As gay pride month draws to a close, I came across a really amazing story this morning:

The story of the rainbow flag.   Have you ever sat back and wondered:

• Where did the rainbow flag come from?
• Who created the rainbow flag?

I know I never really thought about it, but, there is a really cool, TRUE story about the rainbow flag’s birth, it’s creator, the events surrounding it’s creation, etc.

The rainbow flag’s creator is a man named Gilbert Baker and you’re going to love this seven minute video explaining it all.  Do yourself a favor and watch the gay ‘Betsy Ross’ as he tells the story…

I’m pleased to announce that we have several lucky winners (I’ve listed their first names only here) who will take home prizes from Coach Sappho as a result of visiting our booth at Daytona Beach Pride and playing our pride contest!

As a matter of fact, I’ve made the ‘executive decision’ that EVERYONE who played in the raffle will win something!!!  So, if you stopped by Coach Sappho’s booth, be sure to look for your first name below and, expect an email or call from me soon to award you YOUR prize!

Again, I want to thank the following Daytona Beach-area gay and gay-friendly businesses who donated these wonderful prizes.  I am in the process of notifying winners and businesses right now:

• Kathy won a two night stay at The August Seven Inn luxury guesthouse (estimated value – $350 – donated by owner/operator Peter Williamson)
• Cecily won a  ‘just in time’ Coach Sappho coaching package for one (estimated value $200 – donated by Barb Elgin)
• Joan won a $50 gift card for a massage (donated by Greg at New Age Touch Therapy Practice)
• Taz, Noel and Marla each won a $50 each gift certificate (total value $150 – donated by the Fantasy Shoppe Bookstore)
• Eileen won a wine tasting for 10 by Designing Wine in Deland (value – $50)
• Elizabeth won a $25 gift certificate from John’s ‘Stress Free’ Dog Grooming Shop in Holly Hills
• Christi won a dinner for two at the Daytona Beach Clubhouse Restaurant (value – $20)
• Amy, Maria, Liz, Ansley, DeAnna, Annette, Claudette, and Marvel each win their choice of a dating or relatonship book (donated by Barb Elgin/Coach Sappho – value – $10-15)

I want to thank everyone again who participated.  We had a lot of fun with the raffle and Daytona hosted me well, both at the ‘Just Us’ dinner by Dee at The Aquarium Saturday night and at Daytona Pride Festival the next day!

We are excited about hitting the road and coming to your town’s Pride Festival this coming spring, summer and fall!  Looks like it’s shaping up that 2009 will be the year we focus on attending Pride Festivals in the Central and Northern Florida areas!!!  We are grateful for the opportunity of supporting our local GLBT communities…

The great thing about Florida is that it’s big, with lots of great pride festivals throughout the year.  We particularly enjoy attending pride festivals in the spring and fall, to avoid the heat!  We aren’t confirmed for all of the dates below but our intention is to make most or all of the following appearances.

Be sure to write us and let us know if you’re going to any of these Pride Festivals so we know to look for you.

And, if you do attend any of these prides, be sure to stop by our vendor booth and pick up the goodies we will be giving away!

• Sunday, April 26, 2009 – Daytona Beach, FL, Daytona Pridefest at City Island Park, 12p-8p.
• Sunday, May 24, 2009 – Melbourne, FL, Space Coast Pride – Wickham Pavilion.
• Late July/Early August 2009 – Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Gay Pride Festival – details TBA.
• Sunday, September 26, 2009 - St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Pride – details TBA.
• Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, 2009 – Ocala, FL Ocala PrideFest – Holiday Inn Ocala.
• Saturday, October 3, 2009 – Gainesville, FL, Gainesville Pride Festival.
• Sunday, October 11, 2009 – Orlando FL, Orlando Pride Fest, Lake Eola Park.

Local Happenings

I’m sitting here writing to you as the sun sets in the Florida sky.  Much, as usual, is happening here at Coach Sappho and in the world.  I am always grateful for what is ‘going well’, especially when it relates to quality of life! 

Speaking of which, a special thanks goes to Congress and the President (believe it or not!) who passed The Pension Protection Act this week, providing sorely needed financial protections to same sex couples.  Be sure to stop by The Human Rights Campaign website to read all about it.  And, while you’re there, be sure to check out their new guide for ‘living openly in your place of worship’ – I hear it’s a nice guide.

My week started out on a very positive note as I connected with the new social network here in Ocala, Florida, LGBT Ocala.  They’ve got a fall gala coming up 9/3, so, if you are in the area, be sure to go to their website and learn more about the event and the network in general. 

LGBT Ocala is a diverse and friendly bunch and their goal is to make Ocala a better place for the GLBT community.  They seem to be off to a strong start and their website looks great.  I look forward to making future meetings, and continuing to re-connect with old friends and making new ones.  For those of you reading this who live in major metropolitan areas, please support your friends in less populated areas, like Ocala.  Given that I’m from Baltimore, it is an ‘education’ process for me, learning a different culture.  I think that in many ways Ocala is at least 20 years behind where Baltimore is today, in terms of gay rights and gay community.

On Wednesday I  attended the August Equality Florida Meetup at MCC Ocala.   Those in attendance (a small but passionate crowd) cooked up some cool ideas.  Look for Rob Poth, coordinator of Equality Florida Marion and Citrus County to announce some exciting events in the near future.  Hint:  one is elections/political in nature and the other event is for the broader Ocala community.  Hey – if you want to know more, you’ll just have to be sure to come to the next Meetup in September!

If you aren’t in the Ocala area but you’re interested in knowing what’s going on, let me know.

National Happenings

I’ll be heading to the eastern shore of Maryland next weekend for Chesapeake Pride!  Unless I go to Orlando Pride in October, this will be my last pride festival in 2006.  Just a hop and a skip from Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and most of the eastern shore, Chesapeake Pride will be held near Annapolis, the state capital. 

I’m looking forward to having my booth there, so, if you are in the vicinity, be sure to come on by and say ‘hi’ to Rachael and I and support the efforts of organizer Wayne Schwandt and company!  They’ve got a great event planned, complete with vendors, food, and live music.  To learn more about Chesapeake Pride, click here.

Sponsors of  Chesapeake Pride include Southwest Airlines, Baltimore Gay Life Newspaper, and the area MCC Church.  Vendors include yours truly (I love it, they call me ‘Sister Sappho’!), the ACLU, the Baltimore Gay Community Center, PFLAG and about 30 others.  Also invited is Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley, who is running for governor.

SPECIAL CHESAPEAKE PRIDE OFFER!:

In honor of gay pride, anyone who stops by my booth at Chesapeake Pride and registers for Coach Sappho’s 10 week ‘Relationship Readiness’ Class starting in early October, will get $200 off the price of the seminar PLUS a complimentary copy of ‘Conscious Dating:  How to find the love of your life in today’s world’ ($25 value), autographed by yours truly!

For those of you who are interested in the seminar but who won’t be able to attend Chesapeake Pride, just email me on August 26th and I’ll send you the special, 66% off link for the seminar.  If you register within 48 hours, I will honor that rate!