SPENCER, INDIANA – The 13th annual Spencer Pride Festival will take place on Saturday, June 1st. The well-known rural LGBTQ+ pride festival is the largest event held on the square of the Owen County Courthouse.  This year’s festival will take place at a new time: noon to 7:00 PM.  The change in time is meant to capture a wider audience, especially those who work during the daytime on Saturday.  Admission & parking for the festival are both free & the public is invited to join in the festivities.   The event is entirely “-focused” according to its organizers.  

 

“Family-focused means that its not just tolerant of all ages, but that there are things to engage individuals of all ages as well,” said Spencer Pride president Jonathan Balash.  “It’s important to us that families can come & spend the day in downtown Spencer without certain members of the family getting bored.  At Spencer Pride, we have something for everyone.”

 

The Spencer Pride Festival includes live entertainment throughout the day.  This year, live entertainment will be featured on the Ivy Tech main stage on the courthouse lawn as well as in the Gathering Place of the Spencer Pride commUnity center, which is located at 17 E. Franklin Street adjacent to the courthouse.  In total, the 2019 Spencer Pride Festival offers 14 hours of live musical entertainment, entirely free for festival attendees to enjoy.   The festival has an eclectic line-up of entertainers, from local bands Inkwell Moon and The Trip to singer/songerwriters like SarahJayne and Window to My Soul.  Other entertainers include Quarryland Men’s Chorus, Dino, & Ktea.  The annual Spencer Pride drag show will take place at 6:00 PM, however individuals interested in drag should plan to be at the festival by 5:30 to see the inaugural Spencer Pride amateur drag show.

 

The Spencer Pride Pet Parade, presented by Elanco, will kick off at 3:30 PM.  All pets are welcome to attend alongside their leashed, & well-mannered human companions.  This will be the fourth year of this event, which includes a short walk or “parade” around the courthouse before wrapping up on the Ivy Tech main stage on the south lawn.  

 

In addition to entertainment, the festival will feature a large marketplace including more than 110 booths.  Marketplace vendors include retailers for shopping & organizations for learning.  Vendors will be spread throughout the courthouse lawn on all four sides, plus Market Street & eastbound Franklin Street.  A huge array of food vendors will be available to serve attendees everything from snocones & fried pickles to tenderloin sandwiches & Bavarian pretzels.  Civilian Brewing Corps & Cardinal Spirits will be selling alcoholic beverages in the Pride Lounge, located on the south lawn for responsible drinkers 21 & older. 

 

Local businesses such as Boston Scientific & Catalent Biologics will be on hand to share information about available job opportunities in the region.  IU Health Positive Link will be providing free HIV Screening.  Ivy Tech will be staffing the First Aid Station, newly relocated onto the courthouse lawn for 2019.

 

Camden’s Carnival, which is the festival’s family fun area located on Market Street, will house a variety of games, inflatables, & activities for all-ages.  Most popular among the inflatables is the deluxe slip-n-slide, which is a must-do on a hot June afternoon.  Bloomington Airiology will be returning to the carnival again this year to demonstrate their aerial silk performances & to provide free lessons to those interested in learning about the fascinating skill of working with aerial silks.  The Spencer Pride Youth group Iris, who recently held an alternative prom attended by more than 80 LGBTQ+ & ally youth from throughout south central Indiana, will have a booth in the carnival for youth to hang out & learn more about that growing part of the Spencer Pride organization. 

 

One of the most engaging activities each year are the “choose-your-own raffles” which feature thousands of dollars of items for just $1 per raffle ticket.  The raffles will be located in the meeting room of the Spencer Pride commUnity center for the second year in a row.  Also located in the commUnity center will be official Spencer Pride merchandise, including limited edition 2019 t-shirts with a design created by local artist Grant Shorter.  Of course, Spencer Pride’s retail shop, Unity, will also be open throughout the event.  Unity focuses on selling locally made items from within Indiana.  It has become aintegral part of the shopping experience in downtown Spencer, along with the Dragonfly Gallery & the recently opened Juniper Gallery, both of whom are supporters of the Spencer Pride Festival.  Outside of the Spencer Pride commUnity center, the organization’s volunteers will be selling rainbow pride merchandise, snocones, & cotton candy (also known as “fairy floss”).

 

Other activities such as 50-50 drawings & random giveaways will take place throughout the duration of the event.  

