CAPITAL COVERAGE NEWS SERVICE
media in the public interest
Community Center Re-Builds
By John Zeh
Capital Coverage News Service
Sporting a rainbow flag outside, the Queen City's Gay and Lesbian Community Center has settled into its new home in the gay-friendly Northside neighborhood. It now has a full board of directors, social activities, a new men's support group, and plans to re-form a formal coalition of local GLBT groups.
Volunteers are geared up selling tickets to GLCC's major fundraiser, a private outing at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio Friday, Sept. 24. The gay gala is expected to draw thousands from throughout the Midwest, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
A nationally known gay or lesbian comic is set to be signed to complement local entertainers at the amusement park's Fest Haus. For the first time, local GLBT groups can raise money for themselves by selling tickets for the popular event.
GLCC's small but comfortable, air-conditioned space is open 6-9 pm Monday through Friday and noon-4 pm Saturdays, board member Bruce Beisner told producer/host Cheryl Eagleson on WAIF AM's "Alternating Currents," July 17.
The address is 4119 Hamilton Avenue, north of Clifton near Crazy Ladies Center/Bookstore, three gay and lesbian taverns, the Harlem House Café and other gay-friendly resources. Four Metro bus routes serve the area for 50 cents through Labor Day.
The eclectic area, home of several gay men and lesbians who have re-habbed old houses, was featured in a June cover story in City Beat, a weekly tabloid readable on-line at http://www.citybeat.com .
GLCC's telephone Switchboard, a community tradition since 1976, is back in service when the center is closed thanks to volunteer Jim Wiggins. The number 591-0222 works for the software driven service after hours, and is answered live when the center is open.
The men's rap group offers informal, nonjudgmental chat and feedback from participants Monday evenings at 7 pm. "It fills a real void for men," said Beisner, noting similar groups for women held for years by Crazy Ladies.
GLCC will convene a "Power Tour" Town Meeting at 7 pm, Aug. 10, with national and regional political leaders to discuss the controversial Millennium March and other issues, Beisner said on the 22-year-old radio program, heard from 3-5 pm Saturdays on 88.3 FM.
The meeting will be held at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church,
103 William Howard Taft Ave. Tour organizer Linda Malicki, head
of Cleveland's The Center will be there, with Carlie Steen, Promote
the Vote national organizer; HRC's Donna Redwing: and
Jeff Redfield, Stonewall Columbus.
A month later, the Center will host a meeting to discuss rebirth of the Greater Cincinnati Gay and Lesbian Coalition, initiated in 1978. It will be held Saturday, 10 am, Sept 4, at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church. GLCC vice president Greg Tolman <gtolman@ix.netcom.com> has invited over 100 local groups and individuals.
Both meetings open to all. Reconstituting the umbrella groups "is an important opportunity for groups to work together," Tolman said.
Such cohesion is the main idea behind having regional grassroots
groups raise funds for the Kings Island event, Bruce said. "Share
the wealth, share information as we all work together. That's
what we're all about."
