People Show their Pride at Picnic

By Bob

Under bright blue skies with a cool breeze blowing off Lake Erie, some 270 people attended this year's Gay Pride Community Picnic at Presque Isle State Park on June 10. The festive environment help foster friendships as people of all ages enjoyed hot dogs, hamburgers and a host of excellently prepared side dishes.

The picnic also benefited the Second Harvest Food Bank. A total of 91 pounds of food was collected.

Several organizations and businesses were represented at the picnic, including PFLAG of Erie/Crawford County, Liberty PA, Green Party, Erie County Department of Health, SHOUT Outreach/Gaudenzia, Matt's Mobile Massage/Arbonne Skin Care and Community Health Net. WICU TV 12 covered the event as well.

Special thanks go to the local businesses that made donations to the picnic: Trance Dance Club, Zone Dance Club, Coca Cola/Erie, Wegmans (Asbury Road), Wegmans (Peach Street), Erie County Department of Health, Movie Exchange, Gary's Flower Shoppe, Pie in the Sky, Blue Heron Inn, Two Friends Italian Market and Papa Joe's Pepperoni Cafe.

Thanks also go out to the many volunteers who helped make the picnic possible: John, Gregg, Heather, Tara, Roni Tyson, Kim, Andrea, Cory, AJ, Michael Amory, Jo Hyatt, Paul , Raven Stephen McClain, Dok, Jamie and Rachel Hibbs, Mark H, Karl S, Season, Joseph, Al and Maureen Koseff, Dale, Nicholas Keech, T Evans, Shakira, Kate and Beth, Pat, Cedric and Brian Rowley. Thanks also to James von Loewe and Deb Spilko for taking photos, and Jeff Hill for lending roasters and the coffee urn. Big thanks to Brian and Larry for cooking and for shopping, and to Gary Snyder for managing the kitchen.

Although no elected officials attended this year's event, Erie County Councilwoman Joy Greco, who frequently attends, sent her greetings after a bad back forced her to stay home. In addition, Jason White, the Democratic candidate for the PA State Legislature, 5th District, called to express his strong opposition to the proposed antigay marriage amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution. White is challenging incumbent Rep. John Evans who voted for the amendment.