LGBT Update September 09

LGBT Update September 09

Greetings!

WLEN (Worcester LGBT Elder Network) is pleased to send our updates to you in this newsletter-style format from now on. We have grown so much in the past few months! WLEN started out as one person doing outreach for a grant that the aging services agencies (Elder Services of Worcester, the Worcester Senior Center, and the Central MA Agency on Aging) received in order to locate LGBT seniors, caregivers, friends, or family members. It is now a group of over 20 LGBT seniors and interested others who have begun to form committees all working on similar goals. Under WLEN's guidance the committees are working on social events, health resources (including a Resource Guide), outreach, marketing, and trainings. We will send monthly updates or sooner if things of interest arise in the meantime. Feel free to contact Kathy or Ben at 508-756-1545 with questions or concerns.

A Rainbow Day for Elders

Raindrops turned to rainbows for elders on Saturday, Sept. 12, as Worcester LGBT Elder Network (WLEN) got the word out that we're serious about looking after our community of gay seniors.

Eight volunteers joined Kathy McGrath, LGBT Specialist, and Ben Labonte, LGBT Peer Worker for WLEN, at Worcester Pride 2009. A few early afternoon showers kept attendance thin in at the Central Massachusetts Business Council's Business Expo. By mid-afternoon, though, the rain had let up and we were swamped with visitors of all ages.

Whenever one of us explained what WLEN is trying to accomplish by connecting LGBT elders with the services they need and deserve, we were met with emphatic support. "This is SO important," one of the Pride-goers told Ben. "You can't imagine how important this is to our community."

Imagining the future for gay elders is exactly what we've been doing for the last few months WLEN has been up and running. The network was launched with the help of a grant from the GLBT Partnership Fund of Greater Worcester Community Foundation to three local agencies: Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging, Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc., and the Worcester Senior Center. LGBT Aging Project has provided WLEN with the benefit of its long experience in the Boston area.

Volunteers handed out cards and pamphlets about WLEN and its sponsoring agencies. Caregiver's Guides were one of the most popular materials offered. It seems that almost everyone is or knows a caregiver for an elderly person. Kids of all ages snapped up packages of rainbow Skittles candy. The WLEN crew raffled off two baskets of coffee from Starbucks and two more with movie passes from Showcase Cinemas North in Worcester.

All in all, staff and volunteers of Worcester LGBT Elder Network met and spoke with hundreds of attendees at Worcester Gay Pride 2009, getting the word out that we aren't forgetting the older members of our community.

Hi Everyone!

It's been a few weeks since you've received an update from me. There are a few new things happening. We have the newsletter format now to correspond with all of you which is going to allow us to send links to other sites, pictures of things we will be doing together, and articles or notes we would like to offer to you. We are getting closer to having formal committees with interested people to chair the committees. This will help us to address the items we have discussed working on such as socials and trainings. And our social events have been very successful and fun!

We met this past Tuesday night 9/22 at Jumpin' Juice 'n' Java and sat outside at the tables set up out there. About 15 of us showed up and everyone seemed to have a great time getting to know one another and planning things to do in the future. Hopefully more of you will join us for our next social event which will be 10/14 @ 86 Winter Restaurant from 6-9 PM. Appetizers will be provided by WLEN and the Restaurant will have a cash bar for your enjoyment. Hope to see you there!

Let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in the newsletter in the future. It'd also be great if you could let us know what works or what doesn't work with this format. Look for the next update toward the end of October!

- Kathy

Event Calendar

Wednesday, October 14

Social gathering at 86 Winter American Bistro, 65 Winter Street, Worcester.

Join WLEN for hors d'oeuvres, conversation and networking from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cash bar. RSVP to Kathy at kmcgrath@eswa.org or Ben at glabonte@eswa.org or (508) 756-1545 by October 9.

Kathy McGrath
Elder Services of Worcester