A Letter From The President

GLBT Professionals Group Fills Need

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on February 28, 2008

A new group that has formed in Omaha is filling a need in the gay-lesbian-bisexual- transgender community.

At first, the GLBT Professionals Group met on the second Thursday each month, the same night as PFLAG. The group graciously moved its meetings to the first Thursday to avoid a meeting-night conflict for people who want to attend both the PFLAG and GLBT Professionals meetings.

Robert Patterson and perhaps other leaders of the new group will speak at Omaha PFLAG’s March 13 meeting.

PRIDE PROM: Omaha PFLAG has given $250 to help pay expenses of this year’s Tom Mahony Pride Prom. The prom will be May 17 in Cary Hall at First United Methodist Church. The prom is growing each year and clearly is gaining popularity among GLBT young people. Donations are tax deductible. You can mail your check payable to Pride Prom to: Proud Horizons, 15409 Shirley St., Omaha, NE 68144.

PRIDE PLAYERS: The Feb. 1 benefit performance was a success. The performance was excellent, and we sold 119 tickets for the 135-seat theater. Each of our three benefiting groups—PFLAG, Proud Horizons and GLSEN—received $1,035. The most important benefit is not financial. It is helping passionate GLBT/Ally teenagers get an audience for their show of original skits and monologues that they themselves helped write and create. All of this year’s four Pride Players shows drew good crowds, even the Sunday afternoon performance that came at the same time as the Super Bowl.

GOAL SETTING: Omaha PFLAG’s board went through a process at a special meeting to identify goals that board members want our group to achieve. One is to make inroads into religious faith communities. At First United Methodist Church, where we hold our meetings, you can find Omaha PFLAG brochures that give our meeting time and place and briefly describe our services. We would like to get that same brochure and other literature into the hands of gay-friendly places of worship and religious leaders so that people who need our help can find us. We need a volunteer to lead this effort. If this idea excites you, please contact me at 333-7064 or bobcdorr@cox.net

TRANSGENDER COORDINATOR: Ashley Swartz is Omaha PFLAG’s new transgender coordinator. Ashley speaks often as a panelist at our Safe Schools appearances in college classrooms and other places. As transgender coordinator, she will provide information and support to trans persons and their families and will help educate Omaha PFLAG’s members on issues affecting transgender persons.

Bob Dorr,
Omaha PFLAG president