 

Pride festivals have a rich history within the civil rights movement of the LGBTQ+ community.  Spencer Pride’s event offers a special blend of diversity & celebration that is less commonly associated with rural communities in conservative states like Indiana.  The Spencer Pride Festival is the largest rural LGBTQ+ gathering in the state of Indiana & it is the largest small town pride event for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, & queer community in the Midwest. Spencer Pride attracts visitors from throughout the the Midwest & beyond.

 

Spencer, Indiana is a small rural community of approximately 2,400 people. It is located 17 miles west of Bloomington & the beautifulcampus of Indiana University. For thirteen years, Spencer has become more & more known for its passionate LGBTQ+ & ally community.  The small town, once known as a conservative riverside community, is now a rural mecca for LGBTQ+ people & their supporters.  In 2018, the Spencer Pride Festival brought more than 3,000 people out in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, more than doubling the size of the town itself.  

 

The organization is proud of the growth of their event, the wonderful community that supports it, & the attendees that passionately attend each year.  

 

“Eat some fried food, shop the marketplace, cool off in the slip-n-slide, & dry off on the lawn while enjoying the talents of amazing musical entertainers,” began Judi Epp, one of the organizations’  founders, “What is not to enjoy about Spencer Pride, one of the most fabulous summer festivals in Indiana?”

 

Spencer Pride is 100% family-focused & welcomes individuals of all ages & backgrounds.  Regardless of how you identify, you are welcome at Spencer Pride for a full-day of free, family fun!

 

The 2019 Spencer Pride Festival is sponsored by Walmart, Boston Scientific, Catalent Biologics, C.H. Douglas & Gray Wealth Management, IU Health, & many more organizations.   The historic Tivoli Theatre, WFHB, & Limestone Post are among its media sponsors. 

For more information regarding Spencer Pride, Inc., please visit www.SpencerPride.org or send questions to info@SpencerPride.org.  You can also find us on Facebook (SpencerPride), Twitter (@SpencerPrideInc), & Instagram (@SpencerPrideInc & @SpencerPrideYouth).

 

 

Iris Youth Group, a program of Spencer Pride, held an alternative prom for LGBTQ+ youth & allies on Saturday, May 4th.  More than 100 teens registered for the event, representing 6 youth groups from communities from throughout south-central Indiana, including Spencer, Ellettsville, Bloomington, Martinsville, & Columbus.  The prom theme was “Under the Rainbow.”

 

Spencer Pride’s Youth Empowerment Lead Joy Hellman explained the two reasons why having this event was important for the youth: “LGBTQ+ youth often do not feel comfortable attending their high school prom while being their authentic self,” Joy described.  “This gave them an opportunity to have that experience.”  

 

Hellman stated that the second purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for teens from different regional groups to meet & form new friendships.

 

The prom took place at Stable Studios, an event venue in Owen County.  Upon arriving at the event, attendees began the evening with formal pictures outside.  After stepping into the rainbow-decorated facility, they checked in & received commemorative wrist bands.  Once these formalities were complete, teens were left to enjoy the festivities.  A prominent part of the evening, as with similar events, was dancing.  DJ Maddog (Madison True) kept the teens moving from the moment they walked into the door until midnight, which was well past the time she had been scheduled to end.  The crowd was so fun that True did not want to stop orchestrating the musical festivities.  

 

Live entertainment included a drag show with performers Mahogany, Juniper Perrone, & Chick Van Dyke. After their official performances ended, the drag artists took a few moments to speak with the youth, encouraging them to keep being true to themselves.  Then, the performers joined the teens to continue dancing for more than an hour.  

 

Kinetic Fire, a group from Ohio who considers themselves “object manipulators & fire artists” kicked off post prom activities.  The post prom also included an inflatable bungee run, glow-in-the-dark hula hooping, face painting, & a bonfire.

 

Prom attendees were thrilled at the event & most were seen grinning from ear-to-ear throughout the entire evening.   The only tears seen all night were those of joy.  

 

“The youth were amazing,” Hellman added.  “We didn’t have any issues with teens attempting to use drugs or alcohol.  There were no fights or drama of any kind.  It was simply a crowd of teens who felt accepted & celebrated for who they are, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”  

 

Chaperones from Spencer Pride, White River Valley PFLAG, & some of the LGBTQ+ youth groups were on hand throughout the event, which lasted from 8 PM until 3 AM.  Onsite security was present as well, to address any issues hadthey had arisen. 

