APRIL 8, 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 3

Pride '94 is reaching out,

needs volunteers

Spring has sprung and the time has come to start thinking about Pride '94. Consequently, event coordinators Brynna Fish and Izzy Schachner have been hired, steering and sub-committees have begun to form, and interested individuals and community groups have started attending the Pride '94 general meetings.

Pride '94 will again take place in the beautifully green Northwest Quadrant of Public Square on Saturday, June 11. Specific times for the festival and march are still to be determined. (The Pride, Inc. Hotline, 595-8788, will provide updates as they become available.)

Specifically expanded this year is Pride's list of goals and initiatives. In addition to bolstering the organizational quality of the event, Pride's new Outreach Committee is focused on gaining wider support from groups within and outside of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community.

The Outreach Committee will be responsible for making groups' decisions to become involved with Pride '94 a beneficial and inviting one. In concert with furthering community unity, the Outreach Committee will be actively soliciting ethnic, religious, social, and other service organizations outside, yet supportive, of our community to support and participate in our summer celebration.

Should you be a member of an ethnic minority, special-interest group or organization, we need you now to join in building the diversity of Pride '94! Strengthening our community's internal structure while building a larger, more varied base of external support is the Outreach Committee's long-term mission.

Volunteers needed

Coupled with the efforts of the Outreach Committee, the Volunteer Committee is targeting organizations to get involved with Pride '94 early. By being interested in furthering their group's exposure to gay and gay-friendly people, organizations are showing support for Pride '94 by securing volunteers and donations.

Opportunities for almost 200 people interested in being involved with Pride '94 are available in the following areas:

Bar fundraising nights (from Toledo to Ashtabula and from Akron to Mansfield); representing Pride at community events and meetings; and Pride fundraisers.

Day of event: site setup; March check-in table, peacekeepers, tollbooth-keepers, and traffic control; first aid center; Pride merchandise and concession sales; site volunteer security; stage crew; 50/50 raffle ticket sales; survey distribution/pickup; trash collection; site breakdown.

Organizations and individuals interested in reserving volunteer slots may do so by attending any general planning meeting or by calling Sharon Bair, Volunteer/Outreach Committee Chair at the Pride, Inc. hotline, (595-8788). We look forward to having you join in on the fun soon!

Entertainment and speakers

Dianne Davidson and The Flirtations will appear at Pride. Jeff Wobbecke is heading up the Entertainment Committee. Call Jeff at 595-8788 to share your ideas about speakers and events.

Pride, Inc. has recently been granted nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) educational corporation by the IRS. As a result, all donations of money, services, or supplies to Pride '94 are tax deductible.

With Pride '93 setting the pace for breaking barriers, developments made since the beginning of the year promise to make Pride '94 a huge success . . . with you and your group's help. Make a point to start talking up Pride now, recounting how much sun and fun you had downtown last June. Tell both your gay and straight friends, your family, your business associates, your pen pal.

Pride committee opportunities are awaiting you and your talents. Come join those of us already excited about Pride '94 at our next general planning meeting at Brewed Awakenings coffeehouse, 1859 Prospect Avenue, on April 18, 7 pm. Everyone welcome!

Michigan governor speaks against anti-gay petition

Lansing, Mich.-Gay activists hope a three-paragraph letter from Gov. John Engler will speak volumes if conservatives ever try to ban measures protecting gays in Michigan.

Engler has told gay rights supporters he opposes amending the Michigan Constitution to ban legislation protecting gays from discrimination.

"I believe a Colorado-type amendment would have a negative impact if adopted in Michigan," Engler wrote.

The Michigan Campaign for Human Dignity has been distributing copies of Engler's letter to help build opposition to such an amendment in Michigan.

In 1993, the Board of State Canvassers approved the form of a petition initiating an amendment banning gay rights laws.

It also would repeal local ordinances banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. At least six Michigan citiesAnn Arbor, Birmingham, Detroit, East Lansing, Flint and Saginaw, as well as Wayne County (Detroit area), have such ordinances.

The proposed amendment's sponsor, George Matousek of Bentley, said the proposal is in hibernation now until the courts decide if the Colorado measure on which it is patterned is constitutional.

Linda Shapanka, campaign coordinator for the Michigan Campaign for Human Dignity, said the group organized to fight the amendment picks up varying reports on whether signatures are being gathered.

The letter, dated February 16, 1993, was written to Henry Messer, a retired Dearborn Heights doctor who quizzed Engler about his position when the governor was on a radio call-in show.

Engler spokesman John Truscott said the governor also believes such an amendment would be unfair to gays, but he opposes adding protection for gays to existing civil rights laws.

GAY GAMES IV & CULTURAL FESTIVAL

JUNE 18 25, 1994 NEW YORK CITY (212) 633-9494

CLARKE 1993

The Lesbian/Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland

and

The Cleveland Play House

present

Lips Together, Teeth Apart

A play by Terrance McNally

An Incredible Evening of Sights, Sounds, and Tastes

Friday, April 29, 1994

Tickets are $30, $50 and $90. Patrons will dine with Dennis Barrie, Executive Director of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Call The Center at 522-1999 for details.

"IF ANYONE ASKS IF YOU WANT TO SEE FOUR WEDDINGS JUST SAY I DO!

Jeanne Kaufm.m. !TME

"A ROMANTIC COMEDY YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH! Exquisite, intelligent, charming and wonderfully funny, it's an early contender for one of the year's best films?"

Joel Siegel, GOOD MORNING AMERICA

"A MOVIE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN AND CHEER FOR!"

Gene Shalit, THE TODAY SHOW

"A TASTY SOPHISTICATED ROMP, AMUSING AND IRRESISTIBLE!"

Kenneth Turan, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

"TWO THUMBS UP!"

SISKEL & EBERT

HUGH

ANDIE

GRANT MACDOWELL

four Weddings da funeral

and

17: RMTOR OF ENCHANTED APRE COMES AN OFTRACHTMUSTY FUNNY AFFAIR

GRAMERCY

FOR THEATRES AND SHOW TIMES CALL 777-FILM

STARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH

EXCLUSIVELY

CEDAR LEE 2163 Lee Rd 321-8232