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Pride month kudos

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June has come and gone as Pride Month, and this past weekend we marked America 250. Looking back, I find myself thinking of what this community built together this year.

On behalf of the board of Gettysburg Pride, I want to say something simple and heartfelt: Thank you, Gettysburg!

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Ten weeks before this year’s festival, the organization’s leadership collapsed, and it looked like the event might not happen. Neighbors, businesses, and organizations stepped up, and a fuller Gettysburg Pride took place with a new look, including an activity area for families, picnic tables and lawn chairs, and a stage show that celebrated who we are.

Our opening ceremony traced a line from the Declaration of Independence through the Gettysburg Address to the modern Pride movement, each one a step further down the road toward inclusion.

So many hands made this year’s event possible. Borough Council President Matt Moon, County Commissioner Marty Qually, and attorney Kristin Rice guided us through forming a new board, while the team at Members 1st transferred our accounts smoothly. The Gettysburg Community Theater stored our supplies through their own transition and added a film screening, the Unitarian Universalists opened their doors for an evening of local performers, and the Adams County Arts Council hosted our drag show. Root & Bloom Community Nature Collective hosted and staffed our All-Ages Activity Hub. Al Moyer and the Gettysburg Recreation Park supplied us a beautiful home for the day, complete with a new amphitheater mural by Ellen Wetzel Phiel, in partnership with A Place to Grow Afterschool, LLC and the Gettysburg chapter of Kids for Peace, and a freshly painted stage exterior. The Borough guided us through our Pride Walk permit, which volunteer Bonnie Grady organized in detail, Matt Sheads of ACNB Insurance made sure we were covered, Target in Chambersburg set up our tents, M & T Bank supplied volunteers, and the Adams Rescue Mission helped pack up at day’s end.

I also want to thank our vendors and food trucks, who brought color and flavor to the park, and every volunteer who gave their time and heart to make this day happen.

Although Pride Month has ended, and July 4th has come and gone, the work continues. Gettysburg Pride remains committed to safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ members of our community, all year through.

Thank you, Gettysburg.

Florence March, President, Gettysburg Pride, Inc.

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