 

The youth from Iris were heavily involved in developing plans for the event, with support from several members of the Spencer Pride & White River Valley PFLAG groups, including Joy Hellman, Kindra Holsapple, Jessica Brinson, & Cathy Wyatt.

 

This is the first time that Spencer Pride has coordinated a prom event.  Based on the phenomenal success of this year’s event, plans for a 2020 prom are already underway.  

 

For more information about Spencer Pride, visit www.SpencerPride.org.   To learn more about the Iris youth group, visit their booth at the 2019 Spencer Pride Festival on Saturday, June 1st from noon to 7 PM in downtown Spencer.  

Grant Shorter, local graphic designer, has won the 2019 Festival T-Shirt Design Contest. Shorter will receive two free shirts for his efforts. Grant is no stranger to designing for Spencer Pride. The official Spencer Pride logo is a creation of him.

This has been a good year for the designer, who recently won the shirt design contest for the Historic Tivoli Theatre as well.

2019 festival t-shirts will go on sale at the end of May & will be available at the festival (while supplies last). The shirt will be available as a crew neck in a variety of bright colors, from sizes XS to 4X.

Within weeks of the failure of the Indiana State Legislature to pass comprehensive hate crimes legislation, the home of two of Spencer Pride’s founders was the target of several incidents of hate-driven trespass, vandalism, & theft.

Spencer Pride President Jonathan Balash, his husband Jacob, & 6-year old son live south of the town of Spencer in a home they have lived in for the past 10 years. The married couple, who have been together for 18 years, have resided in Owen County since 2001.

The incidents were described on Jonathan’s Facebook page on April 10 and 13. The couple state that on four occasions during the same week, individuals trespassed on their land with the intent to remove the pride flag that had been proudly flying alongside their rural country road.   The Facebook posts can be viewed here & here.

During the first few incidents, the perpetrators attempted to force the Balashes’ flagpole down by wrapping the pole with a steel chain and pulling it with a heavy-duty vehicle. This proved challenging due to the robust installation of the flagpole, which had been completed mindful of the fact that it could become a target.

According to an affidavit filed with the Owen County prosecutor by the Owen County Sheriff’s Department, the effort to bring down the flagpole ultimately failed when the vehicle’s bumper was torn off. While the pole did not come down, it was damaged significantly. Damage to the pole & the adjacent limestone wall has been estimated to cost $4,300. A few days later, the same location was targeted again. This time, the flagpole’s rope was cut & the flags were removed. The rainbow pride flag was then stolen. A trail cam that the couple had set up to identify the vandals was also taken.  All the incidents occurred under the cover of darkness at the couple’s home.

Immediately after the couple posted about the incidents on Facebook, the news of what had occurred traveled around the world & was shared by LGBTQ+ organizations in several countries. Social media support for the couple was very positive.  Some individuals responded to the incident by making donations to Spencer Pride in honor of Jonathan & Jacob.

Spencer Pride elected to respond by distributing free pride flags from the Spencer Pride commUnity center, which is located at 17 E. Franklin Street adjacent to the Owen County Courthouse. To date, more than 40 flags have been given out. Most recipients of the flags have volunteered to have their photo taken with the rainbow flag. As a result, rainbow colors are more prevalent than ever in the downtown area & across social media.  Since first announcing the flag distribution, the commUnity center has received increased visitors.  Many of those guests have attributed their attendance to be as a direct result of the flag distribution, or in general as a gesture of support for the LGBTQ+ community during this time.

THE INVESTIGATION SO FAR

The Owen County Sheriff’s Department is treating the harassment of the Balash home as separate incidents & not as a single effort over multiple days. As a result of this decision, charges thus far have only been filed for criminal mischief & criminal trespass.  Both of these crimes are misdemeanors. Theft of the flag & camera, which would be a felony, have not been addressed. While the Owen County Sheriff’s Department’s investigation into the incidents is ongoing, to date only one person has been charged.   On one of the evenings where the vandalism took place at the Balash home, the same teens allegedly broke into cabins & stole thousands of dollars in electronics & miscellaneous items, including a firearm.   Charges related to that case have also been filed.  A preliminary hearing took place on April 18 at the Owen County Courthouse.  For more information on this, visit the Bloomington Herald-Times article that was published on April 19.

