2022 we were off and rolling and began planning for our Pride Picnic, an art show, drag brunch, expanded scholarships, summer camps and more than we ever dreamed we could do.
It all started when in March when the opportunity came up to apply for a grant through Gamma Mu. We filled out the application, submitted and waited. Gamma Mu awarded us a sizable grant to expand our scope of programs and activities.
Our first new venture began by wanting to send a teen to summer camp an after some searching Camp Brave Trails fit the bill. We sponsored our first teen to attend the summer 2022 session and sent her off with a Pride care package. She had a wonderful time and felt she had made friends and connections that would last a lifetime.
Where in 2021 we did a small scholarship, this year we had a generous donor who made it possible to award two $500 scholarships to local seniors headed on to college. We started with an essay contest and then partnered with the Morgan County Student Aid Fund to find and select eligible students. In May of 2022 we attended an awards ceremony to present the scholarships.
For the Pride Picnic in the Park 2022, held June 25th, we wanted to go a bit bigger than 2021. We got more food vendors, expanded our window contest, partnered with local downtown businesses to create a crawl map, had new local non-profit organizations join us with booths of their own, and a LIVE band, from Pittsburgh. The weather was near perfect and the crowds were lovely, impromptu dance recitals, wandering guitar players, costumes, laughs, love and acceptance.
To coincide with our Pride Picnic we also undertook curating an art show called Prisms in the Springs at the Ice House Gallery from June 3-July 24. The venue featured local LGBTQIA+ artists and allies showcasing their unique “Prism” view of pride. An opening reception was held on June 3rd and the evening following the pride picnic.
On September 11, 2022 the Country Inn was again the site of our Bippity Boppity Brunch, a day of Disney inspired fun and frivolity.
Apple Butter weekend Jim Chittock hosted a happy hour for BS Pride at his downtown property Hidden Hill for committee members and community allies to get together and unwind around a fire pit after a record breaking festival day.
We again did the Back to School Bash and donated school supplies in August, adopted a family for Christmas, and spread random bits of goodwill where the need arose and were able.
The last thing began in 2022 has been made possible by Jane Frenke and her generous donation of a quilt entitled “It’s a Jungle Out There”. We began a quilt raffle and set up during Cocoa Crawl and other Christmas Festivities in town. Raffle tickets are still available and will be so through our upcoming event, the “Fire and Ice” Gala on March 25, 2023-see our upcoming event section.
Candidates for the summer 2023 session of Camp Brave Trails have been selected and we are waiting to hear from admissions soon. One of board, Aisha Stevenson Reiko, will be there this year as camp nurse. Yay!
Stayed tuned for 2023 entries…ever growing, every day.