The Central PA LGBT Center Coalition will resurrect its Fall Achievement Benefit next month, reintroducing its redefined organization and mission to the LGBT and ally communities of central Pennsylvania.
The coalition formed earlier this year from the merging of Common Roads, a local LGBT youth agency, and the LGBT Community Center of Central Pennsylvania. The center hosted FAB for about 10 years, but has not staged the fundraising event for the past two years.
This year’s event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Lancaster County Convention Center & Marriott Penn Square in Lancaster.
Ted Martin, board president for the agency, said the coalition wanted to bring back the highly popular event to not only garner valuable donations for the group, but also to unite the diverse LGBT communities in the region behind the organization’s growth and development.
“This is kind of our premier event to the community,” Martin said. “We’ve done a lot already to introduce ourselves to the public, and this is going to be a big way of us saying that the community center is a reality and it needs your help. We want people to know that this is someplace that we want the community to help build and be part of to keep it moving.”
In addition to dinner, dancing, a silent auction and awards ceremony, FAB will also feature special guest Eric Alva, the first wounded veteran of the Iraq War, who is openly gay.
“I made a connection with him a year ago and maintained that connection. When I first talked to him, I mentioned him coming to talk to our community and he readily agreed, and then when I brought it up again about FAB he was still very interested. We’re very pleased and excited to have him,” Martin said.
Martin said Alva should focus his remarks on the “challenges LGBT folks face and how they can best move forward, which he himself is a great example of.”
Martin said that having Alva present at the event can also help to show some in the central Pennsylvania region, who may not be completely accepting of sexual minorities, that LGBT individuals come in all shapes and sizes, many of which would not fit common stereotypical notions of the community.
“Some in central Pennsylvania have a different point of view than say a lot of people in Philadelphia, so to have the first wounded vet of the Iraq War speak at a gay event sends a remarkable message to the area,” he said.
Martin noted that while sections of the central Pennsylvania area lag behind in LGBT acceptance, he said he’s been impressed by the strong visibility of the LGBT communities and the support they’ve seen from allies.
“There are enormous gay populations in Lancaster, York and Harrisburg, and it’s surprising because you don’t normally think of central Pennsylvania as having these thriving LGBT communities,” Martin said, noting that Lancaster Pride festival typically draws 2,000 and Harrisburg’s attracts about 5,000. “Attitudes may not be as provincial as people normally think. You can’t read a book by its cover until you start talking to these folks, and I’ve found that they’re typically a lot more reasonable than you’d think.”
Martin said the organization has garnered a wealth of support from allied organizations and corporations, and the newly opened convention center and the adjoining Marriott have been highly supportive of the event. Those attending FAB can receive discount hotel stays at the Marriott by mentioning the event during booking.
FAB is expected to draw about 500 guests and raise between $30,000-$50,000, which Martin said will help the organization to continue to expand its diverse LGBT programming.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call (717) 920-9534.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].