Several concerned citizens wrote letters to Owen County Judge Lori Quillen to stress the impact of the type of hate-focused crimes that are alleged to have taken place to the Balash home. Judith Epp, Spencer Pride Director, took the position that it is important to respond quickly & with the full force of the law.  “Treating this offense leniently sends a message that we don’t take it seriously,” Epp stated in her letter to Judge Quillen. “This isn’t about just one family, it’s about the entire community…Do we have to wait until one of us is personally violently assaulted [before action will be taken]?”

Joy Hellman, Spencer Pride Director & Youth Empowerment Lead, also wrote a letter.  Hellman, who has been instrumental in the forming of the Iris Youth Group, wrote her letter emphasizing the impact of this case on local LGBTQ+ youth. “The teens in this group have often spoken to me about not feeling safe due to the hateful acts of other teens.  This could be an opportunity to set a precedent, so that LGBTQ teens could feel more safe in their own community,” she wrote.

In total, at least 7 letters were sent to Judge Quillen to raise her awareness of the significance of this event.  These letters were sent to Quillen for her consideration during the preliminary hearing of the adult charged with the misdemeanor crimes.  To show additional support for the Balash family, approximately 10 local residents attended the hearing as well.

There is no question that this case was motivated by bias against the Balashes, who are a well-known gay couple that are involved in many organizations, most notably Spencer Pride. According to the aforementioned affidavit, Owen County Deputy Mitchell Fleetwood interviewed one of the individuals who confessed to the vandalism of the flagpole.  The deputy asked why the teens targeted that specific flagpole. The teen responded by saying that the residents of that home were “Big Time Queers.”

Regardless of this admission by the teen, no action is being taken by the Owen County Prosecutors Office to pursue increased penalties related to these crimes. The recently passed bias crimes legislation in Indiana, which does not serve to adequately define hate-motivated crimes, does not go into effect until July 1, 2019. It is questionable regarding whether the legislation would have enough teeth to be utilized in this type of incident, regardless.  The incident has been voluntarily reported to a National Hate Crimes Hotline due to the advocacy of several concerned citizens.

THE COUPLES’ RESPONSE

Jonathan & Jacob are known to be resilient when encountering these types of activities. When their pride flag has been targeted in the past, the couple has repeatedly responded by increasing the size of the flag, adding the flagpole, installing the limestone wall at the base of the flagpole, & other improvements.   The couple are vocal about the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility, especially in rural areas.

“We will not be pushed back into the closet by an ignorant Minority,” said Jonathan when asked about their responses to these incidents. “We continue to become more & more visible every time that someone tries to use our home as a target for their hate. Their acts are intending to scare us. We aren’t going to respond to their efforts with fear & anger. Instead, we choose to focus our energy on how to continue our work with Spencer Pride to make Indiana a more welcoming place for all people.”

Jacob is no less passionate about how the couple responds to the acts of hate. He also noted why comprehensive hate crimes legislation is important for Hoosiers. “This was more than trespassing. It was more than vandalism. It was more than theft. This was a concerted effort over several days to violate our property & terrorize my family. It is scary that people would carry out such actions because we are a same-sex household,” Jacob notes.

Jacob went on: “We are proud to live in Owen County & over the past two decades we’ve been overwhelmed by how welcoming our community is. This is where we have decided to raise our son. We aren’t going anywhere.”

In addition to repairing the damage done, the couple is also working to install power at the end of the driveway to support the installation of lights & cameras in order to deter further vandalism & theft. These efforts are challenged by the distance of the mailbox from their home, which is 1/4 mile down the driveway. While the couple works to put these long-term precautions in place, they have added some additional cameras to the space.

Jonathan & Jacob want to emphasize that crimes targeted at the LGBTQ+ community take place every day throughout the world.  “This isn’t a Spencer, Indiana, issue.  This isn’t a rural issue.  This is an issue from the rolling hills of San Francisco to the rolling hills of Spencer,” Jonathan stated.

Jacob immediately added: “We want to raise awareness about this event to serve as an example.  Although this did impact us emotionally, we want people to know that it could have been much worse.  Around the world right now, people are being bullied, harassed, fired, & even stoned to death for being gay.  It has to stop.”

ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO SHOW SUPPORT

Individuals who would like to show their support for the Balashes & other victims of hate-motivated crimes towards the LGBTQ+ community can do so in a variety of ways.

1. Talk about this incident with people. Share it on social media. Engage with a coworker or neighbor. Bringing visibility to specific incidents like this raises awareness of the need for comprehensive hate crimes legislation.
2. Proudly display a Pride Flag at your home or business. This tells people that you support the LGBTQ+ community & that you don’t want them to have to stand alone. If you do not own a pride flag, you can stop by the Spencer Pride commUnity center in downtown Spencer for a free one. The organization will continue distributing the flags for free over the coming weeks to help promote awareness of the events & to increase visible LGBTQ+ support in the community. Larger flags are available inexpensively on Amazon & at other retailers.
3. Make a contribution to Spencer Pride on behalf of the Balash Family. The couple is known to be “Big Time Queers” because of their work with the organization. Making a financial donation to continue Spencer Pride’s work sends the message that we will not be bullied & that we will respond to events like this with more education & visibility.
4. Become a volunteer with Spencer Pride. Our organization is 100% volunteer-powered & we have a lot of work that needs to be done to further educate our community in support of our mission to make Indiana a more welcoming place for all people.
5. Attend the upcoming Spencer Pride Festival on June 1^st.  Participating in the event shows how important LGBTQ+ people are within our community.  By attending the festival, you allow Spencer Pride to further our important work.

Spencer Pride will continue to provide updates about this matter.  For more information about how you can help Spencer Pride’s mission to make Indiana a more welcoming place, please e-mail info@SpencerPride.org. To learn more about the work of Spencer Pride & to get details about the 2019 Spencer Pride Festival, visit www.SpencerPride.org.

The official 2019 Spencer Pride Festival t-shirt design contest is now underway. Individuals interested in participating should review the requirements listed below. All entries are due by April 15th.

The artist of the winning design will receive online recognition as well as two free shirts (one to keep & one to share!). This year, all individuals who submit at least one design entry will receive a $10 discount towards the purchase of a t-shirt at the Spencer Pride commUnity center.

Contest Rules

1. All entries are due April 15, 2019
2. Entries must be in digital format & emailed to Jonathan@SpencerPride.org or left on a flash drive for Jonathan at the Spencer Pride commUnity center in downtown Spencer.
3. The contest includes only the front design of the t-shirt. The back design will be created by Spencer Pride.
4. All designs must refer to the 2019 Spencer Pride Festival and note this year’s festival theme: Millions of Moments of Pride.
5. All designs must be appropriate for all-ages.
6. All designs should avoid the usage of gradient fill. Gradient designs are often cost-prohibitive.
7. Individuals who would like to include the Spencer Pride logo may request the logo from Jonathan (contact info above).
8. There is no limit to the number of entries submitted per person.

Volunteering to help others is a great way to stay active and vital in your community.  Each hour you volunteer is valued at $24.69. Eight (8) hours per week can save a not-for profit $197.52.  Your generous gift of time and talent can keep an organization up and running.  

 

Here are 3 simple ways to volunteer:

Spencer Pride commUnity center is looking for volunteers. Our growth has created more opportunities for you to get involved. If you want to help in your community, be part of an amazing organization, and believe in the mission of Spencer Pride we would LOVE to have you as a part of our volunteer team.  

Opportunities include:

All of these opportunities come with training! We want you to feel confident volunteering for us.

If you believe in Spencer Pride, we would love to have you as a part of our volunteer family.  Please contact Dana Beth Evans the volunteer Coordinator at dana.beth@spencerpride.org. If you are interested specifically in volunteering at our commUnity center, please contact Jacob Balash at Jacob@SpencerPride.org. You can also call/text him at 812-821-1442.

 

All of our volunteers fill out an application and must submit to a background check. It’s quick, easy, & won’t cost you a thing!

 

If our organization isn’t a good fit for you, please consider volunteering at another Owen County not-for-profit.

 

Spencer Pride is set to host the Midwest Pride Conference from March 1-3, 2019.  The conference brings together representatives from LGBTQ+ Pride organizations to share best practices, attend training, & network together.  Attendees are registered from 6 Midwestern states, including Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, & Minnesota.

