June 1991

 

Goslant to Receive Community Service Recognition Award

by Larry Wolf

Vermont Governor Richard Snelling
will honor Keith Goslant on June 6 with a
Community Service Recognition Award.
Keith is one of nine Vermonters who will
be receiving awards. Eight other awards
willbe given to organizations. He is in good
company — this year's recipients include the
president of Make a Wish Foundation, the
Good Samaritan House for Battered
Women and Children, and the St.
Johnsbury Tmcking Company for its con-
tributions to the Vermont Food Bank.

The Governor’s Commission on Vol-
unteers, itself a volunteer organization, was
created by Madeline Kunin in December
1989. The Commission received a great
many nominations for its annual awards
and developed a ranking scheme to evalu-

ate the nominees. Their criteria included
the need for the service, the effectiveness in
achieving the stated goals, the innovative-
ness of the work, and its encouragement of
the use of volunteers.

While Keith feels honored by the
award, he is quick to point out that many
others have also contributed a great deal of
time and effort and that there is still much
work to be done. "I may have been out there
on the forefront," he says, "but I never had
the feeling that I was out there alone."

Keith has been an early and effective
advocate for AIDS services and has pro-
vided educational lectures to organizations
ranging from the Vermont Police Academy
to high schools to Rotary Clubs. He was one
of the founders of Vermont CARES, the
first AIDS service organization in the state.
In 1988, Keith was
instrumental in the

passage of the
state’s HIV anti-

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In her letter of nomination, Deborah
Kutzko, AIDS Program Manager for the
Vermont Department of Health, states: “He
has the unique ability to work with people
of varying backgrounds and opinions to-
ward a common goal. He has helped form
AIDS service organizations in other areas
of the state...works closely with hospice or-
ganizations in the preparation of their vol-
unteers. Keith is a strong advocate for
people infected with the virus that causes
AIDS. He appears tireless in his ability to
respond quickly when needed by either a
client or by other volunteers or organiza-
tions.”

Commission member Holly Wilson
spoke to OITM about Keith’s work: “I'm
really pleased for Keith to get this award.
He’s done a significant amount of work in
this area. Let’s face it, working with AIDS
and gay issues has not always been popular.
It’s not accepted like the PTA. Keith was
right out there on the forefront. It’s not an
easy field to work in. It’s very emotional.
You see your friends die.”

“Keith has been and continues to be a
tremendous help to me, and to the AIDS
service organizations that comprise the
Vemont AIDS Coucil,” states its Executive
Director, Erica Garfrn. She continues,
“He’s a bottomless pit of information, he’s
a great sounding board, and he’s a remark-
able advocate for people affected by HIV.”

Lauren Corbett, Executive Director of
Vermont CARES, sums it up: “Not only
has Keith served people living with HIV/
AIDS with his professional knowledge of
mental health care, but also with his heart.”

Tfie Tassion of ?ear£9... discrimination bill.
His message is a
consistent one: we

June 7 ‘Women's Bufifizt aruf£Dance must confront the
$5.00 5-9 p.m. ignorance and fear
June .9 first Class Mafe revue Of AIDS With iI1f0f-
$10'00 5.9 pm“ rnat1onandcompas-
June 12 fasta Nwit with sron. For lndlVldU-
Joe Cappe Quartet arufflllf zfilitotzzirfsgzgisgglse
fiat -7"“; they must have the
“£90” can ‘at Pasta best available infor-
5'9 P-"7~ mation in order to
June 15 Ladies Lounge fiance - make infol-mgd dc-
Ofzfies Nigfit cisions.
$1.00 7-10 pm.
June 1 7 {Men's Too[‘Zbumament
Sign up at Bar, $5’ entry fee
June 20 Juice Bar: 18 arufofafer
Q)ownstairs at cfiznce Ear
$3 cover
June 23 {Piano Ear upstairs
featuring C raig fliffiarzf
7-9 pm.
June 30 ‘Bingo am{£Przza Nyfit

The First Vermont Gathering of Gay,
Lesbian, 8: Bisexual Therapists/Counselors

Would you like to know who else is out there?
We have 0 lot to talk about.

This will be a day of meeting, eating, and playing.
Bring food to share, games, your bathing suit, and
anything else you'd like.

Sunday, June 30, 1991, 11 a.m. ‘til we're done.
Contact Crow (Carol Cohen) at 864-5595 or
Walter at §63-5510 and we'll get you a map to
Walter's house, where this will be taking place.

We look forward to seeing you!

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