4 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE February 10, 2012 www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

communitygroups

Center begins search for director

by Bob Sferra

Cleveland-Since its formation in 1975 as the Gay Educational and Awareness Resource Foundation, the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland has served a vital role in the progress of the LGBT community.

Initially established as a hotline support center, GEAR was the first gay-specific organization to help network the LGBT people of Cleveland, even circulating their own newspaper, High Gear. The gradual progress of the last 37 years has entailed a genesis of growth for the center, with its current focus being on the advocacy of LGBT rights and fostering the spirit of our youth to overcome personal, professional, and familial changes. The center currently offer 14 diverse programs, specializing in the areas of support, education, reference, and social-

ity, and continue to operate as the "hub" for all things LGBT in the Cleveland area.

The LGBT Center is currently looking for a fundraising-oriented, highly motivated individual to serve as its executive director. This individual will be responsible for generating and developing new sources of revenue through a myriad of community channels and representing the organization to the community with an end goal of advancing the mission of the center.

A master's degree or equivalent is required and the applicant shall have held a senior-level position in a similar non-profit or related field. A doctorate or J.D. is strongly preferred.

Additional information on the center's activities as well as a copy of the job posting

CAN has reverse raffle

by Dawn Jones

Akron-Community AIDS Network will hold its annual reverse raffle, Race at the Raffle, on Saturday, March 24 at St. Joseph's Family Center, 610 West Exchange Street in Akron.

The raffle is combined with A Night at the Races and tickets are on sale now either through Google Checkout (follow the instructions on www.canapi.org) or by calling the dedicated office line at 330252-1648.

In addition to the main raffle, there will be sideboards, a 50/50 raffle, a "stuff the

Cincinnati

Continued from page 1

Regardless, Seelbach expects the ordinance to pass 7-2 when it comes up for passage this spring.

"The administration will come back around March 1 with recommendations as to how to best implement the motion and outline the costs," Seelbach said. "Then I will draft the ordinance."

Seelbach says he expects the ordinance to be passed by the beginning of April. Cleveland, olumbus and Cleveland Heights have similar ordinances, and Cuyahoga County is in the process of passing one. Seelbach said that Cincinnati's will most closely resemble the Columbus measure. Possible suit against the benefits

Blogger and former Plain Dealer correspondent Bill Sloat reports that antiLGBT activist Phil Burress is planning to

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box" raffle, and Night at the Races. All money raised go to the support of the programs of Community AIDS Network. Race sponsorships are available, as are special table rates, which include race sponsorship, tickets, and the rights to name your table. Special packages have a deadline of March 16.

Individual tickets are $75 per person and include raffle ticket, buffet, admission to the Night at the Races and an open bar. Tickets purchased after March 16 are $100

sue Cincinnati once the ordinance is passed.

Burress did not return calls for comment. He and his Citizens for Community Values, in suburban Sharonville, backed Article 12 in Cincinnati, then ran the campaign for Ohio's constitutional marriage ban amendment 11 years later.

CCV has brought suits against Cleveland and Cleveland Heights for their domestic partner registries. Courts sided with the cities in both cases.

Burress's group has also been involved in suits around the state trying to expand the ban amendment to greater impact the lives of LGBT couples and their families.

The Ohio Supreme Court four years ago narrowed the amendment to prohibit only same-sex marriage and "marriage substitutes," which it defines as civil unions. CCV's lawsuits to stop universi-

and

the job description are at www.lgbtcleveland.org. The search for this position will be handled by an independent agent. To express interest in the position, submit a cover letter that describes your specific skills, knowledge and abilities that qualify you along with your résumé and salary requirements to edsearchlgbtcle@gmail.com. No phone calls or faxes will be accepted. All information, inquiries and questions must be directed to the recruiter via the email address noted above. The center would ask applicants to refrain from making any inquires to the staff or board of the center regarding this search.

Bob Sferra is the board president of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland.

per person. Reservations may be charged to Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

The mission of the Community AIDS Network is to prevent the further transmission of HIV through education and risk reduction efforts and to provide housing assistance and other services to people already affected by HIV or AIDS.

Dawn Jones is the director of operations of CANAPI, the Community AIDS Network/ Akron Pride Initiative.

ties from offering partner benefits have also failed.

For that reason, Seelbach is not worried about any threat from Burress.

"[Burress] didn't sue Cleveland or Columbus," Seelbach said, "and he had the opportunity."

Cincinnati is prepared and "one thousand percent confident" that a suit against their ordinance "has no basis, whatsoever," Seelbach added.

Seelbach says that a suit against the ordinance won't succeed because of the way the Ohio Supreme Court narrowed the amendment, and because the ordinance will also include opposite-sex couples.

"It's not LGBT-specific and not a violation of [the Ohio Defense of Marriage Act] or the constitutional amendment," Seelbach concluded.

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