Aging With Pride Meetings


Aging with Pride is excited to launch meetings and a new book club.

Aging with Pride, an organization of senior LGBT+ members and allies, develops and sponsors social/recreational and educational events to promote healthy leisure activities, community, and an active, enjoyable lifestyle. The group was organized in 2017 by Dale Allgeier of Lake Erie Counseling in response to an identified need in the Erie Area for support to older LGBT+ individuals, providing support, friendship, social opportunities, and discussion of issues of importance such as medical/health needs, housing/legal/financial concerns, discrimination, disabilities, and social isolation. The group stopped meeting due to COVID and is now back.

The group is currently planning various activities, including an informal get together, a book club, and participation in several LGBTQIA+ activities in the area. They are also planning a Needs Assessment survey to assist in future planning based on the needs of the older members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Anyone interested in helping with activity planning is welcome to attend planning meetings held at Lake Erie Counseling, 1932 West 8th Street, Erie. (Use the 1934 entrance.) The next meetings are scheduled for 1:00 PM on Sundays, March 26, April 16, and April 30. They generally last about 2 hours with coffee and light refreshments provided.

The Aging with Pride Book Club will hold its first meeting on Saturday, May 20, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Werner Books, 3514 Liberty Street in the Liberty Plaza. The first book is Eighty-Sixed by David B. Feinberg. In the book, set in 1980, B. J. Rosenthal's only mission is to find himself a boyfriend and avoid setbacks like bad haircuts, bad sex, and Jewish guilt. In post-AIDS 1986, B.J.'s world has changed dramatically -- his friends and lovers are getting sick, everyone is at risk, and B.J. is panicking. "If Woody Allen were gay and wrote novels, he'd produce something like David Feinberg's Eighty-Sixed." -- David Streitfeld, The Washington Post Book World. In addition to discussing the book, the group will discuss what materials they would like to read in the future. Anyone thinking of attending is asked to email Steve Siwiecki at awpebookclub@gmail.com so we can get a rough count. Werner Books offers a 20% discount on books for book clubs and should have them available by mid-April.

For more information about Aging with Pride, visit their website at agingwithprideerie.org or email Dale Allgeier at daleallgeier@outlook.com.

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