Pride Guide 2006 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

B-15

Age is not a factor for joining Prime Timers

by Ralph Sanderson

Cleveland

Prime Timers Cleveland is the city's chapter of Prime Timers Worldwide and was founded in 2000.

A Prime Timer is usually a mature gay or bisexual man. Age, however, is not a criterion for joining the group. The organization is open to all adult males over 21 who promote educational, cultural and social activities for

ANTHONY GLASSMAN

older gay and bisexual men.

The Cleveland chapter meets on the third Sunday of every month at 4 p.m. for a social gathering and potluck dinner. These gatherings are frequently held in members' homes. At other times the meetings are held in the social hall of a church or at a restaurant.

Prime Timers was founded in 1987 by Woody Baldwin, a retired Boston professor. He felt there was a need for social and cultural organizations to aid and support aging gay and bisexual men.

This organization has grown to 60 chapters worldwide, located throughout North America, Europe and Australia, including chapters in Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.

The Prime Timers Worldwide Convention is held every two years to discuss business and attend workshops geared toward Prime Timers as well as to socialize. In October

2005, the biennial convention was held in Orlando, Florida and the 2007 gathering will be held in Reno, Nevada.

For more information about Prime Timers Cleveland, call 216-556-0019 or visit the web site at www.ptcleveland.org. The mailing address is P. O. Box 91683, Cleveland, 441013683.

Information about Prime Timers Columbus is at www.primetimersww.org/ columbusohpt or by calling 614-251-1995. For Cincinnati, go to www.prime timersww.org/tristate or call 513956-4398. Prime Timers Miami Valley can be reached at 937-439-5498 online

or

www.primetimersww.org/mvopt.

at

For information about Prime Timers Worldwide, visit www.primetimersww.org.

Ralph Sanderson is the president and secretary of Prime Timers Cleveland.

Equality Toledo's annual meeting, in April.

Equality Toledo has made big strides in its first year

by David Mann

Toledo Equality Toledo, a local gay and lesbian equal rights organization founded after the passage of Ohio's Issue 1 marriage ban amendment, celebrated its first birthday and annual meeting on Saturday, April 1.

"In our first year, Equality Toledo has proven we are a force to be reckoned with," said Executive Director Kim Welter. "We've made important strides, but the fight for equal rights is far from over here in Ohio and we will continue to educate our community throughout 2006."

Equality Toledo honored university students and law professors for helping win domestic partnership benefits for gay and lesbian staff and faculty at the University of Toledo. Equality Awards were also presented to local attorney Cindy Voller for her service to the community, law students who participated in the Safer Schools project in the Toledo Public Schools, and Owens Corning for its corporate support of LGBT employees.

Equality Toledo's annual meeting was attended by members of the Northwest Ohio Religious Roundtable, an organization originally founded by Equality Toledo but now functioning as an independent group. Also in attendance were members of the

Northwest Ohio LGBT Coalition, whose members represent approximately sixty LGBT related organizations. Equality Toledo was instrumental in initiating this coalition.

One of Equality Toledo's missions is to educate Northwest Ohioans about the lives of LGBT individuals and families and the impact discrimination has on real people. This ongoing effort has brought diverse Ohioans and Equality Toledo speakers together in conversation around issues of the Bible and homosexuality, the history of marriage, civil rights, marriage equality, and wills and power of attorneys.

Equality Toledo has been very successful in gaining media attention for LGBT issues starting with a "Rally for Equality" in October of 2005. The organization's participation in Freedom to Marry week was well-covered as was its press conference inviting Sen. Mike DeWine to meet and hear the LGBT community's stories after he said he would co-sponsor the Federal Marriage Amendment when he had not supported the Ohio one.

For more information about Equality Toledo, visit www.equalitytoledo.org or call Kim Welter at 419-344-0045.

David Mann is a board member of Equality Toledo.

Fisher and Redfern to address Stonewall Dems

by Mike Shea

Cleveland-Two major speakers are lined up for upcoming Cleveland Stonewall Democrats meetings, free and open to the public.

On Thursday, June 8 at 6 pm at the Cleveland LGBT Center, Stonewall is presenting an open discussion of Ohio's political future with Lee Fisher, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

The running-mate of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland, Fisher will speak about LGBT issues and his team's plans to bring jobs and economic prosperity back to the state of Ohio.

Fisher has served as Ohio attorney general, a state senator and state representative. More information on Lee Fisher and Ted Strickland can be found at www.fedstrickland.com.

At the next meeting on Thursday, July 13 at 6 pm, Ohio Democratic Party chair Chris Redfern will be the guest speaker.

Redfern is a four-term member of the Ohio House of Representatives and was elected chair of the state Democratic Party last December. He has made changes to the party infrastructure by adding new staff, offering new services and opening up the party to all its members.

Redfern has hired new staff, including a new field director, a new finance director, a new deputy finance director, a new research director, and replacing the former field staff with five new staffers while retaining staff who have experience and talent. "I have not seen this sort of organization and commitment to the Democratic Party in the state of Ohio in many years," said Cleveland Stonewall president Patrick Shepherd. “We have an opportunity to unseat the one-party Republican control that has added the Defense of Marriage Act to Ohio's law books and passed a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. I sincerely urge anyone interested in regime change this November to attend these meetings and see and hear what I've been hearing. I am very, very optimistic about our chances this fall and I want others in our community to be too."

All Cleveland Stonewall Democrats meetings are held at the LGBT Community Center at 6600 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland. There is ample parking on Detroit or in the back parking lot.

For more info contact Patrick Shepherd at 216-647-7437 or at president@@clevelandstonewalldemocrats.org.

Mike Shea is the vice president for media relations of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats.

Men's chorus has a special show at Chesterland church

by Rev. Pam Branscome

Chesterland-The North Coast Men's Chorus will perform in concert Friday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Church of Chesterland United Church of Christ.

This all-male ensemble performs from an extensive repertoire of lively vocal music, dancing, and comedy.

One audience member noted, "I laughed, giggled, squealed, clapped, stomped my feet, and cried at least twice. Your shows always bring out a range of emotions for me because of the music you choose; it represents life and its rainbow of experiences."

An ice cream social follows the concert.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Call 440-729-7898 for advance tickets. Community Church of Chesterland is located at 11984 Caves Road at Wilson Mills in Chesterland. Worship is at 10 a.m. on Sundays, 9:30 am in the sum-

mer.

For more information about the church, go to www.chesterlanducc.org. Information about the North Coast Men's Chorus can be found at www.ncmchorus.org.

Rev. Pam Branscome is the pastor of Community Church of Chesterland, an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ.

$$$ Are you ready for the summer? $$$ Now Hiring!

Banquet Servers:

Full or part-time/evenings & weekends/flexible schedules. Great second job!

Lead Servers:

Full or part-time/flexible schedules. Bartendars:

Part-time evenings/weekends.

Applicants must have friendly, professional attitude, with the ability to work

in a team atmosphere. Experience in fine dining is preferred. We offer flexible schedules, competitive wages, paid hospitalization benefits, vacation pay, 401K plan and weekly paychecks.

EXECUTIVE CATERERS

Apply in person at Human Resources Department Executive Caterers at Landerhaven 6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Hts, Ohio Background check required check out our website: www.executivecaterers.com

EOE