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PFLAG
SOUTH NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2005
President’s Report Hi Everybody. It doesn’t seem long since I wrote the last newsletter in the dark of June, and now the end of the year is in sight. LOOKING BACK June Meeting We had a large attendance as David Benson-Pope was our speaker. Also, Pride Dunedin Youth gave a report on the ‘Safe Schools 4 Queers’ conference they had attended in Wellington. JulyOur speaker was Jeffrey Vaughan, director of the coming Globe Theatre production “Beautiful Thing”, and we planned to attend as a group on one of our social evenings. We went and it was a great evening with 23 of us attending. July has been as always, our busiest time of the year, with Pride Week, and some of us were invited to a very special and historic Civil Union in July. PRIDE WEEKOur most visible event of the year is Rainbow Day in the Octagon. It was a windy day and at times we had to take quick action to save the leaflets rack. This year, with five helpers who stayed for four hours, we found we could be on both sides of the road. It was fun working as a team, and it reminded us of our much smaller beginnings when only one or two of us have stood there. We found that some people approached us for information, but otherwise we gave more than 500 leaflets, and talked to people. Politicians Chris Carter and David Benson-Pope called in at Rainbow Day with their good wishes. Chris remembered a former Rainbow Day when a very small group in the middle of the Octagon was harassed by ‘hoons’ shouting abuse from cars. MEDICAL STUDENTS During Pride Week PFLAG was part of a seminar for students, run by the Department of psychological medicine, about sexual orientation. A lesbian Doctor spoke and then Sue and Euan. This went very well, and we were pleased that people stayed behind and wanted to ask questions. VERY SPECIAL THANKSto Anne and Jean, who heroically folded the 700 PFLAG leaflets at short notice! We gave these out as we greeted 110 students at the door of the seminar as ‘Doctors’ Packs”, selections of six of our leaflets in a folder. AugustWe couldn’t believe it when Georgina Beyer said she would be happy to come and address our meeting! We were pleased that we had hired a bigger venue as we, and the wider gay community enjoyed a really wonderful and moving talk. It was good when people stayed behind to talk some more and have supper, and some wrote their names on the ‘new contacts’ list. Thankyou to all those wonderful people on and off the committee, who helped to set up the hall, and serve the tea and coffee. It was great to be working together. Special thanks to Michelle, who thanked Georgina from her heart. I was proud of us, as a group. Hope those who were struck down by sickness that night, have recovered. SCHOOL LIBRARY PROJECTDelivery of books and leaflets to school librarians and counsellors is almost completed . So far reaction has been delighted with the books (one exception). One school has asked if we had any homophobia posters. This is definitely an improvement on the way things were some years ago. OUTREACH We continue to receive enquiries for information and leaflets, also personal enquiries. Recently a Hamilton Group has asked us to help as they begin to set up a group in Hamilton. The website has had around 500 hits this year. http://au.oocities.com/pflagsouth The leaflets at the ‘Return’s’ desk at the library keep being taken, 270 since February. Each week, checking them, I wonder if it is worth it, as they disappear in ones and twos, but if even a few people are benefiting, then it is worthwhile. I wonder whether there are other places in the town, that could be used. We have been asked for/ have supplied another 2000 leaflets to various agencies this year; Southland Health, Student Health in Dunedin, FPA… It is always good to be able to help. DATES FOR THE DIARYSeptember Meeting Monday 26th Community House 7.30pm This will be an ‘in House’ meeting, for us to talk, to support, to catch up. No speaker and so a good one for new people to join us. Our new photo album should be ready for viewing October meeting Monday 24th (Labour Weekend) Details later November meeting, Monday 28th PARTY! PLANNING FOR NEXT YEARAre there any topics that people in the group would like to know more about? Eg One that has come up several times is ‘Transformational Ministries’ which some evangelical churches use to try and ‘cure’ gay people. Who do we know with something interesting to say? Films? A gay dad? See you on 26th September, we hope.
Warmest Greetings to you all Sue COPIES OF PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS: June 2005Report on Youth Mental Health Expo 2002
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