Interested parties should contact
Strickland at 704-825-3000.
House of Mercy opened on May 18,1991.
It was initiated by the Sisters of Mercy who
were concerned with and wanted to respond
to the AIDS epidemic,
info: thehouseofmercy.org
— L.M.
Triad
Benefit slated for Guilford
GREENSBORO — The 2013 Female
Gurl Groove Artist Showcase to benefit the
Guildford Green Foundation will be held on
Sept. 28,7:30 p.m., at the Blind Tiger, 1819
Spring Garden St.
This event showcases "some of North
Carolina's best female singers and musi
cians," organizers said.
At press time, four artists had been con
firmed with more to be announced. They are
Carmen Sturgill, Tanya Ross, Amy Broome and
Kristen Stillwell.
Sturgill is a lead singer/keyboardist who
was previously with the Jill Austin Band and
now fronts One Night Stand.
Ross is a singer/songwriter/musician
whose music has been influenced by
Gospel, Jazz and Soul. She heads up The
Tanya Ross Project.
Broome is no stranger to the Carolina
music scene. She was a former nominee for
a plethora of awards tipping their hat to her
talent as a Rock and Country musician.
Stillwell is an acoustical guitarist who
melds an eclectic musical palette to create
dreamy soundscapes with loops that dance in
stereo. She performs with Willower.
During the evening's program, a raffle
will be held with prizes donated by local
businesses and companies. And, a food
truck will be onsite serving up delicious fare
for attendees.
Sponsors are Rowley Decorating
Suppliers & More; North Carolina Candle
Company, LLC; Aqua Salon & Spa; Earth Fare;
and Tree of Life Counseling.
Tickets are $10 and are available online or
at the door,
info: ggfnc.org.
— L.M.
Aging summit on horizon
WINSTON-SALEM —The fifth in a series
on aging issues meetings will be held on Sept.
24,6 p.m., at Hospice & Palliative CareCenter,
101 Hospice Ln.
This professional summit is hosted by the
Adam Foundation.
The focus of this gathering is to formulate
an LGBT action list that will begin this month
and will continue into 2014.
Those who work for a support organiza
tion for the aging population in a professional
capacity are encouraged to attend,
info: jehuss@bellsouth.net.
— L.M.
Western
High country center on drawing board
ASHEVILLE — LGBT activists in the
Asheville area have dreamed of a commu
nity center for decades, and, over the years,
several attempts have been made, without
success. Now, those dreams are stirring
news
goqnotes.corn/to/news
again, and it seems, this time around, there
are reasons for optimism.
"The enormous success of Blue Ridge
Pride is the bellwether," said Yvonne Cook-
Riley, a founding member of the International
Foundation for Gender Education. Cook-Riley,
who serves on the board of Blue Ridge Pride,
says that attendance at Asheville's annual
LGBT celebration has burgeoned. Since its in
ception in 2009, which saw an estimated 2,000
attendees, the number has increased every
year, growing to 11,000 in 2012 and gaining na
tional recognition. But, Blue Ridge Pride isn't
the only indicator of a growing LGBT commu
nity in the mountains. According to the 2010
U.S. Census, 12 percent ofthe Asheville-metro
area are same-sex households. Moreover,
Asheville regularly draws LGBT visitors from
Upstate South Carolina, northern Georgia and
eastern Tennessee, as well as LGBT tourists,
both national and international.
Area support and social groups for the
LGBT community range from potluck dinners
in peoples' homes to various religious and
spiritual organizations, which meet in local
houses of worship. A youth support group,
groups for LGBT elders, hiking and book clubs
and political organizations abound, dispersed
throughout the city and the surrounding
countryside. But, it is precisely this disper
sion that calls for a center, a facility that is not
borrowed or leased, but one which the LGBT
community owns. "Ownership is of primary
importance," said Cook-Riley. "You can't rely
on charity forever; it's time for Asheville's
LGBT community to stand on its own. The
interest is there; the money's there. It's time to
start building."
The LGBT Service Center is in the plan
ning stages. A community forum hosted by
Blue Ridge Pride will be held on Sept. 22,
3 p.m., at the University of North Carolina-
Asheville, Humanities Lecture Hail. (A
campus map is available online at maps.
unca.edu/Zcampusmap for exact location.)
Rebecca Chaplin, L.S., M.A., will serve as the
moderator. Chaplin is the group facilitator and
chair of LGBT Elder Advocates of Western
North Carolina.
The objective is to have input for a needs
assessment. Those who have expressed
interest and representatives of LGBT support
and social groups, as well as the general
public, are encouraged to attend. Attendees
should come ready to answer the question;
Why does Western North Carolina need or not
need an LGBT community service center?
According to Cook-Riley, this facility
could house a library and education center,
a gallery, performance spaces, meeting
rooms, spaces for fellowship and socializing,
daycare, counseling clinics, and especially
important for sustainability, retail areas. And,
those retail areas need not be confined to
shops and cafes. Organizers hope that law
and real estate offices catering to the LGBT
population will recognize the business oppor
tunities the center affords. Feasibility studies
are still to be done and funding will ultimately
determine the size and scope ofthe center,
info/rsvp: yvonne@blueridgepride.com.
828-254-6125.
— from releases
info: Have news or other information? Send
your press releases and updates for inclusion
in our News Notes: editor@goqnotes.com.
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Sept. 13-26.2013 qnotes 7