Stonewall sets run
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stonewall Sports Charlotte has announced that it has launched its inaugural Stonewall Rainbow Run on Sept. 8, with starting and finishing line at The Shed Amphitheater at Station House, 600 E. Sugar Creek Rd.
The annual event features an LGBTQ and Ally 5k walk, run and and after party focused on brining the community together while raising money for three local charities — PFLAG Charlotte, Veteran’s Bridge Home and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care and Control.
The fundraiser is open to everyone from 13 and up. The 5k and after party will feature glow sticks, music, neon body paint, costumes and more. “Participants can also expect a comfortable race route through NoDa, food trucks, vendors, a beer garden, dancing and a few surprises that will be announced in the coming months,” organizers shared.
Early bird registration for individuals and teams has already begun at $30 per runner and is available online at bit.ly/2Jvahnk. Price increases will occur the closer to the date the event becomes. Those who do not want to race are welcome at the after party with a contribution of $5 per person.
info: stonewallrainbowrun.org.
Gurss receives arts citation
DANBURY, Conn. — Retiring One Voice Chorus Artistic Director Gerald Gurss has received a Special Judges Citation from The American Prize in Composition, 2017-18, in the choral division (professional composer), recognizing music “Relevant, Heartfelt and Deeply Moving” for his work, “Be at My Side (Policeman’s Prayer).”
Gurss was selected from applications reviewed from across the U.S. The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit competitions designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the nation based on submitted recordings.
He earned a Bachelor’s of Music from Emporia State University and a Master’s of Music from Miami University. In addition to his academic achievements, he is a conductor, teacher and composer. Choruses throughout the U.S. have performed his works and have been commissioned by Sine Nomine in Denver, Colo., the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus, Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C., 1st Baptist Church of Wadesboro, N.C., San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus in California, the Turtle Creek Chorale in Texas and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte. In 2014 Gurss worked with homeless LGBTQ youth from the Carolinas to produce a documentary called, “HOME.” With “HOME” came the original work, “Jonathan’s Song,” based on the struggles of a one youth. Gurss has previously recognized by The American Prize as a semi-finalist in choral composition (2015) and a finalist/honorable mention recipient in choral composition (2016). He is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in choral conducting at the University of South Carolina.
Learn more about Gurss in his Our People interview and an extended version online at goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com/60243.
info: theamericanprize.org.
Swim club interest requested
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte LGBTQ/IGLA Swimming Club has announced that it has begun a Meet Up group to gauge interest in the development of an International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics team and Stonewall Sports league.
The organization said that the closest teams were in Atlanta, Ga. and Washington, D.C.
Currently, the group has scheduled a Saturday morning lap swim on June 16, 8 a.m., at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center, 800 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. They will be using workouts from the “Workouts in a Binder” book by Nick Hansen and will be self-coaching until the group is large enough to support having a coach on deck. Center members are admitted free with drop-in fees of $5/county and $8/non-county residents. Participants must wear swimsuit, swim cap, goggles and bring a lock for the lockers. Towel service is available at the desk for those who do not want to bring their own.
To join the group, visit the Meet Up member page and RSVP for the lap swim.
info: meetup.com/Charlotte-LGBTQ-IGLA-Swimming-Club/. igla.org.
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Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBTQ issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBTQ rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.