“Registration for this conference has exceeded our expectations,” said Jonathan Balash, president of Spencer Pride & the lead for the conference. “Last year’s conference in Detroit brought 37 attendees & we hoped to bring 55 this year; instead, we now have 74 registered participants.”  Spencer Pride stopped allowing new registrations once capacity had been achieved.   Most of the Spencer Pride Directors & Pride Festival Leads will attend the event as well.

The conference will primarily occur at the Spencer Pride commUnity center, although some educational sessions will occur at the Tivoli Theatre & activities for that Sunday will take place in the Oak Room of Canyon Inn at McCormick’s Creek State Park.    Out-of-town attendees will be staying at Canyon Inn.

Some of the conference workshop topics include: Modern Safety & Security at Pride Festivals, How to Have Pride & Make Change in Rural America, Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Pride Festivals, & Inclusion of People of Color in Pride Festivals. There will be a forum on volunteer recruitment & retention, a youth panel, & several “speed topics” segments, which allow for organizations to share best practices with their peers.  Speed topics are grouped into themes around such topics as outreach, promoting healthy lifestyles, expanding pride festivities to span a week or month, & “Show Me the Money.”  This last theme is focused on increasing event sponsorships or decreasing event costs.

In addition to the educational content of the conference, participants will also be exposed to other local attractions while they are in Spencer.  On Friday, March 1, Juniper Gallery, The Dragonfly Gallery, & the Spencer Pride commUnity center retail shop will be open for extended evening hours as a part of a “Shop Local” event.  Live entertainment & refreshments will be available at the commUnity center.  The new Spring collection will be debuted for the event as well, earlier than was originally planned.  Jaime Sweany, owner of The Juniper Gallery, decided to schedule the collection’s debut earlier due to the “Shop Local” event.

Each morning, conference attendees are invited to participate in guided tours at McCormick’s Creek State Park in order to promote healthy lifestyles & show off the area’s most popular attraction.

The Civilian Brewing Corps, a new brew pub in downtown Spencer that is scheduled to open to the public on March 3 will be hosting a ‘soft opening’ on March 2 for Spencer Pride’s guests.  It will allow the pub to test out their menu for the public with a more limited audience prior to their grand opening the next day.

Spencer Pride is spreading out their resources to support as many other local businesses as possible.  Coffee & refreshments will be purchased from both Main Street Coffee & Spencer Coffee Shop.   A local caterer will provide Saturday’s lunch.  On Saturday evening, guests will be welcomed for the first public event in the commUnity center’s upstairs ballroom, where beverages from Owen Valley Winery & Cardinal Spirits will be served.

On Sunday, Spencer Pride is excited to welcome State Senator JD Ford as a keynote speaker.  Ford, who was elected to the Indiana General Assembly this past November, is the first openly gay member of the IGA.

“This is the first conference that Spencer Pride has ever hosted,” said Balash.  “We could not be any happier with the opportunity to host these distinguished guests in our beautiful & welcoming community.”

For more information about Spencer Pride, visit www.SpencerPride.org.

BY LESLIE NIEVES

Here are some great ways to support Spencer Pride year-round, without costing you a cent!

Kroger donates funds to nonprofits through your use of its Kroger Plus Card when you shop. By filling out a short form at Kroger’s customer service desk, you can get a Kroger Plus Card, which provides savings as you shop & discounts on gasoline purchases.  At Kroger’s community rewards website (https://www.kroger.com/topic/kroger-community-rewards-3), you can register your Plus Card to send a percentage of your purchases from Kroger to Spencer Pride. Our code number is EU 230. Forward this information to your friends and family in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, & West Virginia and ask them to support us, too.

Amazon donates a percentage of your purchases to nonprofits when you use its Smile website to shop.  AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, & shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.  On your first visit to AmazonSmile smile.amazon.com you will be prompted to select a charitable organization to receive donations. Search for & select Spencer Pride. AmazonSmile will remember your selection & then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Many corporations match employee donations to nonprofits. Find out if your employer will match donations &, if your employer offers that benefit, apply to have your donations to Spencer Pride doubled.

Pass this information to your family & friends & ask them to join you in supporting Spencer Pride.

Pass this information to your family and friends and ask them to join you in supporting Spencer Pride.

 

BY JUDI EPP, TREASURER

We have made wonderful progress with our grant process! We’ve received the first installment from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington of $1,700, $500 from the Monroe County Board of Realtors for work on the building façade, & $5,000 from the Smithville Charitable Foundation for replacement of the horribly leaky roof in the rear of Unity. The new roof in that area has now been installed! We also received $1,000 from SCI REMC for some interior finishes.

