6 — OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — JANUARY ‘1999. I Pride celebration in Works lt’s never too early to start planning a great party, so the VT GLBT Pride Committee is already hard at work organizing the I999 Pride Celebration. This June’s festivities will include a rally, a festive parade, entertain- ment, and a dance to end the day. Ideas and energy are always welcome. The committee is look- ing for volunteers to help out with everything from entertainment and the parade to traffic control and volunteer coordination. Meetings are held the first and third Wednesday of each month and the general public is encour- aged to attend. Besides bodies and brain- storms, the Pride festivities are also going to require some bucks. One of the first fundraisers is a raffle, to be drawn January 3 I. For further information or tick- ets, contact the committee at 865- 3734 or toll free at (888) 212- 5884 or follow the VT GLBT Pride link at www.theatre shoe.com. Address _ Phone Cl One Year ($20) New Subscriber Name Address City I [63 CBIIIBIGIIGE ill W0|'I(S LYNDONVILLE —- High school and college LGB groups and those who work with gay youth will get a chance to network and compare notes in the Northeast Kingdom this spring. On Saturday, April 24th, Lyndon State College’s Gay- Straight Alliance is staging “Into the Next Millennium.” The day- long conference will focus on issues facing LGB youth and their straight allies. The work- shops and discussions will be fol- lowed by Dragapolooza, featur- ing a drag pagaent, a concert by Noel and Yolanda, and the GSA’s second annual Drag Ball. Those interested in attending should contact the GSA through the Lyndon State College Office of Student Activities, by email at lscgsa@hotmail.com or on the web at www.geocities.com/ west- hollywood/stonewall/9786. You know who needs a subscription to OITM. your neighbor, our out-of-state your gym riends, YOUT d0C[0F, your high school your dentist, guidance counselor, your therapist, your mom... Why not donate one...or two? Donor Name (or Anonymous) around \lG|'|Il0IlI............. Two meeting organizers Laura Gordon and Kate Jerman (at left) discuss plans for a Burlington GLBT community center with Bi-net members. IGIBT Clllllllllllliw Celllflf ill W0|'I(S BURLINGTON — Public plan- ning for a proposed gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender commu- nity center got underway last month with a forum organized by three University of Vermont students. L, E] 2 Years ($35) E! Low Income ($10) State Make Checks payable to Mountain Pride Media, and send to: OITM, PO Box,1078, Richmond, VT 05477-1078 VERMONT3 FOPUM FOR LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL ArlDTi’1.ANS(.ENE~EP. l<§UES U UT IN THE MOUNTA1 Zip s L_____________________________________J ' Attendees of the December 5 meeting chose Burlington as the site for the center because of its proximity to larger GLBT organi- zations as well as a majority of Verrnont’s population. Organizers felt a Burlington com- munity center could serve as a resource for the whole state and a model for satellite centers in other communities. The center would provide much-needed permanent social space in which GLBT people could make community connec- tions. Currently queer organiza- tions must use temporarily rented space to hold benefits, dances, large meetings, and perfor- mances. Among the proposals for other roles of the facility were organi- zational support for fledgling queer organizations, an informa- tion resource for gay tourists and new Vermont residents, an out- reach agency to GLBT people in minority communities and an ally to groups working for racial equality and social justice. Several people supported the idea of a substance-free coffee- house, an alternative to the bar scene. Participants discussed using The Last Elm, a defunct non-profit North End coffee- house that hosted progressively focused meetings, film screen- ings, concerts, and community dinners, as a possible model. Though owning a building was the general preference, it was agreed that renting was the only viable option until the center could sustain itself on its own and eventually attract charitable donors. The real concern for organiz- ers remains finding people to cre- ate and run the center. Multiple obligations for most qualified and experienced volunteers, cur- rent low volunteer energy in the Vermont GLBT community and general complacency could be a significant obstacle to mobilizing staff. ' ~ Meeting planners are review- ing the materials of community centers around the ‘nation and registering the Burlington center- to-be with the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Community Centers (www.gay— center.org). The next meeting, slated for January 11th, will include draft- ing of a mission statement and development of a working name. Organizers from the GLBT com- munity center in Albany, NY have been invited to attend to’ provide insights and answer questions about the project. For more information, contact Mike Bensel at 860-1044, or Kate Jerman at kjerrnan @zoo.uvm.edu or Box 219 L/L UVM, Burlington, VT 05405. You can subscribe to the UVM- run listserv by emailing list- serv@list.uvm.edu. The body of the message should contain the following: subscribe ccenter your name. I BABES Ilolitlav Parul Worked RUTLAND —— On December 18th, Vermont CARES held its annual Holiday Party at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland. About 45 people attended to celebrate the season. Many peo- ple brought ornaments to hang on the tree in memory of someone with AIDS or someone who has passed away. Operating from offices in Rutland, Montpelier, St. Johnsbury and Burlington, Vermont CARES provides ser- vices for people with AIDS and AIDS education and prevention. The Holiday Party was orga- nized by Rutland CAN (Community AIDS Network). Mary Kathryn Charbonneau and David Morrill encourage people to volunteer in the Rutland area by calling 775-5884.7