Editing revision 11 of Program History

Elderberries programs : 2010 - 2016 Seniors attending a meeting sponsored by NSRAP in Spring 2010, identified projects of most interest to them : outreach and support for LGBT seniors living in long-term care, a non-club social outlet for LGBT seniors, and working together with LGBT youth. The monthly potluck socials listed below have attempted to address the need for a non-club outlet that will offer both a social opportunity and an educational element, taking place in an accessible setting. In addition, the monthly e-mail newsletter links more than 200 Elderberry members. Program topics fall into several types, including : * LGBT topics * senior life, health, etc * community history : sharing memories; local history round tables * showcase of artistic abilities of LGBTs : e.g., poetry workshop, musical presentations, photography workshops, author readings * presentations by local organizations : e.g., NSRAP, Rainbow Refugees Association, Spirit House, PrideHealth * seasonal : December party, August picnic * some months are social only, with no program Please note : for some months, attendance figures were not taken. 2010 : * Aug 2010 : first organizing meeting : attendance 17. Discussion focussed on what members would like to see the group (not yet named Elderberries) be and do. * Sep 19, 2010 : sharing memories of LGBT life and coming out in "the bad old days." (12) * Oct 17, 2010 : Speaker Duma Young, "Wills and Inheritance." (20) * Nov 16, 2010 : Robin Metcalfe, guided tour of "Kent Monkman : the Triumph of Mischief" (gay Cree artist), SMU Art Gallery. (6) * Nov 28, 2010 : Round table on "Being Single." (14) * Dec 10, 2010 : Seasonal Potluck Party hosted by Nick and Duma (19) * Dec 12, 2010 : "LGBTs and Long-Term Care." Community Feedback Meeting at the Company House. 2011 : From January 2011, the group became known as the Elderberries. * Jan 16 2011 : Live music with Joanne Bond, Joanne Manette, Lynn Murphy ; poetry reading by Patricia Martinson (20) * Feb 20, 2011 : "Our Eyes upon Ourselves," members show-and-tell LGBT photos from the community's past * Feb 26, 2011 : Louisa Horne, "The Story of Spirit Place." (15 plus one press) * Mar 27, 2011 : Social only, due to speaker cancellation (9) * Apr 17, 2011 : Jane Kansas, "Travels with a Handcart, Part I" (17) * Apr 19, 2011 : Tour of the Youth Project house, with Sheena Jameson. (3 or 4) * May 15, 2011 : Nora Kerr, workshop on "How to Write Poetry" (10) * Jun 13, 2011 : Members invited to attend talk at Halifax Infirmary. Dr Ravi Srivastava, "Why Does Diversity Matter to Health Care." Dessert potluck at Dan MacKay's followed. * Jul 19, 2011 : "Making a Case for LGBT history," panel during Pride week cosponsored by Elderberries and NSRAP Lecture Series. Speakers : Dan MacKay, James Morrison, Lynn Murphy. Attendance 50+. * "Inclusive Health Care for the GLBT Aging Population," Pride Week panel presented by PrideHealth. Bob Fredrickson represented Elderberries. * Aug 21, 2011 : Elderberry picnic at the Dingle. * Sep 18, 2011 : Nick Honig, talk and slide show on "Falling in Love with Photography." (9) * Oct 23, 2011 : Nadine Lapierre, reading from her lesbian mystery Slayer. (13) * Nov 27, 2011 : Danica Pion and Annnie Chou, students of MSVU Applied Human Nutrition Program, "Healthy Cooking for One or Two." Launch of Elderberry cookbook. (11) * Dec 18, 2011 : Seasonal Party for NSRAP and Elderberries, hosted by NSRAP at the Company House. (31) 2012 : * Jan 22, 2012 : Representatives of PrideHealth consult with Elderberries re the real health needs and concerns of LGBT seniors. (16) * Feb 26, 2012 : Paul Curwin, "Forever Fit : Balance Exercises for Seniors." (9) * Mar 25, 2012 : Nick Honig and Anita Martinez, "Do-It-Yourself Portrait Session (Photography)." * Apr 22, 2012 : Aine Humble, MSVU, "Nova Scotia Gay and Lesbian Couples and the Process of Getting Married." (8) * May 17, 2012 : No potluck social. Elderberries participated in the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) Rally in the Grand Parade. Theme : "Reclaiming Our Space, Reclaiming Our Rights." * Jun 24, 2012 : Social only - no program. (8) * Jul 2012 : No social. Attend Pride events. * Aug 26, 2012 : Potluck picnic at the Dingle. (15) * Sep 23, 2012 : Kevin Kindred, Chair of NSRAP, guest speaker. (9) * Oct 28, 2012 : Rev Eldon Hay, "How I Came to Be Involved in LGBT Marriage Issues." (19) * Nov 25, 2012 : Jenn Nearing, on being a trans woman. (5) * Dec 15, 2012 : Season's Greetings Potluck Social. (6) 2013 * Jan 27, 2013 : Valentines theme : round table of (cheerful!) stories from our romantic pasts. (10) * Feb 24, 2013 : Video Courage in the Face of Hate from Egale Canada; discussion. * Mar 24, 2013 : Chris Aucoin speaks on NSRAP's Positive Aging Grant for a community oral history project involving LGBT youth and seniors. (17) * Apr 28, 2013 : Kathryn Hominick and Wenda MacDonald : Alzheimers Disease. (9) * May 16 : Elderberries participate in the IDAHOT Rally in the Grand Parade. Theme : Our Bodies, Our Health, Our Rights. * May 26, 2013: Ramona Westgate, Community Liaison with Halifax Pride. (7) * Jun 23, 2013 : Jane Kansas, "Travels with a Handcart, Part 2." * Jul 2013 : No social. Attend Pride events. * Aug 24, 