NEWS

HIGH GEAR/APRIL 1977

PAGE 3

150 ATTEND CENTER OPEN HOUSE

Cleveland The G.E.A.R. Gay Community Center of Cleveland held its bare walls open house during the afternoon of Sunday, March 27. Over 150 people attended, filling the center for four hours. The Cleveland gay community had a chance to see the newly open location for the first time, and most people were favorably impressed. The three room offices provided an attractive and welcoming beginning for an important facet of Cleveland's burgeoning gay

scene.

Among the visitors to the Center was the editor of the Coventry Neighborhood News and other prominent non-gay

Cleveland Hts. residents. The air was festive. Several volunteer lists for center functions, specifically staffing, the hotline, counseling and group leading were available for those wishing. to become involved.

At a March 29 group leader's meeting, over 20 people subsequently showed for a training class in group techniques coordinated by Open Horizons. To date, the Center has notenumerated the programs and classes to be offered; but a full range of services is planned for early May, the official opening date of the Center.

the

The month of April, meanwhile, will be filled with actual organizing efforts; acquisition of furnishings facilitated; the track eletrical lighting installed and the painting finished. Scheduling of programs and workshops will be posted in the Center on May 1 and announced in the next High Gear (available the weekend of May 13).

Although a permanent director for the Center has not been named yet, Don Skaggs, acting director presented the G.E.A.R. Board the following structural sketch at its last meeting: The Counseling Coordinators will work under a skilled professional. Individual counseling will be deemphasized in favor of groups, though individual attention will be given as needed. All persons running groups will be trained by professionals. The Gay Switchboard will also be handled by the Counseling Coordinators. who are Don Skaggs and David Holleb.

of Ac-

The Co-ordinators tivites, Alan Gould and Rowe Davidson, will be responsible for scheduling and organizing social programs the likes of team sports, picnics, a speakers bureau, bikathons, dances a public library and films. The Secretary of Communications, David Akers, is essentially the media person. Only he has the authority to disseminate any news releases from the Center. The Community Center Advisory Committee will be an evaluation and policy body outside of the basic structure with no decision-making powers. Any

policy conflicts or problems will be referred to the Advisory Committee which will make recommendations to the director. The Advisory Committee will, in short, act as a "mediator and conscience." All officers are responsible to the G.E.A.R.

Board, the parent organization.

The Center hours (which will be the same as Hotline hours) will be from 6-11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12-10 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.

Volunteers are needed for the

April organization of the Center and other staffing positions. Interested individuals are asked to call The Gay Switchboard on Tuesday nights (216) 321-6632.

For those who would like to help the Center in a small financial way, there are two benefits scheduled in the weeks ahead. One will be at Traxx, Thursday, April 21. All covers collected at the door will be channeled to the Center, courtesy that disco. Also on May 2, Clevelanders will

have a rare treat when Tim Tavcar, local entertainer, will present a live musical revue with songs by Paul Simon, Paul Williams, and Peter Allen along with Broadway selections from shows like "The Fantasticks" and "Street Scene," at Trinity

Cathedral Hall, E. 22 and Euclid. Joining Tim will be Cliff Bemis of "Jacques Brel" fame. Again all proceeds will go to the Center (See ads elsewhere for details).

The G.E.A.R. Cleveland Community Center account received the following monies for the month of February: $255.00 from individual and organizational contributions. For March: $93.00 individual and organizational donations and $185.00 proceeds from Tim Tavcar's play, "Lay Your Sleeping Head..."

from

Expenditures for February included $500.00 for the Center security deposit, $50.00 for capital improvements $5.00 for a

legislative rights book for the library and a bank service charge of $2.08. Expenditures for March were $10.00 for a filing fee to the city of Cleveland Hts. for a building occupancy permit, $205.00 approved for Center lighting fixtures and a

$3.87 bank service charge.

The current balance of the

KENT

TO HOST O'LEARY KATZ

a

KENT The annual Kent Gay Liberation Spring Conference takes place this year, April 21-23 at the Student Center of KSU. Friday night's session begins at 8 p.m. with opening remarks by Bill Hoover and Wendy Gaylord. Jonathan Katz, author of Gay American History, will then speak on "Gay Roots." His presentation will be followed by National Gay Task Force CoExecutive director and former Clevelander, Jean O'Leary who will address the issue of "Gay People and National Politics." Kicking off Saturday morning's festivities will be speech by Miriam Ben-Shalom who recently was discharged from the military service because of her lesbianism. She will speak on "Civil Rights and Gays in the Military." From one to five Saturday afternoon the following workshops will be available: "Coming Out," "Ageism in Gay Male Society," "Effects of the Carter Administration" coordinated by Jean O'Leary, "Gays and Socialist Politics," "Researching Gay History" conducted by Jonathan Katz, and "Lesbian Mothers" lead by Miriam BenShalom. A free women's and men's party will be held Saturday evening. Details will be Sunday's session will run from 12:00 to 4:30 and will consist entirely of the following workshops: "Should Gays Be Involved in Organized Religion?," "Should There Be A Section X in Gay Publications?," "Gay Leaders and Activists," and "Long Term Relationships."

available at the conference.

Although there will be no registration charge for the conference, donations will be requested for the following three funds: The National Gay Task Force, The Kent Gay Liberation Front, and The Miriam BenShalom Legal Defense Fund. Kent State University is located in Kent, Ohio between the cities of Ravenna and Stow. The Student Union is on Summit St. and is adjacent to the 12 story library. Further information on the conference may be obtained by calling KGLF: (216) 672-2068.

G.E.A.R. Board is $1334.31. It is NOTICE

estimated that the remaining expenses of running the new The first annual meeting of Coventry location will be at least the membership of the GEAR $5500.00 with an unpaid staff. Foundation will be held Satur-. Though the rooms were unfur-day, May 14, 1977, at 4:00 p.m. at nished at the opening a feeling the Gay Community Services of cohesiveness and optimism Center, 2795 Euclid Heights permeated the center. If any Boulevard (third floor), in. word of mouth has been skepCleveland Heights. The meeting tical up to now, that skepticism is also open to non-members. has been proved unfounded: The Gay Community Center of Cleveland is alive and the people of our community will soon have a comfortable drop-in and services center at their disposal.

At least six members of the Board of Trustees will be elected at the meeting. (To vote for trustees or run for election, you must be a member of the Foundation. See membership inforImation in this issue.)