New Location, LGBT Equality Breakthroughs and a new hope for Spring

I hope all of you are planning to attend the next Valued Families gathering 

Sunday May 3rd at the NEW Harmony Cafe Fox Valley location at 233 E. College Avenue, Appleton. 

The cafe will be open tot he public on Sundays so there will be cafe service (sandwiches, coffee, drinks) available when we meet. There are private rooms available for groups. I will go ahead and reserve on for our next meeting and we can decide collectively if this is necessary for all meetings or just some.

IN THE NEWS: 

Three cheers for the recent victories for gay marriage in Iowa and Vermont. Iowa's unanimous victory makes it the third state in the U.S. to legalize gay marriage and the first in the heartland. 

Vermont, the first state to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples remains a pioneer as they passed gay marriage through the legislature barely achieving enough votes to override Governor Douglass's veto. Still, a victory none the less.

LOCAL:

• UW-Oshkosh's GLBT Student organization, Rainbow Alliance for HOPE is hosting a panel discussions, Wednesday, April 29th at  7PM on Being an LGBTQ parent.  The panel will be in Reeve Union Rm 214. For more information, please contact: Shawn at 920-424-3182.
  
• Positive Voice is hosting the first annual adult Gay Prom, Saturday April 25th, 7PM at Liberty hall in Kimberly. Check out their web site for more information

And, as always, don't forget to check Harmony Cafe's web site for ongoing LGBTQ programs and services near you!

May you all enjoy a Happy Easter and Passover as you celebrate with your valued families.

Peace-

lee

Meeting Recap and Plans for the Future

Thanks to all who came to February 2nd's gathering! We had glitter, cookies, frosting, brownies, balloons, hearts, markers, kids...your basic makings for a great (and messy) time!

Our next gathering will be Sunday, March 1st.  Please mark your calendars. Perhaps we will be seeing warmer temperature by then. I am thinking we should plan some physical, get-your-sillies-out games. Surely we will all be stir crazy by then.

I'd like to find a time to get the undivided attention of the parents of our group for some upcoming ideas and planning. Maybe at our next gathering I can have some teen helpers to watch the kids while the adults sit in the cafe for a bit. More later.

Peace and love-

Lee

Take Back Valentine's Day

Upcoming for February 1st: 

Love is tender and knows no gender!, Hearts, sparkles, glue and glitter.... all you and your little one need to make fabulous Valentines for the loves in your life.

Grown-ups don't be left out! With the dearth of LGBT  Valentines at Hallmark, you'll be expected to get in on the creativity too.

xoxo

PG: Parental Guidance

Valued Dad, Benjamin Rinehart,  assistant professor of art and art history at Lawrence University, will be hosting a show at the Wriston Art Center's Kohler Gallery on January 23rd. Please see the attached pdf for details! Congrats, Ben!