The LGBT Center Coalition has been hard at work this summer! We are happy to update that Louis Marven has been hired to fill the role of Office Manager/Writer for the Coalition. Louis has already begun assisting the Board in the work of creating a Center, and is working out of a space leased from The Foundation for Enhancing Communities in the Fulton Bank Building in downtown Harrisburg. He is in the office during business hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and can be reached there at 717-236-5040. Feel free to call during other times and leave a voicemail, or send him an email at lmarven@centralpalgbtcenter.org.

THANK YOU to those who stopped by to see us at Lancaster Pride! We had a great time speaking with you, and we were excited to see such a great turnout for the festivities. To those who didn’t make it, make sure you visit our table at PrideFest of Central Pennsylvania in Harrisburg on July 26^th from 12-7.

As we move forward with programming, we want to remind everyone that we place a high value on community input.  Please become a part of this important work by sharing with us! One way you can do this is to regularly visit the Community Calendar on this website, and post events that you are hosting. Thanks, and see you at PrideFest!

Activity Update: The Board of Directors has been working hard to take the input from last fall’s “Meet-n-Greets” and translate it into concrete action.  Thus far, the Center leadership has taken steps to update and improve our website to make it the “virtual community center” everyone valued.  The Board approved a working budget model that would allow for responsible financial planning in the first year and has taken steps toward finding limited office space for to act as its “headquarters” where a part-time administrator will assist in the initial work of the Center.  As part of its effort to help organizations strengthen and/or consolidate their efforts, members of the board engaged in discussion with members of the Gay & Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg (GLSH).  As GLSH decided to dissolve itself as an organization, they offered to allow the Center to undertake some of the activities for which it was responsible.  Most importantly, the Center undertook to be the primary point for information sharing in the LGBT community.  Efforts are underway to help local LGBT organizations to increase awareness and easily list their activities on the Center Calendar and use the website’s “Resources” tab and a point of contact.   These are only a few of the good thing happening to carry out the Center Coalition’s mission and move toward an active community center that serves the needs of LGBT people throughout Central PA.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to e-mail us at info@centralpalgbtcenter.org.