Planned Parenthood Keystone is amping up its annual fundraiser for the Rainbow Room, one of the three LGBT youth programs the organization operates, with additional entertainment. The first openly gay mayor in Pennsylvania will also be honored at the event in recognition of his continued efforts to support PPK and its LGBT-outreach programs.
Sing Out Loud and Proud will take place 8 p.m. April 18 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road in New Hope. Tickets are $75.
Singer and actor Sarah Dash — formerly of the all-girl, space-funk trio LaBelle and co-creator of hit songs “It’s Going to Take a Miracle” and “Lady Marmalade” — will perform, along with the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus.
The event, now in its 11th year, directly benefits PPK’s Rainbow Room and its other LGBT education and outreach initiatives. The Rainbow Room meets weekly and provides a safe and supportive environment for LGBT youth.
“These programs set up a safe environment for the youth to come and feel like they can talk freely and not be judged,” said Selina Winchester, associate director of external affairs at PPK.
Last year, Sing Out Loud and Proud raised more than $6,000 for the Rainbow Room and other LGBT youth-education programs.
“While the Rainbow Room is in Doylestown, Planned Parenthood Keystone covers almost half the state,” said Winchester. “This fundraiser will help efforts in 37 counties and three regional locations.”
Doylestown Mayor Ron Strouse, Pennsylvania’s first openly gay mayor, will receive the Beyond the Rainbow Award.
Strouse was the president of Planned Parenthood Bucks County for two years in the early 2000s and helped create the Rainbow Room. As mayor, he helped Doylestown become one of the first cities in Pennsylvania to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance protecting LGBTs.
While Strouse acknowledged the honor of the award, he said he wanted the spotlight to be on the youth involved with Rainbow Room.
“The event and presentation are really about the young people and the Rainbow Room,” Strouse said. “These young people are bright, enthusiastic and engaged. And engaged is what’s really important; if we can get them to engage positively in their community beyond the Rainbow Room, that’s when we can change minds and increase acceptance.”
Strouse said the creation of the Rainbow Room was a direct result of recognizing a need in the community.
“There weren’t a lot of gay-straight alliances in high schools back then. There wasn’t a safe environment where kids could get together and have a supportive network,” he said. “Kids were taking the train significant distances just to come there, that’s how real the need was.”
While he doesn’t consider himself an activist, Strouse says he’s eager to play a role in helping young people grow up healthy, safe and secure.
“That’s always been a motivation for me, for all of us,” he said.
To purchase tickets to Sign Out Loud and Proud, visit www.therrazzroom.com.