 

 

 

The roof is nearly complete in this photo. The contracts worked in cold, rainy conditions but managed to complete the roof in just a few days. 

 

 

We’re still working on our 50 From 50 Campaign. We need 35 additional supporters to step up & make a recurring donation of $50 a month to cover our monthly expenses so we can use all grant funds for building restoration & programming. If you haven’t done so, please consider this avenue of support. If you’re already participating, please tell your friends & family! Go to www.spencerpride.org, select donate, & follow the prompts. One time donations are always welcome as well! Your company may even do a matching grant!

Grass Fed Cinema, run by filmmaker John Scott, released their latest documentary film on Thursday.    The newest film, The Slower Path, features Spencer Pride.  Grass Fed Cinema is a website that produces documentary films about interesting, unique, and inspiring people who call the midwest home

Scott discovered the Spencer Pride Festival through his friends who attended the event every year.  

“I knew right away that Spencer Pride would be a great topic for a short film,” said Scott.  “Just the visual alone of a gay pride festival taking place on a courthouse square of a small town in Indiana was really appealing to me.”

Scott attended the 2018 Spencer Pride Festival in June, where he filmed the documentary.   

Scott described his experience:  “I think the most surprising thing about the festival was the overall size of the event and how the entire town was taking part in it. I thought there would be protest or maybe even just locals looking upset but there wasn’t any of that. There was a vibe of celebration and hope that you could feel throughout the entire town all day.”

Now that his short documentary about Spencer Pride is finished, Scott will move on to his next project.   He is focusing on Bike a Bee, in Chicago, IL. 

The Slower Path runs approximately 8 minutes in length & features many scenes from the 2018 Spencer Pride Festival.  The film can be found at https://youtu.be/F4WCqTlD6aI.  

On Sunday, August 5th, fifty-three people came to the commUnity center for Spencer Pride’s Annual General Meeting. The attendees included volunteers as well as individuals from the community who were interested in learning more about the organization’s achievements over the past year.

Lots of refreshments were provided, donated by volunteers & attendees. Four door prizes were drawn throughout the evening. Items included riverboat cruises, a framed print, & two gift baskets from Unity (the retail shop within the Spencer Pride commUnity center).

President Jonathan Balash kicked off the meeting & served as emcee throughout. Several members of the Board of Directors also presented, including Joy Hellman, Jacob Balash, Cathy Wyatt, Judi Epp, & Dana Beth Evans.

After the initial welcome, a special video was shown depicting the activities & events that volunteers participated over the last year. The nearly 5-minute video was set to the song This is Me from the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman. Throughout the video volunteers were shown holding signs that said ‘There’s a Place for Us,” which was a reference to one of the lyrics & served as the perfect tie-in to the general message that Spencer Pride is a place where everyone can feel accepted & celebrated, regardless of how they identify.

Once the video concluded & Kleenex was distributed to aid in the drying of many happy tears, the next item on the evening’s agenda was of a review of major 2018 accomplishments & financial results. This was provided by Jacob, Cathy, & Judi.

• The organization’s purchase of the Franklin Street building in October was the largest of the accomplishments, however, there were many others as well.
• Attendance at both the Pride Festival & LGBTQ+ History Month event were higher than ever. The participation of downtown businesses, in particular, skyrocketed 143% over last year.
• More than 10,500 volunteer hours were logged last year. Using the standard accounting method based on Indiana’s per-hour volunteer rate, this places a value of approximately $220,500 on these hours. 43 individuals volunteered with Spencer Pride for the first time this past year.
• The organization received considerable media attention this year. Front cover articles were featured in both the Spencer Evening World as well as the Bloomington Herald-Times. Significant emphasis was also placed on the organization’s inclusion in the annual Boston Pride Guide, which has tens of thousands of hard copies distributed throughout New England alongside hundreds of thousands of views online.
• Financially, the organization did quite well. Excluding the purchase of the building & associated improvements (all of which had not been a part of the original budget), the expenses were $443 more than planned & the income was $4,205 more than planned. Based upon what we had expected when the budget was approved last August, these numbers are fantastic.
• When including the purchase of the building, expenses were over the plan by $31,326 & the income was $23,155 more than planned. This excludes debt taken on due to the mortgage with OCSB & a note from an anonymous supporter. These will be amortized over the life of the loans.
• Although the purchase & investment in the building was not part of the original budget, it was a major accomplishment for the past year. The organization was able to make the investment (utilizing financing from Owen County State Bank) while still maintaining confidence in our ability to sustain ourselves. Almost $19,000 in Rainbow Capital Campaign funds were brought in to support the effort.
• FY2018 brought in more income from sponsorships, grants, & donations than any prior year.
• Two funds were created with the Owen County Community Foundation (one capital & one sustaining)

