Meeting with Mayor Devlin

Erie City Mayor Daria Devlin with Peter Genco at Flagship City Food Hall on January 9, 2026.

From Peter Genco: As a city of Erie resident, I had the opportunity to meet with our new Mayor, Daria Devlin, on January 9, 2026. I spent most of our time talking about Aging With Pride. Mayor Devlin was pleased with the work we are doing, including our monthly programs, Legacy Project, archives project, our recognition awards, and our cooperation with organizations in other cities. She was also happy to hear about Bears Do Dinner, which has been meeting since 2013!

About the Author

Pete

Pete G (he/him) volunteers with Erie Gay News as a way to give back to the community. Now retired, he enjoys having more time to devote to local LGBTQ+ organizations and events. Pete serves as the 2026 chair of Aging With Pride Erie and is active on several of the organization's committees. He also organizes Bears Do Dinner, a monthly dinner group that has been bringing people together since 2013. Pete studied at SUNY Buffalo and the Universität Würzburg, earning BAs in German and Linguistics as well as a master's degree in Library and Information Science. He speaks German, enjoys cooking, and sells Pampered Chef products.

About This Article

2026-01-09 Erie City Mayor Daria Devlin with Peter Genco at Flagship City Food Hal

Aging with Pride

Bears Do Dinner

Other Bears Do Dinner Articles

Bears Do Dinner began in July of 2013 as a group of guys in the Erie area that wanted to get together once a month outside of a bar night. Erie itself doesn't have a 'bear organization' per se, but local guys that attend various events, both locally and abroad. You don't need to use a 'bear,' 'cub,' or another label to join us for dinner. Each month we try to pick a new location around the area for a social dinner. The places we pick move around, as well as dates/times based on a group majority and establishment hours of operation.

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