CENTER WEST BOOTH FOR STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY

THE CENTER WEST HAS BEEN GIVEN FREE BOOTH SPACE AT THE INDEPENDENT CYCLE TENT AT THE TOP FIFTY RALLY PARK IN PIEDMONT. TAKE EXIT 46 OFF I-90 AT ELK VALE ROAD. SHOULD SEE THE PARK IN THAT AREA. STOP IN AND SAY HELLO. WE WILL BE PASSING OUT LITERATURE AND SOLICITING DONATIONS. VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO BEING SOUGHT TO HELP WITH THIS. CONTACT MIKE AT THE CENTER WEST 605-348-3244.

OTHER THINGS ON THE AGENDA

We are making plans for the first annual AIDS WALK to be held here in Rapid City on September 29th. We will be gathering in Memorial Park at the Band Shell on Saturday Sept. 20th at 12 noon. There will be a short program, lunch and then a walk to Canyon Lake Park or other distances for those who can not walk that far.

We will be posting more details and information about signing up, sponsoring, donating etc.

The purpose of this walk is to raise money to assist those living with AIDS with unexpected emergency expenses and problems and to assist in HIV and AIDS Prevention services.

Anyone wishing to get involved should contact Mike at the Center West, 3601 Canyon Lake Dr. Suite 4, Rapid City, South Dakota, 57702 Phone: 605-348-3244. Or e-mail: aidswalk@thecenterwest.org

PRIDE FEST IS OVER NOW ON TO OTHER THINGS

The pride festival is over for another year and now we can move on to other things. I haven't posted in awhile because we have been busy trying to finish up the details of Pride.

I really want to thank everyone who helped to put this together, the volunteers who helped set up, take down and transport everything back and forth. It is a big job. A big thank you to all the vendors and those who had information tables and booths. Thank you to the musicians, technicians, performers and guest speakers.

I especially wish to thank everyone who participated, contributed, listened, danced and had fun. You are the ones that make this a successful event.

We were a little disappointed that so many members of the GLBT community chose not to attend. I know that some had other commitments that kept them from attending. Many of those people have contributed time and money to make the Festival a success. I do wonder where was everyone else?

Since the Festival, I have heard of several incidents where those who did not attend were overheard to say that there is never anything going on in the GLBT community. My response to that (At least the one I can publish) is that if you want to have things going on in the community, then you need to patronize them when they do happen. Get involved and help to make them happen. Of course if your main goal is to have something to complain about, then you are on the right path. Keep doing what you are doing.

We are already making plans for next year's Pride Festival. We will be taking it to a whole new level with corporate funding and professional promotion and organizing. Get involved now.

DIRECTIONS TO PRIDE

HEAD WEST OUT OF RAPID CITY ON HWY 44 (AKA RIM ROCK OR JACKSON BLVD) TAKE 44 ALL THE WAY TO THE END WHERE IT INTERSECTS WITH HWY 385. TAKE A RIGHT ON 385 AND GO APPROX ONE AND A QUARTER MILES TO THE JUNCTION OF SILVER CITY ROAD. THERE WILL BE A SIGN FOR SILVER CITY ON THE RIGHT. TAKE A LEFT AND THE WHISPERING PINES CAMPGROUND IS ON THE LEFT AT THE INTERSECTION. LOOK FOR THE RAINBOW FLAGS.

THE PRIDE SITE IS IN THE BACK OF THE CAMPGROUND BY THE BIG HOUSE. THOSE NEEDING RV SITES WITH HOOK-UPS WILL NEED TO STOP AT THE CAMPGROUND OFFICE. THOSE TENTING OR NOT NEEDING HOOK-UPS CAN GO TO THE MEADOW BY THE BIG HOUSE. SOMEONE WILL BE HERE TO DIRECT YOU TO THE PROPER PLACE.

HAVE FUN!!

PRESS RELEASE FOR PRIDE

THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE WAS SENT OUT TO MEDIA OUTLETS ACROSS THE STATE TODAY.

SOUTH DAKOTA PRIDE FESTIVAL 2007

The fourth annual South Dakota Pride Festival is being held at The Whispering Pines Campground in the Black Hills of South Dakota on July 21^st and 22^nd.

The Pride Festival is an annual event that brings together members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities, their friends, families and supporters from all over South Dakota to celebrate pride, freedom and respect for LGBT people everywhere.

Set up will begin on Friday evening July 20^th staring at 4pm. People are free to come and camp Friday evening. Festivities will kick off at approximately 10am on Saturday.

