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I’ve finally gotten the chance to sit down and write about Family Fest. I think it was a great success for the first time holding it. I see areas where I need to improve for next year and promise it will be even better in the years to come. I’m very open to any comments and suggestions you want to make so don’t hesitate to contact me. Brooke@GayVisalia.com
I’m honored to have had such a great turnout! We had people from
Fresno
,
Hanford
,
Porterville
and all areas around and in between. There were singles, couples, families, straight allies and more. It was such a great mix of people our diversity really shown through. I would like to share a comment I received. This made the whole day worth it to me. Every stress to pull it off, every late night, every dollar spent, etc. was whisked away by this single comment:
“Brooke, We as a family, my spouse Peter and my niece Mitzi, had a great time being together at Family Fest and this a comment I made to them and wanted to pass along to you to let you know how great I think the event was for us.
Look around the group here, in the past we have had family events but it was mainly adults without children, now look around us, there are kids with single parents, adopted parents, parents and/or aunts and uncles. How wonderful this is! Thanks for creating an event that give us all the opportunity to bring our family unit no matter, how big or small and just be able to celebrate our families and community.
Next year, more of our family will be with us to celebrate!!!”
I hope everyone who attended can relate to this comment. I hope this comment will encourage others to come out next year. YOU the community are why I am here and do what I do. I want our community to have activities and events where we can all meet and just be ourselves, to feel safe, comfortable and proud. I hope myself and Gay Visalia can continue to provide this for many years to come. Also, if you know of a “friendly” event happening you can always let us know and we will do our best to spread the word. Anyone is welcome to use the site to promote our community or other worth while cause, just get in touch with me.
So, in closing… thanks again to everyone who attended. A special thanks to Jessica for all of her hard work and dedication. To the set up crew, Jessica, Anita, Abraham & Steven, I couldn’t have done it without you! Hugs to the Gay Fresno crew, Jason, RJ, Chris & Vickye, your support made this happen. To Misty and Marcy who helped acquire a few donations and tended to my girls when I couldn’t, thank you. To all of the groups who came out and had booths, thank you for supporting our community and the event. I’m sure I’m forgetting people and I apologize. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I will see you all next year for an even bigger and better Family Fest!
I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t end this by saying: Although it is extremely important we gather in celebration of our diversity on a social level, it is equally important that we don’t forget that we are living in this world as separate people. Our rights and our lives do not hold the same value as most others and this is not acceptable on any level. As we head for another battle at the ballots in 2010, I urge all of you to step up with conviction and help us fight for you and for everyone else who is made to feel less worthy than the other humans we live amongst. To help fight for those kids and teenagers who feel hopeless and take their own lives. Those people who lose their lives to violent hatred because they choose to openly live as who they are. I hope I can count on you to get involved. I will be thinking of all of you this Sunday as I head to
San Francisco
to march the
Golden Gate
Bridge
for your equality and of those people making the long journey to DC to march for the equality of every person living in this country. Together we can make a difference. Together we will make a difference. Together we are the difference.
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