April 2015
Volume 6, Issue 4
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
GREETINGS!
Welcome to the April 2015 edition
of The PFLAG Butler Gazette! Our
monthly newsletter consists of the
most up-to-date information about
PFLAG Butler County. Please email our newsletter editor at
[email protected] to
contribute, leave comments, or
make suggestions for upcoming
editions of the newsletter. Thank
you for your continual support and
participation!
Dear PFLAG Friends,
What weather we have been having! Unfortunately we’ve had to cancel
the last couple meetings. We will resume back to our meetings in May.
The board will meet this month to finalize all the activities and events
for the remainder of the year.
As spring arrives, so do many of our fundraisers. It's almost time to
start that spring cleaning and get rid of old items you no longer want!
Please bring them to us! "One man’s junk is another man's treasure,"
and we will sell items you no longer want for our annual Yard Sale! All
items may be dropped off at Hair Studio 124 & Tanning at 124 Mercer
Street, Butler. Please call Josh at 724-602-8447 or 724-282-2887 to
make arrangements to drop off items.
Our chapter is heading into some busy months. We need your help!
Please consider donating some of your time to help us at these events.
Inquire to any executive board member for more details.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Salutation
President’s Letter
Support PFLAG Butler
Next Meeting
In The News
PFLAG Butler Support
PFLAG Butler Education
PFLAG Butler Advocacy
Sponsors
Community Health Clinic
Contact Information
Our Vision
Mission Statement
PFLAG Membership
1
1
2
2
3
4
5
5
6, 7
7
8
8
8
8
We will holding our vote for the new Treasurer at our May meeting. I
personally want to thank Sabrina Schnur for all her years of service.
She has been with PFLAG Butler County since the beginning. She has
had many titles here at PFLAG -- Sabrina held the positions of
Treasurer and Vice President. She also was the head person who started
the Non Discrimination Ordinance here in the City of Butler. I'm happy
to announce that, in June, Sabrina will take a position as our Executive
Board Advisor. Thank you Sabrina for accepting this new position.
I appreciate all of our member's support. If you have any suggestions,
please email me at [email protected].
Did you know PFLAG Butler County has a library? If there is a book
you would like to read, you can email me. We always are accepting
books and DVD's.
I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter!
Sincerely,
Joshua Crawford
PAGE 2
WAYS TO SUPPORT PFLAG BUTER COUNTY
NEXT MEETING
There will be no meeting for the month of April.
Meetings will resume beginning on MAY 3rd, 2015.
GOODSEARCH
Anybody who has ever used an online search engine knows the resourcefulness and convenience of finding
something on the internet. Using GoodSearch will make a positive impact for PFLAG Butler County while using
Yahoo!’s powerful search engine to find whatever you need. By signing up for free and selecting the cause you would
like to help as PFLAG Butler County, every search gets us a penny.
Please consider us when doing your daily internet searches! Simply sign up at http://www.goodsearch.com and select
PFLAG Butler County as the organization you would like to support. If you have difficulties or questions while
signing up for DailyGood, please email Chris at [email protected] and ask for assistance. We thank you!
ADVERTISE IN THE PFLAG
BUTLER GAZETTE! INQUIRE AT:
[email protected]
AMAZONSMILE
AmazonSmile is a great resource that allows you
to use Amazon.com for your shopping needs,
while having a percentage of your purchase go
toward PFLAG! In similar fashion to DailyGood,
AmazonSmile has all of the benefits of
Amazon.com, but by using this special link:
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/27-1342540
Amazon will donate directly to PFLAG Butler
County!
If purchasing items through Amazon.com, we
encourage you to use this easy-to-use tool! Our
Chapter thanks you for your continual support!