Headlining this year’s event is Linda Boyle, singer, songwriter from Chicago. Linda sings a variety of music from folk and pop to ethnic and modern. Linda will be performing Saturday evening at approximately 6pm.

In addition there will be dancing in the meadow starting at 8pm on Saturday. Equality South Dakota will be participating in this year’s event and will be running several carnival style booths to raise money for their ongoing efforts to advocate, to support and to protect the rights of LGBT people in South Dakota.

Many other organizations and vendors will have information tables and be selling items at the Festival.

Sunday will be set aside as a spiritual celebration; a telling of our stories by those participating in the Festival and an opportunity to connect with the various organizations helping with the festival.

Representatives from several national and regional organizations will be present to give workshops and advice on various issues of importance to LGBT people in South Dakota.

There will be games and contests for all ages. Camping is available. For more information visit the web site at: http://pridefestsd2007.blogspot.com/

The Center West located at 3601 Canyon Lake Dr. Suite 4 in Rapid City is sponsoring the Pride Fest this year; Phone # 605-348-3244.

The Center West and The Center East in Sioux Falls in cooperation with the South Dakota Department of Health will be offering free HIV testing at the Pride site again this year.

For more information contact:
Michael Coats, Director
The Center West
Rapid City, SD 57702
605-348-3244
E-mail: mmcoats@thecenterwest.org

BUSY GETTING READY FOR PRIDE

SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING MUCH LATELY. WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY GETTING EVERYTHING READY FOR PRIDE FEST 2007. IT PROMISES TO BE A LOT OF FUN.

IF YOU WANT A LAID BACK WEEKEND OF FUN, FOOD, GAMES, MUSIC, DANCING AND SHARING WITH LOTS OF FRIENDS NEW AND OLD, COME TO PRIDE THIS YEAR; JULY 21ST AND 22ND. WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER SOUTH DAKOTA AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

GET ALL THE INFORMATION AT: http://pridefestsd2007.blogspot.com/

SEE YOU ALL THERE!!

MY LETTER TO THE RSJ ON JULY 8TH

Bob Ellis’s July 3^rd column claims that so-called religious extremists and wing nuts are promoting traditional American values is difficult to swallow. Intolerance, anti-Semitism, homophobia, hate and religious exploitation were not the values I grew up with or that made this country great.

I learned values like tolerance, respect for other people, religious freedom, Love Thy Neighbor, government off my back and out of my bedroom and the right to make my own choices and mistakes and to live my life according to my beliefs and convictions.

Mr. Ellis and religious extremists advocating so-called “traditional values” exploit fear, ignorance, intolerance, hatred and bigotry to further their own financial and political ambitions and agenda.

Traditional values don’t condemn people for loving each other; declare only certain families have value; demand only certain religions be tolerated; or that everything and everyone be subservient to whatever they wish to believe no matter how absurd or out of touch with fact and reality.

The wing nuts can cry foul. The truth is that when given the informed choice between intolerant, belligerent “right wing-nuts” or voices of tolerance, respect and moderation, people of this community have chosen the real American values of respect and tolerance

DOES THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL BELIEVE THE GLBT COMMUNITY IS PART OF "OUR TOWNS"?

THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL HAS FAILED TO LIST ANY GLBT ORGANIZATIONS IN IT'S "OUR TOWNS" PUBLICATION.
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO I SENT INFORMATION REGARDING THE CENTER WEST AND THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT MEET HERE TO THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL FOR INCLUSION IN ITS "OUR TOWNS' SPECIAL ADDITION TO THE JOURNAL. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED. WHEN I RECEIVED IT LAST WEEK, NOTHING FROM THE GLBT COMMUNITY WAS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLICATION.
THERE WERE MANY OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CLUBS AND RESOURCES INCLUDED BUT NOTHING FROM THE GLBT COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO THIS OMISSION, THE JOURNAL WAS NOTIFIED BY THE CENTER WEST AND THE COLIN HIGGINS FOUNDATION ABOUT RYAN BOWKER'S COURAGE AWARD. THEY EVEN DID A PHONE INTERVIEW AND SENT A PHOTOGRAPHER. BUT TO DATE NOTHING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.
THE RAPID CITY WEEKLY & KOTA TELEVISION HAVE ALREADY DONE VERY GOOD STORIES. NATIONAL NATIVE NEWS IS SCHEDULING AN INTERVIEW. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE JOURNAL? IS IT TIME FOR THE GLBT COMMUNITY TO STOP SUPPORTING THE JOURNAL WITH OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS? WE SPEAK WITH OUR DOLLARS!