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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 16, 2004)
I »' !• j ; i i ; i v i * .1 luly 16* 2004 - tnewsbriefs B igger T han E ver , V ancouver P ride C elebrates 10 Y ears H undreds of people gathered July 10 to cel ebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pride festival Saturday in the Park in downtown Van couver, Wash. “It was our biggest event yet," organizer Jon Martin says. He estimates more than 3,000 people attended the festival, which was held on a mild afternoon at Esther Short Park. This year’s theme was “Your World Is Our World: Freedom, Faith and Equality.” Mayor Royce Pollard offered opening remarks, and several other city and state officials spoke, including openly gay state Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver. Martin says Saturday in the Park has “more of a neighborhood, family kind of feel” than Pride celebrations in bigger cities like Port land and Seattle. He told Just Out the majori ty of attendees were Vancouver residents, but he also welcomed folks from the Rose City as well as Camas, Washougal, Woodlawn and Saturday in the Park attracted both the joyful and the hateful July 10 in Vancouver, Wash. Everett, Wash. A total of 34 groups and vendors set up booths, including the Clark College Queer Pen Martin says the Rose City Swing Band was a ever oo oon to lan guins, which Martin says is becoming an impor particularly big hit. Colorfield and De’Zhon for ong erm are tant hub for the sexual minorities community in Fields also got the crowds grooving. Vancouver. With an “ intimate” atmosphere and marked nne Seelye, a lesbian financial adviser at No food booths were necessary, as the event ly more press coverage than in years past, Mar Waddell & Reed, will facilitate a long-term bordered the weekend farmers market at the tin is enthusiastic about the festival’s success and care seminar 6 p.m. July 21 in Suite 2C at park. The market ensured that the festival had a what it means for Vancouver. The 42-year-old 500 N.E. Multnomah St. very public presence, and more than one het Vancouver native hopes that other queers will She says the sexual minorities community might erosexual couple were seen dancing to some of increasingly find the city to be as “gay-friendly” not be aware of the importance of buying long-term the Pride performers. as he has always found it to be. care insurance—and might wait until it’s too late. N T L A ' ■ P arties H appe 02003 C00RS BREWING COMPANY • G O ttB tm O R A D O 80401 • BEER S -T P C | g 5 | ^ | “The need for long-term care is about two in three people,” she told Just Out, referring to both nursing home stays and in-home care. According to Seelye, the average cost of such care is $52,000 a year. Baby boomers of all sexual orientations are facing this need. “The fact is that, in the past, people were taken care of by...their kids," says Seelye, noting that adult children often live in different cities from their par ents nowadays and that a lot of queers don’t have kids to begin with. Sh e adds that gay and lesbian couples often make a pact to take care o f each other later in life. But if one partner dies or becomes incapacitated, the other partner is left in a vulnerable position. While long-term care insurance is often thought of as nursing home insurance, Seelye says the new long-term care insurance “helps people stay in their homes.” Waddell & Reed district manager Marc Sundberg will speak at the queer-focused semi nar. He has 10 years of experience in estate planning and long-term care insurance. Seelye says she wanted to hold the seminar to Continued on Page 8 7