GLAD Chat - Smile Politely

P.O. Box 3783
Decatur IL, 62522
www.gladdecatur.com
GLAD Chat
Gift Exchange and Hats & Gloves Collection for December 10 th Social
Happy Holidays to Everyone! For our December 10th
Social, we are planning to
bring back our famous Gift
Exchange.
It has been a couple of
years since we have done
this, but it was always a lot
of fun and put everyone in a
joyous Holiday Spirit. We
are asking that (if you decide to participate) you try to
stay around the $10 range.
If you plan to bring smaller
children and want them to
participate, please either
bring gifts for them to exchange amongst themselves or other children who
may attend. Please be sure
to label the gift for a child.
We will also be collecting
socks, mittens, gloves,
scarves, etc for students
grades K thru 12th to be
donated to DOVE
The evening begins at
6:30 with the meet and
greet. The potluck will begin
at 7:00.
The location for the GLAD
social is the Peerless Corporate Training Center;
1304 N. 20th St. We ask for
$5 donation to help us offset
our expenses
Have a very Happy Holiday
from the Members of
GLAD's Board.
Gifts That Keep On Giving
By Jim Barr
November and December
are very special months for
many reasons. For the members of GLAD, it is a time to
share with the community of
Decatur and Macon County.
At our November Thanksgiving Potluck, we collect
canned goods (or other nonperishable food staples like
boxes of macaroni, etc) to
donate to such organizations
as Northeast Community
Fund. This year was no
exception. Although the
canned food donations were
down a bit, members of
GLAD still came through for
our canned food drive.
Our December Social will
be special in that we will be
collecting socks, mittens,
hats, gloves, scarves, etc for
the young from grades K
thru 12th grade.
We have decided to opt
out of collecting toys as well
this year because of the
many toy recalls, etc.
This has always been an
important part of our giving
back to the community by
helping those who may need
a little extra help this
year. Rumor has it that one
of our members did some
late Christmas bargain shopping last year and has several pairs of socks for young
ladies, so please don't forget
the young men on our
Christmas list.
We plan to donate the
items to DOVE. However, if
you know of a member who
has a child or children within
December 2011
those grade levels that is in
need, please let one of our
Board Members know so
that we can arrange to take
care of those needs before
we take the items to DOVE.
If you chose to donate toys
and or school supplies, I'm
more than positive that the
items will be put to good
use.
As always, please mark
out the bar codes. All items
should be new and in original packaging.
With warmest regards and
the best of holiday wishes,
Members of the
GLAD Board.
GLAD Chat is the monthly publication of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Decatur.
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Please mail checks to GLAD, PO Box 3783, Decatur, IL 62524
GLAD Chat welcomes submissions. Send your material GLAD.newsletter@mchsi.com
December 7
Father Mangan Lecture
6:30p.m.—Decatur Library
December 9
Cards; Contact John S. for details
December 10
GLAD Social
6:30 p.m.—Peerless
December 11
Just Flicks,
6:30p.m.—Central Christian
December 28
GLAD Board 6 p.m., DMH
January 14
GLAD Social
6:30 p.m.—Peerless
For more information or
questions on any events
please join us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/groups/
GLAD1/
Acorn Equality Fund Raises Record
Amount This Year
A record $30,850 was raised at this year’s Acorn Equality Fund Breakfast
held December 3rd!
Acorn board president Scott Mozingo announced to attendees that he had just
be informed that day of a matching grant from Caterpillar Inc. The earthmoving
equipment builder agreed to match up to $13,000 of the amount donated to the
fund – which awards scholarships to area LGBT youth. Mozingo’s voiced
cracked with emotion as he announced the day’s total.
The breakfast was held in East Peoria and featured Iowa native Zach Wahls as
the guest speaker. Wahls addressed the Iowa legislature earlier this year, speaking passionately about his two lesbian mothers. His address originally became a
YouTube sensation in February, but as Zach told the audience “the last two days
have been crazy.” The video has been shared numerous times on Facebook and
has 12 million views on YouTube.
Zach told the audience that the LGBT and ally community must “come out.” It
is the best way to conquer homophobia.
In the arena of gay rights, Zach said, “The older generation has paved the
road; it’s up to my generation to paint the lines.”
GLAD was represented by John Poling and Robert Lowery. The board voted to
make a $25 donation to the fund. John and Robert’s tickets were generously
underwritten by Dave Bentlin of Bloomington.
To view the YouTube clip of Zach Wahls’ addressing the Iowa legislature go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQQK2Vuf9Q
GLAD Friends Krista & Maira Start Dog
Treat Business
Congratulations to our friends Krista and
Maire, their new organic dog treat business was featured in both the Decatur
Herald & Review and Bloomington Pantagraph last month.
Fashioned Oats and Cinnamon Muffins
and will be debuting two new flavors for
Christmas on Saturday: a white chocolate
and cranberry muffin and a peppermint
and rosemary cookie. “
The ladies have begun making pet
treats that have no fillers, no artificial flavors, no preservatives and are wheat free
and gluten free.
You can like them on Facebook at http://
www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/
Foxx-Haven-Farm-Natural-Dog-CookiesMuffins/224376604300353
They are calling their new business
Foxx Haven Farm. Maire says their goal is
to become the Paula Deen of dog treats.
