger Legg, owner of the facility, reported that his business declined 40% at the start of the ban, and has had some trouble staying open. The popular rumor in town is that Trax is closed. I am happy to report that they are in fact open. I had the opportunity to visit last Thursday, and the staff was polite and the place was open. The current cover for those 21 and up is only $3. If you are 18 and up the cover is $5. Check it out for those of you too young to get in to the Broadway.
WV Pride Benefit at the Broadway
We would like to invite everyone to come out to The Broadway at 210 Leon Sullivan Way. Charleston, West Virginia 25301 (304) 343-2162 on Sunday February 22, 2009.
The fun will get started at 8:00pm with Stephanie Michelle, special guests Viki Williams, Michelle St.James, and friends to help raise money for Rainbow Pride of West Virginia. Lets all come out and support our community and West Virginia Pride.
Valentines Night Prom At The Broadway
The Broadway
The Broadway 210 Leon Sullivan Way. Charleston, West Virginia 25301 (304) 343-2162
Come join Rainbow Pride of WV as we host the gay prom at the Broadway on Valentines night. All 3 Miss Prides will be in attendance to perform for our attendees. We will also be holding raffles, selling pride shirts, as well as pride flags. The Broadway will be decorated for our valentines day theme and is sure to be a fun time for all that attended.
Formal attire is suggested for this event.
Come support Your Rainbow Pride of WV as we celebrate community love, partner love, and friend ship love at the Braodway on Febuary 14, 2009.
EVENT STARTS: 11pm