PAGE 3
IN THE NEWS
PITTSBURGH PRIDE 2015
The Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh has announced the exciting 2015 Pittsburgh Pride theme, "All You Need Is
Love." This year the community had a chance to select their favorite theme and over 4,800 votes were cast! Official
theme shirts can be ordered at: pittsburghpride.org/tshirt. There are less than 90 days until Pittsburgh Pride 2015:
start using these hashtags to show your pride! #allyouneedislove #pittsburghpride2015
Meet Jazz Jennings, a 14-year old YouTuber
and teen girl, who also happens to be
transgender. Jazz transitioned at the age of five
and has spent her childhood and young
adulthood being a role model and an advocate
for young trans people everywhere. Jazz came
out to the world on “The Rosie Show” in 2011,
in 2012 was interviewed by Barbara Walters on
“20/20,” and last year was named one of Time’s
25 Influential Teens of 2014 and published the
semi-autobiographical children’s book “I Am
Jazz,” intended to help educate young people
about what it means to be trans. She speaks
openly about being trans on her YouTube
channel.
Aside from being a LGBT activist, Now, Jazz is
taking her public profile to the next level by
becoming the face of Clean & Clear’s
#SeeTheRealMe campaign. The campaign
encourages girls to share their personal stories
about embracing their true selves on social
media. “The ‘See the Real Me’ campaign is so
great at helping girls find the courage to open up
to their peers and be themselves, and I could really relate to that,” Jazz said in an interview about the campaign. “I
knew doing this campaign would help a lot of teens who are struggling like I did.” Her campaign video talks about
her life and the transphobia (and acceptance) that she’s dealt with.
Jazz is perfect for this campaign, because it is all about natural beauty: “I guess you can say my signature look is
beauty comes from within because that’s what I believe in. Inner beauty is when you can look in a mirror and push
away all the outer thoughts of your appearance, like how your nose looks or how your eyes look, and see yourself
for who you are on the inside — and say I am a confident person, I am a strong person, I’m proud of the way I am, I
am a kind person. That defines who you are on the inside, and that’s true beauty. Ever since I was a child, I always
knew I wanted to be a girl. And over time, my family began to support me and helped me transition into the girl that
I am today. Throughout that process, I was able to find who I am and realize, you know, I am a girl, and I am happy
with the way I am. I am beautiful, and I can’t let anyone else judge me for that. I found my inner beauty through the
process of becoming myself and becoming a girl.”
The fact that Clean & Clear chose Jazz to be their spokesperson for natural beauty is a huge step forward for trans
teen visibility.
PAGE 4
SUPPORT: TO COPE WITH AN ADVERSE SOCIETY
INFORMATION AND HOTLINE NUMBER
724-290-9674
.
Please contact us at the above number if you
need assistance and/or information. This
service is intended for those who need help
and have general inquiries about our services.
We will strive to make the necessary
connections you require!
The Helping Hands Relief & Recovery Program exists to help people who
are victims of unforeseeable tragedies such as storm damage, vandalism, and
other circumstances. It was created in order to help people begin to put their
lives back together after difficult situations.
A part of the mission states that PFLAG Butler County will stand by you as
long as it takes and assist you in any way possible.
If you need someone to help shovel your driveway or sidewalks, we will be
there. If you need someone to help clean up your yard after tree branches
have fallen down, we will be there. If you simply want to talk to somebody,
we are there.
For more information, to take advantage of this program or to be a volunteer, please contact Joshua Crawford, at
[email protected]. For more information, please visit our website at www.pflagbutler.com and click the
“Helping Hands Program” tab.
TrevorSpace is a
social networking site
for lesbian,
gay, bisexual,
transgender and
questioning youth
ages 13 through 24
and their friends and
allies.
PAGE 5
EDUCATION: TO ENLIGHTEN AN ILL-INFORMED PUBLIC
PERSAD OPEN HOUSE OF NEW FACILITY
Join PERSAD for a tour of their new facility during their Open House to the community on Saturday, March 28th
from 1-3PM! Here, you will learn about how their expansion will enhance services to the LGBTQ community and
people living with HIV. “It’s an important moment for PERSAD CENTER. Our new home is a visible symbol of
support and inclusion for the communities we serve and gives us the space to expand our services with senior, youth,
training and medical programs”, says Executive Director, Betty Hill.
