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COMMUNITY

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Brattleboro Men’s
Program Thrives

sv JASON WHIPPLE

Southern Vermont started

up the Men’s Program to
concentrate on HIV prevention
work with gay and bi men in
the Brattleboro area. Today,
the Men’s Program employs

I n 1995, the AIDS Project of

two % time coordinators. Alex I .

Potter, a lifelong Brattleboro
resident who began volunteer-
ing with the Men’s Program
back in 1995, is the Newsletter _
and Social Events Coordinator.
Howie’ Peterson, a resident of
Chesterfield,‘ NH, is the Small
Groups and Outreach Coordi-

‘ nator. Alex and Howie handle

the everyday aspects of the
Men’s-Progr'a'm}biit’look to the? 
Core Group - a small group of

    

I; ,.

P_HOTO: JASON WH|P,F:L ,_
. «M.  4:,~;_

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1mm‘ Exes-egg» 1:42.-3:.

 

gay and: bi men’s community
in the area I recently stopped
by the new Menspace and had
a chat with Alex and Howie.

JASON: Let's get right =

.to the point." Why do we
need the Men's Program? ' I
Why is it revlevant? _ _
HOWIE:‘ Treatment for HIV in-
fectionlhas gotten so much bet-
ter, but it is still a very serious
disease that I want to help guys
avoid. We need the Men’s Pro-
gram because it’s really irnpor—
tant for gay and bi men to have
opportunities to meet, connect
and have fun with other guys,
and to build community - a
community where guys support
each other in staying healthy
and connected and practicing
HIV prevention behaviors.

. Alex: We’re a fabulous, vibrant

presence here in southern
Vermont, and the community

is richer for our existence. We
also hear from men outside the
central Brattleboro area that
the Men’s Program is relevant
to their lives, through both

the newsletter and the events.
Some guys drive quite a ways to
come to our events, just to so-
cialize with the men of this area,
as we're known as particularly
friendly and welcom ing. Other
men have gone out of their way
to let us know that receiving
the newsletter is their one tan-

.:. v  _ .   fiwmfi 1.“! J ._’MV_'$_; . l :5 =,. 5.5.1, ,_._,,»,,.,..‘.._;L . . A,“ i: , ,  , ,
Home ImprOVement> Inc’  "What'|Td re"all'y"li|”(‘é”t'o' 30 is reacl1V‘r’nore*and  
KITCHENS .‘ BATHS . REMODELING Program».-canfur‘tli‘ertheposi-" ' more-guys.who don'tfe_el—at all connected . .

tive impact it has had’ on-the " A l I

to the local men's community, and help them,
get connected with atleast a few other gay"
and bi guys for friendship and support." I
’ »‘ I ’ HOWIE PETERSON, OUTREACH COORDINATOR

gible connection to a gay com-

munity in their small rural town.

JASON: What types of
programs and services

do you currently offer?
ALEX: The first service I always

_ think of is our monthly newslet-

ter. Previously HotFlashes, this
publication was just recently
renamed Connections by our
Core Group, as they felt this
name better represented our
mission and purpose. Free and
anonymous HIV Counseling
and Testing is another service
offered through our program.
We offer Orasure, the oral

test, which is safe, easy, and
accurate and does not require
any needles. No names are
taken, and all tests results

are provided by number.
HOWIE: We’re also holding
eight to ten monthly events
that bring guys together where
they can socialize, have fun
and have access to condoms
and information about healthy
living. We have occasional
larger events like the Harvest
Fireball and the Belle of Brattle-
boro Cruise. We do outreach
at community events like the

annual Bear Film Festival and
the upcoming Green Moun-
tain Rural GLBT Film Fesu'- .
val, providing info aboutthe
Men’s "Program as well as HIV
prevention info and supplies.

JASON: What "types of
programs and services

would you like to offer?
ALEX: I would love for us to be
able to offer more events of in-
terest to a younger age range of
gay and bi’ men. We know from
feedback we are receiving that
younger .men are not getting
the HIV prevention information
they need, and that at the same
time are often feeling fatalistic
about HIV and future infection.
We are making a large effort to
determine what sorts of events
and gatherings might bring

in a younger range of guys.
HOWIE: Yes, We’re really
looking to hear more from the
younger gay and bi guys in the
area We’d also like to hold
events geared to other segments
of the community — for guys
into bears, leather, working
out, theater and art - whatever!

CONTINUED ON R22 -9