Krista recently told us they are working on
special Christmas-themed treats:
“Sales have been going okay. We are
gearing up for another big batch on Friday, because we are attending another
Christmas shopping event on Saturday in
Bethany. I believe there will be over 30
vendors there; should be good publicity.
This is the third one we have done. We
sold out at the last one and are hoping for
the same result at this one. If you know of
anyone who would like some please let
me know. We will be baking our Old-
Page 2
GLAD
Briefs
The turnout was a little smaller than
usual, nineteen folks, but the spirit of
Thanksgiving filled the air at the November 12th GLAD social. Attendees enjoyed
a traditional turkey and ham dinner with
the trimmings supplied by the board.
Mary Lynn shared her moving life story
as part of our coming out series. Jim also
collected canned goods for area in-need
families.
On Nov 7th, Mattisha Houston received 3
1/2 years plus time served and 1 year
probation (or boot camp) in the fatal
shooting of Joseph Mason-Wells. The
consensus is it wasn’t enough, but it was
something. There had been the concern
she would only get probation.
The Springfield gang will be having
their annual Christmas dinner at the
Crowne Plaza’s Rosewood Dining Room
on Dec. 17th. You can be included in the
reservation by emailing
mattdberry@gmail.com
Good news! After months of discussion
with the Illinois Department of Revenue,
Equality Illinois received word on Nov.
29th that the State of Illinois will allow
same-sex couples in a civil union to
jointly file their 2011 state tax returns just
as married spouses are currently allowed
to do.
‘The Soloist’ Dec. 11th Just Flicks Selection
The Just Flicks selection for this month is the 2009 film “The Soloist”. It is a moving story based on the actual encounter between a struggling journalist and a
homeless musician. With great performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie
Foxx, this film explores the topics of homelessness, mental illness and personal
regeneration.
Academy Award-nominated Atonement director Joe Wright teams with screenwriter Susannah Grant to tell the true-life story of Nathaniel Ayers, a former cello
prodigy whose bouts with schizophrenia landed him on the streets after two years
of schooling at Juilliard.
The film starts at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 11. The location is Central
Christian Church. The refreshments will be great.
Page 3
In Memoriam
Patti Faulkner M.A. L.C.P.C.
104 East Pleasant St, Taylorville IL
(217) 824-7820
Specializing in the treatment of Depression, Anxiety, Grief,
Life Transitions, Stress Management, and GLBT Issues
As 2011 winds down, we want to remember
some special friends we lost this year.
Sandra Jean “Kim” Kimberly
Joseph Mason-Wells
Individual, Couple, and Family Sessions
Depression & Anxiety Support Groups
David Bishop
Visit our website: www.taylorvillecounseling.com
Find us on Facebook under "Counseling Solutions"
Aubrey “Caitie” Barker
Dick Draughn
Evening and weekend hours available
Most major insurance accepted | Sliding scale for self pay clients
The pain passes, but the beauty remains.
Pierre Auguste Renoir
Labor Activist to Speak at Father Mangan Lecture
By Bob Sampson
A long-time labor activist will give the
2011 Father Martin Mangan Lecture
on Social Justice. Gene Vanderport,
retired service director for the Illinois
Education Association in Champaign ,
will speak at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday,
Dec. 7 in the Decatur Public Library’s
Madden Auditorium. Admission is free.
Vanderport was among those arrested with Father Mangan on June 4,
1993, during a peaceful protest outside
the gates of Tate & Lyle’s A.E. Staley
Mfg. Co. plant in Decatur, the focal
point of one of three attacks on workers that convulsed the city in the
1990s.
A native of Westville, Vanderport
graduated from the University of Illinois
in 1971 with a degree in social work.
He worked on the staff of the American
Federation of Government Employees
until joining the IEA in 1989. He retired
from the IEA earlier this year.
Father Mangan, who served St.
James Parish, became a friend, confidant, and leader of workers struggling
for their rights during the period. After
his death on September 14, 2001, the
lecture series was established to help
keep alive the ideals to which he devoted much of his final decade.
We’re on the Web and Facebook:
www.gladdecatur.com
www.facebook.com/groups/GLAD1
You’re Invited to 12/10 TGINBNIL Meeting
Editor’s note: TGINBNIL is
the local trans group that
meets monthly in Bloomington. For more information
you can email Casey at
tginbnil@yahoogroups.com
Hello Ladies and Gents! Just
a reminder, we will be meeting Saturday December 10th.
I thought we would have a
"Freecycle" meeting! Bring
items (clothing, shoes, accessories, etc) in decent condition in hopes that they will
find a new home. If interested, any remaining items
can be taken to the local thrift
store (by us).
For dinner, it's Christmas
time! I will bring a spiral cut
ham and sweet potatoes.
Feel free to bring your holiday favorites! PS, anyone
have a Santa Suit?
I also want to remind you
we're sticking with our standard agenda:
6P Dressing Room Opens
7P Potluck Dinner
8P Speaker or Activity--->Christmas/"Freecycle"
9-11:45 Social Time
Door Closes at 12M
Can’t wait to see you
all there!!!
Martha Returns in January
Missing your Martha [Lesbian]
Living this month? Fear not,
Martha Miller’s popular column
will return in January.
By day Martha is a mildmannered English professor
and this month she’s got grading a-go-go.
She promises she’ll be back in
January when all the final exams and papers have received
their proper marks.