2013 : Elderberries picnic, hosted by friends in the Gaspereau Valley. * Sep 8, 2013 : 90th birthday party for Patricia Martinson. (10) * Oct 20, 2013 : Social : no program. (11) * Nov 10, 2013 : Gabe Saulnier-Pictou and Dan MacKay talk about their participation in the Twenty-Fifth International Two-Spirit Gathering. * Dec 8, 2013 : Sing along to seasonal music with Garry Williams on keyboard (appearing courtesy of NSRAP). (15) 2014 * Jan 12, 2014 : Kyle DeYoung, on the Rainbow Refugee Association. (12) * Feb 9, 2014 : Members were invited to attend the library program on Queer Spirituality Paths, held at Spring Garden Road Public Library, as our February event. * Mar 9, 2014 : Jesse Robson, Managing Director of Happily Ever Active. (16) * Apr 13, 2014 : Betsy Webb, Massage Therapy. * May 11, 2014 : Elderberries speakers report on their presentation to Charles P Allen High School * Jun 08, 2014 : Personal directives round table discussion. * Jul 2015 : No potluck social : members encouraged to attend Pride events * Aug 24 2014 : Fourth Annual Elderberries Potluck Picnic * Sep 14, 2014 : Elections for Elderberries Coordinating Committee * Oct 26, 2014 : Name that Face! Photos from the Jim De Young collection, looking for IDs * Nov 09, 2014 : Coming out Stories : Members' Round Table * Dec 14, 2015 : Holiday Potluck at the CoHo Elderberry Coffee Breaks From September 2013 to June 2014, Elderberry Coffee Breaks were held monthly in the Northwood Harbourview Room. Attendance varied from one to six : it was decided that the Coffee Breaks had not been sucessful, and they ceased in June. 2015 * Jan 11, 2015 : Archiving LGBT History, with Karen White of NSARM * Feb 08, 2015 : Living Well with a Chronic Condition, with Kolten MacDonell * Mar 15, 2015 : End of Life Town Hall Meeting * Apr 12, 2015 : Facilitated discussion of upcoming Elderberries Surveys * May 09, 2015 : Sex educator Kaleigh Trace read from her book Hot, Wet and Shaking * Jun 14, 2015 : Round table of food related stories * Jul 05, 2015 : No potluck social ; Second Annual Bob Stead Memorial Picnic, July 05 * Members encouraged to participate in Pride events * Aug 30, 2015 : Fifth Annual Elderberries Potluck Picnic : Black Rock Beach, Point Pleasant * Sep 13, 2015 : Lance Lockwood presented a video program re media images of gay seniors * Oct 04, 2015 : First Ever ! October Potluck Picnic : Black Rock Beach, Point Pleasant Park * Oct 18, 2015 : Elderberries Board Elections * Nov 08, 2015 : Meet and greet with new Board members : cancelled due to unexpected resignation of three new Board members. Potluck held with no program. * Dec 13, 2015 : Regular Potluck Social : no program 2016 * Jan 10 : No program * Feb 14 : Robin Metcalfe spoke on the origin of Pink Triangle Day, with slide show * Mar 13 : Roy Ellis spoke on Dying, Death, and Grief (7) * Apr 10 : Kolten MacDonell spoke on Changes at Pridehealth * May 08 : Joanne Bealy spoke on starting a summer garden, large or small * Jun 12 : Lawyers Doug Elliott and Bruce Walker talked about how changes in the Criminal Code 1970s to now are affecting the Brent Hawkes case * Jun 25 : Paul and Tim invited Elderberries to a mingle and BBQ in the Valley * July 17 : several Elderberries were part of a panel on local LGBT history, held at the Bus Stop Theatre * August 21: annual picnic and BBQ at Black Rock Beach * September : attend Hugo Dann's one-man show at The Company House * October : Fall picnic (cancelled due to rain) * Nov 13: Discussion topics picked by the attendees: US Election, and the recent emotionally and politically charged Halifax Pride AGM. * December 11 : Holiday Party at the Company House. Free will offering donated to Rainbow Refugees Nova Scotia. 2017 * January : program cancelled due to weather ; rescheduled for May. * Feb 12 : Longish introduction of people including their work and hobby history; presentation by Dan about [[http://bonmot.ca/Elderberries/library/2017-02_Questions_For_Pride|our meeting with Pride]]; long discussion about outreach to the black lgbt community following that about (documented [[2017-02-12 Meeting]] * MARCH: Caregivers Nova Scotia. Contact: Angus Campbell. * APRIL: Michael Collins from the Seniors College Association of Nova Scotia * APRIL AGM: Halifax Pride has some $$ for us; what do we want to do? * MAY: Gays In The Military. Anita says: LIKE WOW!!! WHAT a meeting!!!! Fantastic...extremely well attended...the 4 speakers where beyond amazing.....the interaction incredible... food..of course..good..yum!!!...I can send a list...photos coming soon....the stories would be great for WAYVES or GayHalifax...for sure..informative and lots of questions and answers...many inquiries about Lynn...So LYNN...let us know what is up...what we can do to help...what do you need...etc. big hugs to all and have a glorious week!! * JUne 11th: Downsizing / Spring Cleaning * June 29th Elders New Glasgow Expedition on * JULY: Gathering at Pride: across the street from The Smiling Goat; gather at about 12:30 to get a good location and get in some social time. * AUGUST: Picnic at Wayne's - Musquodoboit Harbour - August 13, rain date: August 20. Our home is on one level with two steps leading to main areas.

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