Pittsburgh’s vibrant Lawrenceville neighborhood offers PERSAD CENTER a welcoming location for clients and all
of our friends and supporters. The new, fully-accessible, one-story, 11,500 square foot facility offers free ample
parking and is easily reached by public transit. “It’s taken a lot of planning, passion and commitment from PERSAD
CENTER’S Board of Directors to make this transition possible. Finding the right fit took some time, but it was worth
it,” says Hill.
PERSAD CENTER will officially open for business at the new location on Monday, March 23, 2015 at 12PM.
Don’t forget to attend the Open House on Saturday, March 28th at their new address:
5301 Butler Street, Suite 100 • Pittsburgh, PA 15201
SPEAKER’S BUREAU
The Speaker’s Bureau is a group of PFLAG Butler’s members who are trained to speak publically about their
personal experiences and stories. It is a way to conduct community education and outreach to Butler County.
If you are interested in participating in our speaker’s bureau, please contact our Director of Communications, Kevin
McCarthy at [email protected] to sign up. We will be hosting several training sessions throughout
the year so that anyone interested in participating will know exactly what to do. These engagements are not about
religious, political, or any other view point. It is about sharing our stories and furthering the cause of equality for all
people.
ADVOCACY: TO END DISCRIMINATION AND TO SECURE EQUAL RIGHTS
PAGE 6
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEND OUT A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
PAGE 7
CONSOLIDATE YOUR CREDIT CARDS!
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mortgage. No tricks.
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with a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Plan
Friendly, expert service.
Dai Rosenblum, Esq. (724) 287-5300
A Debt Relief Agency for Over 30 Years
COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC OF BUTLER COUNTY
Do you need Health Care? Are you uninsured? The Community Health Clinic of Butler County is a non-profit,
community-based volunteer organization established to provide primary healthcare and medications to Butler
County residents who have no health benefits and do not qualify for any other services. Those who qualify are
Butler County residents who have no private or government-funded insurance, who fall within the age and income
guidelines. Visit the clinic, the web site, or call to schedule an eligibility appointment for assistance in this
process.
103 Bonnie Drive, Butler, PA 16002 — 724-841-0984 — www.butlerhealthclinic.org
All gifts can be sent by check to the address above, and are tax deductible. Please consider donating!
PAGE 8
PFLAG BUTLER OFFICER’S CONTACT INFORMATION
OUR VISION
PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is
celebrated and all people are respected, valued,
and affirmed inclusive of their sexual
orientation, gender identity, and gender
expression.
Executive Board
Josh Crawford, President
[email protected]
Sabrina Schnur, Treasurer
[email protected]
OUR MISSION
James Smedley, Secretary
[email protected]
By meeting people where they are and
collaborating with others, PFLAG realizes its
vision through:
Board Members
● Support for families, allies and people who
are LGBTQIA
Connie Brown, Community Relations
[email protected]
● Education for ourselves and others about the
unique issues and challenges facing people who
are LGBTQIA
Kevin McCarthy, Director of Communications
[email protected]
● Advocacy in our communities to change
attitudes and create policies and laws that
achieve full equality for people who are
LGBTQIA
Chris Garis, Newsletter Editor
[email protected]
Bill Sawford, Grants Coordinator
[email protected]
Robert and Helen'e Gosslin, Board Advisors
[email protected]
.
PFLAG BUTLER COUNTY
MEMBERSHIP
Justin Lewis, Events Coordinator
[email protected]
PFLAG BUTLER INFORMATION
There are many ways to get in touch and stay in touch with PFLAG
Butler! Find us in the way that is most convenient for you.
Web Address
www.pflagbutler.com
www.twitter.com/pflagbutlerco
Email
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/pflagbutlerco
Telephone
724-290-9674
PFLAG Butler County
P.O. Box 1631
Butler, PA 16003
Are you currently a member of
PFLAG Butler County? Annual
memberships are available for
individuals and household members
for $30, and students can join for
$20. Half of this membership fee is
sent to PFLAG National and the
other half remains with PFLAG
Butler County for various projects.
Membership forms are available on
our website at
www.pflagbutler.com. Thank you
for your support!