#WeAreFamily Annual Picnic August 22, 2003 A beautiful day, but turnout light at 25th ‘We Are Family’ picnic A beautiful day, but turnout light at 25th ‘We Are Family’ picnic by Anthony Glassman Cleveland--Despite beautiful weather, lush decorations, a presidential candidate and entertainment that made full use of the warmth and sunshine, the 25th annual Northern Ohio Coalition, Inc. “We Are Family” Picnic brought in fewer people than expected on Sunday, August 24. Exact numbers will not be available until early September, but organizers expressed disappointment at the seemingly small crowds at the German-American Cultural Center in Parma. A reporter estimated between one and two hundred people at the event, which drew 2,500 in 1997. One of the reasons for the drop in attendance may have been three competing events the same day. The North Coast Men’s Chorus picnic and the North Coast Athletic Association’s softball championships were both held on the same day. In addition, the Traditionals Lowrider Show at the Michael Zone Recreation Center was a fundraiser for the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, but that event was not aimed at the LGBT community. Last year, the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats’ picnic occurred during the early hours of the NOCI one, and the Stonewall Democrats encouraged people to go afterward to the NOCI event. NOCI president Katie Devring said she has heard complaints that the event now takes place in Parma. Until 1999 the picnic was at Wildwood Lake Water Park in Columbia Station, seven miles away. “Wildwood is no longer, so we don’t have a choice,” said NOCI second vice president Renée Dunn. She pointed to a year-long search for a replacement for Wildwood that resulted in the move to the Parma location, noting that one potential spot in Strongsville would not let NOCI use the indoor facilities once they found out it was an LGBT group. The news was not all bad for the picnic. “It was a beautiful day, and a couple people came up and told me they liked the changes we made,” said Devring, “like having the dancing and entertainment outside. We had a lot of people who showed up for the first time.” Dunn said that some of the freshmen came from out of state, mainly Michigan and Pennsylvania, to enjoy the entertainment and complimentary soda and beer. “We did what we can do,” Dunn stated. “We put on the best picnic we can. We had balloons, a fashion show, DJs and entertainers. We just don’t get the support we used to and I just don’t know why.” While support from the public may have waned, support from other quarters was strong. Democratic presidential hopeful Rep. Dennis Kucinich came to the picnic, walking around and talking to the attendees and staff of the booths. Ohio State Rep. Dale Miller was also there, manning the Kucinich campaign’s booth. Chain Link Addiction, a punk and fetish apparel store, returned with their booth for a second year. The store also sponsored and organized a fashion show at the picnic. Chris Helmink of Amazing Vase, a flower shop in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, created stunning balloon arrangements that decorated the grounds of the picnic. The large decoration near the front gate could be seen from York Road, hundreds of yards from the entrance to the cultural center. DJ Freeze returned to spin again, and was joined by Mary Lopez and DJ Maude, who does karaoke at Muggs. The three women kept the music running from 11 am until dusk. The picnic was dedicated to the memory of Greg Ammell, a longtime member of NOCI who passed away in July. This year’s Tommy McComsey Awards were presented to Patrick Shepherd, president of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, and Chuck Graley, publisher of Outlines, a gay club magazine. The Ozzie Awards went to Sharon Cemp, owner of Muggs, and Randy Austin, former Mr. Gay Cleveland. Greg Ammell had been a previous recipient of the Ozzie Award. While NOCI will continue its work raising funds for various community organizations, the future of the picnic is in doubt. “We’re sad to say, because of the lack of support, we may not have a 26th,” said Devring. “We publish when we’re going to do our picnic, but it seems that everybody always schedules something on the same day.” Dunn addressed the concerns of some about the aggressive patrolling of Parma police. “Everybody’s afraid of Parma,” she said. “The Parma police don’t bother a soul.” Regardless of whether the picnic returns next year, NOCI continues to schedule a full slate of fundraising events throughout the year. Their next event will be a benefit for NOCI’s Hilliard Smith Fund at the Tool Shed bar on September 6. “Greg Ammell had it planned, and [his partner] David Laws is going through with it,” Devring said. “He was a great guy and we’re going to miss him.” NOCI will also be having a pumpkin auction in October, also at the Tool Shed
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:53:41 +0000
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