After reviewing 2018, elections took place for the addition of Joy Hellman to the Board of Directors and for the affirmation of the existing slate of Officers to continue for another year. The slate included Jonathan Balash as president, Katie Zuber as secretary, & Judi Epp as treasurer. All of the votes were unanimous in favor of these recommendations.

An overview of current & available leadership positions was provided by Dana Beth. The only current open position is the External Events Coordinator. This role will be responsible for the registration & planning for all events that Spencer Pride volunteers attend.

A newly created role, the Outreach Lead, has been filled by Cathy Wyatt. This role will manage how the organization engages & supports other organizations & events.

Next, the discussion focused on 2019 & beyond.

Jonathan discussed changes to the organization’s scope of work, noting that periodically it’s healthy to reevaluate how the organization spends its financial & volunteer resources. At the recent Strategic Planning Retreat, the Board made a few key decisions:

• Focusing on one annual event, the Spencer Pride Festival. This is the event Spencer Pride is most well-known for & it has the biggest impact on community engagement. ‘A Night at the Tivoli,’ the organization’s LGBTQ+ History Month film event, will no longer be a public event beginning in 2019. Instead, an appreciation event will be planned at the Tivoli Theatre for volunteers.
• Focusing on in-house educational opportunities, such as the recent Substance Abuse 101 training & the upcoming Intersex 101 class on October 15th. Spencer Pride will no longer offer diversity panels beginning in 2019. Similar panels are available locally from other organizations. Spencer Pride volunteers already participate in those other panels so it was get that we were offering something that wasn’t needed.
• Focusing on Iris, Spencer Pride’s youth group. Iris is an important part of our organization & will be further invested in to ensure that it continues to be a safe, celebratory place for our youth. The scholarship Spencer Pride has offered for the last 3 years will no longer be available beginning in 2019. Instead, those funds will be utilized to support the higher education pursuits of youth involved directly with Iris.

As a result of these changes, the scope of the organization now encompasses four main areas: the Spencer Pride commUnity center, Spencer Pride Festival, Iris Youth Group, & Outreach.

Strategic Goals for 2019 were outlined. They include:

Promote 50 from 50 campaign (more information about this campaign can be found on our website or by contacting Judi@SpencerPride.org.)

Refine & Manage Outreach Strategy (this will be defined by the Board & managed by the new Outreach Lead)

Invest in Volunteer Engagement & Development

Long-term Strategic Goals were also recently updated to reflect the current direction of the organization:

Be an LGBTQ+ Advocate

Increase utilization of commUnity center

Complete rehabilitation of commUnity center

Cultivate financial sustainability

Support local LGBTQ+ youth

Judi then presented the FY2019 budget, which included $95,549 in income & $78,215 in expenses. The budget was unanimously approved.

And finally, brief updates were given on festival committee opportunities and our upcoming LGBTQ+ History Month Activities.

The meeting concluded at 6:01 PM. Many individuals expressed positive feedback about the event, due to the transparency & depth of the information provided. Individuals were especially touched by the volunteer video.

Each August, we host our Annual General Meeting. Despite the “blah” title, this meeting is a BIG DEAL! We want to show you what YOU have accomplished this year, along with our goals & budget for next year. We’d LOVE it if you would come out & join us!

Date: Sunday, August 5th

Time: 4-6 PM

Location: Spencer Pride commUnity center

Agenda items:
– Year-in-Review, including the Financial Summary
– Officer Elections (for vote)
– 1-Year & Long-Term Strategic Goals
– Proposed Budget (for vote)
– Hot Topics (LGBTQ History Month Activities, Festival Committee Sign-ups)

Join your volunteer friends to celebrate the year & see what’s in store for the next, & bring a new friend along!

We will have refreshments & door prizes, too!