Director's Column

My toes are tingling and my heart racing as we approach National Coming Out Day 2008! It will be a great day here in the La Crosse area and surrounding communities. We have 81 people committed to being at the Silent Rally For Equality and 117 people have made reservations for our first gala event! Read more here. There is still time for you to join us, so stop in, email or call today and commit to being at the rally and join us for a beautiful evening.

The Center is fortunate to work with the Yes! AmeriCorps Program through Workforce Connections. In September Amy and Eric started their service hours. Please read their self introductions:

Erik	Amy
Hi, my name is Erik, and I am a second year AmeriCorps volunteer. I work at the center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, so stop in and say hello. I am working a lot on the library, and really enjoying it. I also work half-time at the WAFER food pantry. I joined AmeriCorps to help people, to gain work and personal experience, and to meet people. I really enjoy AmeriCorps, and I feel like I'm doing some good for the community. I enjoy reading and listening to the radio and listening to music. I also like to watch Internet TV. I studied computer programming and technical communication at Western Technical College, and earned my last degree in 2007.	Hi, I'm Amy Burns, one of the new AmeriCorps workers with the LGBT Resource Center! I decided to become an AmeriCorps worker to be a part of a national movement. I currently work as a part time elementary art educator besides my part time AmeriCorps work. My husband and I also have a beautiful two year old daughter, Elsie, who occupies most of our at home time. I am very excited to be a part of the Center and look forward to helping out with such programs as PFLAG and starting a new program that focuses on women using journals for written and visual arts. I usually work Fridays and Saturdays, so stop in and say hi!

Erik

Amy

Hi, my name is Erik, and I am a second year AmeriCorps volunteer. I work at the center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, so stop in and say hello. I am working a lot on the library, and really enjoying it.

I also work half-time at the WAFER food pantry. I joined AmeriCorps to help people, to gain work and personal experience, and to meet people. I really enjoy AmeriCorps, and I feel like I'm doing some good for the community.

I enjoy reading and listening to the radio and listening to music. I also like to watch Internet TV. I studied computer programming and technical communication at Western Technical College, and earned my last degree in 2007.

Hi, I'm Amy Burns, one of the new AmeriCorps workers with the LGBT Resource Center! I decided to become an AmeriCorps worker to be a part of a national movement. I currently work as a part time elementary art educator besides my part time AmeriCorps work.

My husband and I also have a beautiful two year old daughter, Elsie, who occupies most of our at home time. I am very excited to be a part of the Center and look forward to helping out with such programs as PFLAG and starting a new program that focuses on women using journals for written and visual arts. I usually work Fridays and Saturdays, so stop in and say hi!

In addition to Amy and Eric, the Center is working with Kate Lumsden, a senior at UW-L. She will be completing her practicum at the Center. Kate’s majoring in Communications and has a minor in Gender Studies. She will be assisting with events and activities the center has planned.

October is GLBT History Month, visit our web site daily in October to learn and read about an Icon from LGBT history. Each day throughout the month a person's life will be highlighted with videos, images, biographies and bibliographies. Be out, be proud, and learn about our rich GLBT community across the globe. It will be a rich month for each of us to celebrate ourselves and others that have made a difference in the GLBT movement.

We have started a new Drop In Group that meets on Thursdays from 6-8 pm at the center, 303 Pearl Street. In October we will have a Poster Making Night for the Rally on the 2nd, Sex & Candy B-I-N-G-O on the 9th, and a Movie & Popcorn Night on the 23rd. Drop In and meet new people, make connections, and have some fun. Who couldn’t use a little fun? Check the Center calendar for details of these and other events.

Starting in October we will be having LGBT Parent Meetings on Wednesdays. October 15th is our first meeting from 9:30-11:00 am. Kathy Lawson will present on Balancing Love and Discipline. We will have activities, share ideas, and invite local professionals that work with families and children to come in and present on various topics. Feel free to share this information with others that may be interested in these meetings.

La Crosse Eagles Aerie 1254’s People Helping People Fundraiser program will be hosting a Fish Fry on Friday, October 24th from 5:30-8:00 p.m. to benefit the LGBT Resource Center for the Seven Rivers Region. Johnnie Schmeckpeper, our Volunteer Extraordinaire, is also a Fish Fry Lord and he will be preparing the delicious fish! Please stop in for a scrumptious fish dinner and to show your support for the center. Invite your family, friends, and everyone to come join us for a fabulous fish fry at the La Crosse Eagles Aerie 1254, 228 Fifth Avenue South, La Crosse.

The Center, along with other LGBT Center’s from across the state, is collaboratively working on a Tobacco Cessation grant that has two main goals: to change the attitude toward smoking in the LGBT community and to decrease the number of LGBT smokers in the state of Wisconsin. Please visit www.rm2breathe.org for more information.

I look forward to rallying with you on NCOD, dancing in the evening, and closing a celebratory Coming Out Weekend with a screening of For the Bible Tells Me at 1:00 pm at Our Savior’s Lutheran, 612 Division Street. Things are happening at the center, so come along with us as we move forward.

Peace & belief,
Rosanne St. Sauver
Executive Director