Connections

Last Chance to RSVP for Sunday Dinner at Really Cooking Cafe
We’ve partnered with the boys over at Really Cooking Cafe (www.reallycookingcafe.com) in Dallas to present an evening of fun as we announce plans for the summer with amazing food, new friends, and good fun. Kelly and Greg will also be putting on a little performance for us, as well as inviting you to sing along if you like around the piano. There is no cost beyond your dinner for this event, and a special lite menu is available for the cost-conscious with full dinner entrees as low as $9.00. RSVP for this event now at http://gaynepa.eventbrite.com.

6/1/08 UPDATE: View Pictures

Where can I meet LGBT parents? Where can I meet new friends? Who’s going to be the next President?
Well, we can’t really discuss these with our master list here, because not everyone is interested in these topics… so we think we’ve come up with a good compromise. We’ve opened an online forum at http://forum.gaynepa.com to get the discussion going. It’s out in beta now, so go there, sign up for an account, and post a message. The forums are moderated for appropriateness only, so you can feel free to express your opinion… but keep it PG-13, please!

About the politics thing — Put simply, we’re prohibited from getting involved with any political party or candidate because it would jeopardize our nonprofit (501(c)3) status. HOWEVER, you can make any endorsements you want in the Activism section of the forums. (http://forum.gaynepa.com/viewforum.php?f=7)

What’s the deal with Melissa Etheridge?
About a month ago, Melissa Etheridge’s promoters contacted us to help promote her upcoming tour stop in NEPA on Friday, June 27, 2008. The concert is at Wilkes-Barre’s F.M. Kirby Center at 8 p.m. We will be holding an LGBT community reception at about 6:30 at the Kirby in the Mezzanine Lobby. There will be food and a cash bar. The event will be open to our supporters at no charge (a donation will be accepted if you’d like to make one). For tickets call 570-826-1100 and mention promo code “Rainbow ‘08.” You must book your tickets through the Kirby, not through the web or via ticketmaster.com to be on the VIP list for the reception. You may also e-mail john@gaynepa.com to be added to the invite list.

What’s going on with all the surveys?
Ask anyone what the gay community needs and wants in NEPA and you’ll probably get many varied answers. Because of this, we’ve changed how we look at the community from an organizational perspective. Gone are the days where a handful of people sat around a board table deciding what the community wants and doesn’t want. Thanks to technology, we can now ask.

We’ve been using a survey system which has allowed us to really take a look at what people are interested in. For example, we asked if people (a) wanted a Pride Festival, (b) would attend one, and (c) would help out with it. This gave us the numbers we needed to justify having the upcoming festival, and the base of volunteers who will help with it.

Pride Fest 2008
PrideFest 2008 is scheduled for Sunday, August 10th in Wilkes-Barre City’s Kirby Park (which for those of you out of town or new to the area, is located on the Kingston side of the Susquehanna River, just across the Market Street Bridge from downtown Wilkes-Barre.) We are planning to have vendors, entertainment/music, and more. If you are interested in helping with the event in any way, please e-mail pridefest@gaynepa.com.

Connect to Us Online!
On the left column of the GayNEPA.com website, there’s a group of buttons that you can use to connect to us on Myspace, Facebook, GayWatch, OutInScranton, etc. There is also a “ShareThis” link for you to help spread the word amongst your friends. Please add us as a friend on any of these services and write to me at john@gaynepa.com if there’s another service we should add to our social network.