PRIDE GUIDE 1995

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Cleveland P-FLAG celebrates their tenth anniversary

by Jane A. Daroff CO-FACILITATOR, CLEVELAND P-FLAG

The Cleveland chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG) was founded in July of 1985. Since the beginning, the group has met without fail every second Tuesday of the month in space donated by Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland.

P-FLAG is an experience described by my co-facilitator, Jess Sellers, as "both simple and splendid; parents and children, family and friends coming together to talk about their relationships."

Cleveland P-FLAG meetings are dedicated to families and friends who are trying to relate to each other on more accepting and loving ways. We also help gay and lesbian children of all ages become more accepting

of themselves, as they work toward comingout to their parents.

The meetings are informal. We sit in a large circle and tell as much or as little about ourselves as is comfortable. For many parents, this is the first place they have felt safe and comfortable talking about how it feels to have a gay or lesbian child. Many tears are shed for which the group provides support.

The parents who cried just four months ago are now helping the new parents along. It is a dynamic process-a process that works faster than individual counseling.

At the annual P-FLAG national convention, many of our members attend and meet others from over 200 chapters across the nation and around the world.

To celebrate their anniversary together with Pride, the Cleveland P-FLAG group will be marching in the parade on Saturday, June 17. They will march proudly-parents with their gay sons and lesbian daughters, along with their lovers, grandparents and siblings-behind the banner bearing their

name.

Please consider joining us any second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm at Trinity Cathedral at 2021 East 22nd St., at Euclid Ave. in downtown Cleveland.

Jess Sellers, Ph.D. and Jane Daroff, LISW, founded the Cleveland chapter of P-FLAG along with Jane's son Robert Jr., in July 1985.

Rainboe Club has an after-festival party

Recently a group of Cleveland lesbians and gays has come together to provide a clean and sober pride celebration space for homosexuals who are in recovery, and for those in support of this much needed atmosphere. The Rainboe Club's goal is to provide a regular alternative party atmosphere where dance,

music, food, and socializing can be enjoyed in a substancefree environment.

The Rainboe Club hopes to provide regular entertainment options for members of the gay community who seek weekend party options other than going to bars. Future parties will include food, fun, fellowship, dancing, "rise and fly" card games, and raffles.

'We all know the feeling when we see a rainbow, and some of us even believe

One of the group's founders, Berteena Rollins, explains that the concept of the "Rainboe" has special meaning for those recovering

there is a pot of gold at the from alcoholism or

end'

On June 17, at 8:00 p.m., the Rainboe Club will host a party after the Gay Pride '95 festivities. The celebration will take place at the Cleveland Public Theatre at 6415 Detroit Ave. There will be listening and dance music provided by SLO Entertainment, and food and beverages will be sold for fundraising purposes, both at the party and during the Pride parade.

Since the Rainboe Club is a new organization, proceeds from the Rainboe Pride Celebration will be used to help establish a permanent future site for the sober-support group.

other addictions, since the group was formed by a group of

people who "came

together for an afternoon of transforming in order to make a dream come true."

"We all know the feeling when we see a rainbow, and some of us even believe there is a pot of gold at the end," Rollins said.

The Rainboe Club's Pride celebration is the beginning of a quest to find what lies at the end of the rainbow of sobriety, and all are encouraged to attend the party June 17 to show their support to lesbian, gay, and bisexual recovering people.

Couples group keeps a busy, fun-filled schedule

Since 1986, and until about two years ago, our group was known as Monotones. Because many members thought the name sounded too much like a singing group, or a bunch of monotonous people, a vote was taken to change the name of the group to Cleveland Couples Together.

Cleveland Couples Together is a diverse social group for gay and lesbian couples who are in monogamous relationships. Currently there are 27 couples in the group. Our membership is consistently about fifty percent male couples and fifty percent female couples. Some couples have been together as long as thirty years, and some for as long as six months. We are truly a diverse group within the gay community, except we currently don't have any members of color. All monogamous couples are welcome, and we hope that everyone will check us out. Our current members consist of teachers, artists, laborers, supervisors, home owners, renters, Republicans, Democrats, mothers, fathers, campers, movie buffs, pet owners, sports fans, cooks, gardeners, and so much more.

Being a social group, we do tend to socialize. Events are organized at our monthly business meetings. These are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm, at Snickers Eatery in Cleveland. If someone has an idea for an event, they bring it up to the group. If people are interested, it's put on the calendar. We do have a few monthly events. These include a restaurant night to celebrate anniversaries during that month; a potluck usually held at a couple's home; and a birthday celebration at a bar or coffee house.

Throughout the year there is an array of activities to take part in.

Some of these have been kite flying, volleyball, camping (summer and fall), art parties, and trips to the Thistledown racetrack, the art museum, the Cleveland Zoo's Rain Forest, ballet, canoeing, Browns games, golfing, Indians games, a tour of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Hale Farm and Homestead, game nights, cook outs, clam bakes, Rockefeller Gardens and more. A few new ideas underway are a Toronto trip, whitewater rafting and a trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. All of these events are open to members and their guests. There are two sixmonth events that are open to members only.

These two events, and the monthly newsletter (which keeps members aware of planned events, and much more), are paid for by members' dues.

In the past, Cleveland Couples Together has been represented at community events such as the Pride March and Festival, Dancin' in the Streets, NOCI's We Are Family Picnic, and Moonlight Bowling. For several years, the group has hosted the annual Fall Hayride at Boyert's Farm in Medina. The group has also made donations to the Lesbian and Gay Community Center, the PRYSM youth group, and has helped to bring panels from the Names Project Quilt to Cleveland.

For more information about Cleveland Couples Together come to a business meeting, call us at 216-734-7980 or write to Cleveland Couples Together, P.O. Box 771102, Lakewood, OH 44107.

chronicle classifieds are

cheap easy

call 216.631.8646

BOOTIES

PENINSULA

COLLECTABLES!

WHAT DO YOU COLLECT? WE MAY HAVE IT--AND

AT A 20% SAVINGS OFF REGULAR RETAIL!

LEFTON LIGHTHOUSES

SPODE BLUE ROOM COLLECTION

BALDWIN BRASS COLLECTION

THE BOYDS COLLECTION

MARURI NATIONAL PARKS COLLECTION

ANDREA BY SADEK PORCELAIN BIRDS

ROUTE 303, 2 MI. east of Coliseum--Rt. 271 & west of Rt. 8, Hudson 1685 MAIN ST PENINSULA, OH (216) 657-2535

MON SAT 10 5:30 SUN 12 5:30

PRESENTED BY

The Living In Cleveland Center & the City of Cleveland Cleveland Cavallers