Focus group slated
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Gay and Gray Initiative of the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 411 Hillsborough St., will hold a focus group on Feb. 20, 7-8:30 p.m., to gauge how the group has done in the past and to examine plans for the future.
Feedback is important. People who have not participated previously are encouraged to attend. Sign up at meetup.com/http-www-lgbtcenterofraleigh-com-site-programs-seniors/events/102506262/.
Other events slated for February at the center are:
• Fem, Butch or Blend…Express Yourself!, Fullstream Brewery, 726 Rigsbee Ave., Durham, 7 p.m.
An official Out!Raleigh event benefiting the Human Rights Campaign and the center features spoken word and performance art. Contributions appreciated at the door.
• LGBT Generations, at the center, 2 p.m.
The first meeting for LGBT parents and children. Will meet monthly on every fourth Sunday.
info: Les Geller, vice chairman, lgeller@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com
Church starts youth ministry
RALEIGH, N.C. — St. John’s MCC, 805 Glenwood Ave., has announced that it will begin a children’s ministry on Feb. 17.
Church services will be held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 11 a.m.
Rick Grissom will co-lead the ministry.
They are currently looking for a variety of items to make the ministry more successful. They include: manila envelopes (unfolded letter size or slightly larger), eight-pack boxes of crayons, snacks and sandwich baggies, white paper in reams, construction paper, #2 pencils, small erasers, glue sticks, oak tag paper, religious-themed stickers and one electric pencil sharpener. Items should be taken to the church office.
To learn more about this new youth program, email rigrisso@yahoo.com.
info: stjohnsmcc.org
Camp reaches fundraising goal
RALEIGH, N.C. — ASPYRE Leadership Camp has reached its fundraising goal to help offset expenses for its March 8-10 session to be held at Camp Weaver, 4924 Tapawingo Trail, 20 miles outside Greensboro, N.C.
An program of the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 411 Hillsborough St., the ASPYRE camp aids LGBT and allied youth achieve their personal best through active citizenship and community leadership. Personal growth, advocacy and activism are use as tools to achieve the camp’s objectives with participants who will come from across the state. It hopes to inspire those who attend to become more passionate about community or other causes that are deemed important.
Cost to attend the three-day event is $30, which includes meals, lodging and materials. Scholarships are available for those not able to meet the registration cost.
The center said, “Participants of the camp will take away a better understanding of the LGBT community and how current policy can be used to effect the environment in one’s own school or community; a sense of their own strengths and how to form a team that compliments those strengths; an action plan to make a change and the support to see it through.”
registration/info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com/programs/youth-programs/88-aspyre.html
• • • • •
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@qnotescarolinas.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 LGBT 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 LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.