Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013, July 01, 2011, Page 34, Image 34

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    pride2011
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WWW.JUSTOUT.COM
hearts and minds o f Vancouver’s queer com­ begin Sunday, July 10 with the LGBTQ_Film
munity is the recent shuttering o f longtime Festival, featuring award-winning documen­
gay bar, LGBTQ^focused fundraising head­ tary Put this on the (Map) at 4 p.m.
Mid-Columbia Pride chair Jason Kildall
quarters and original planning center for
SITP, The Northbank. Gibson says the clo­ has fostered the event from what was origi­
sure o f the neighborhood hub will impact the nally a vehicle for the Vista Youth Center to
community in more ways than the void left show the youth population what a Pride
by a gay-friendly establishment at which celebration was. The annual event has since
evolved from a few hun­
people could gather.
"Although
m
i
are
in
n
dred people gathered to­
“For many years the
Northbank has been a conservative area, the GLBT gether in a parking lot, to
approximately
3,500
safe place where people community is becoming
people attending a three-
could get out and mingle,”
stronger
and
the
allied
day weekend o f events, to
explains Gibson, who was
a weeklong schedule o f
the bar’s assistant manag­ community is showing Its
activities. Mid-Columbia
er. Owners Darrell Spoon support.”
Pride has also moved its
and Brent Bartling and
-JASON KILDALL,
management staff are
MID-COLUMBIA PRIDE CHAIR festival and parade itiner­
ary out o f Pasco and into
working with organiza­
tions such as Cascade A ID S Project and Kennewick, Wash.
Martha’s Pantry, as well as other bar owners,
Kildall notes the LGBTQ_ community’s
to devise a plan to continue fundraising and fortitude during Pride season as a major fac­
have a drop-off location where the commu­ tor for M id-Columbia’s continued growth.
nity can make charitable donations.
“Although we are in a conservative area,
“This year’s Saturday in the Park is going the G L B T community is becoming stronger
to be a kickoff to a new beginning,” Gibson and the allied community is showing its
continues. He says the board o f directors is support,” he explains.
working on obtaining 501(c)(3) status for
What began as a community with a gay
the organization and a community outreach bar now includes Club Out and About,
program to connect with youth and multiple Vista Youth Center, Mid-Columbia Pride,
M C C River o f Life Church, My Friends
in-town resources.
“We are also developing a scholarship Place homeless youth shelter, Benton/
program and hope to be giving away schol­ Franklin P FLA G , Gay-Straight Alliances
arships to youths or any individual that is and much more.
interested in higher education,” he says. “We
“We are a growing community, taking the
are hoping that this scholarship program steps necessary to blur the lines o f discrimi­
will be in place by the beginning o f our next nation and moving forward to make a dif­
fiscal year and to be giving away the funds at ference,” Kildall says.
our pride event in 2012.”
On Saturday, July 16, that difference will
Lyle’s Myles— a 5K annual charity walk/ once again be on display during the Miss
run—gets things started in downtown Van­ Gay Columbia Basin Pageant, held at Out
couver July 9. The run, which benefits Cas­ and About at 9 p.m. The week culminates in
cade A ID S Project, Martha’s Pantry and the Mid-Columbia Pride March and Festi­
Global Partners for Development— begins at val Sunday,July 17 in downtown Kennewick,
8:30 a.m. and is open to all.
Wash, beginning at 2 p.m., followed by the
Just slightly farther north of the Washing­ festival at Keewaydin Park from 3 to 6 p.m.
ton border, Mid-Columbia Pride celebrates
its fifth year with a full schedule of events July For more information on Saturday in the Park ,
10-17. With Club Out and About (327 W. visit sitppride.info.home or lylesmyles.com. For
Lewis St., Pasco, Wash.) acting as headquar­ the complete Mid-Columbia Pride itinerary ,
ters for the beginning o f the week, festivities search “Mid-Columbia Pride" on Face book.
4
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