Annual Meeting Thanks Retiring & Welcomes Incoming Board Members
Part meeting, part acknowledgement and all celebration, members of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center gathered on January 29th for the Center’s second Annual Meeting. The board of directors reviewed the accomplishments of the past year, and the membership elected five new members to that board to continue the work.
At the meeting, members learned about the Center's progress, from moving into the new building in Kingston to the establishment of new programs and outreach for the Center. The new programs discussed included CenterSAGE, a collaboration between the Center and SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) focusing on the needs of our aging members; CenterFamily, a group of LGBTQ parents and their children that meets monthly for social outings and to discuss their shared experiences; as well as the men’s and women’s discussion groups. Additionally, members were reminded of the outside organizations using the Center as their meeting-place. These groups included AA, Al-Anon, Planned Parenthood’s Circles program, OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change), and the Kingston chapter of PFLAG which was formed by local parents, many of whom had previously traveled to Westchester County for PFLAG meetings.
Board president Ginny Apuzzo reminded members of the incredible progress the Center has made in one year, all while battling the City of Kingston for property tax exemption of our landmark building.
“In just one short year,” Apuzzo explained, “the Center has become a cornerstone in the Hudson Valley region, and is becoming the economic driver the Kingston Uptown business district so desperately needs.”
Apuzzo further outlined plans for the coming year that include the establishment of new programs to serve youth and the hiring of staff. The Center has since announced the Working It Out project in collaboration with the HIV Center of New York and has hired its first part-time employee, with another scheduled to start by mid-Summer.
Additionally, following remarks by nominees, Center members elected five new members to the board. Incoming board members are Michelle DeDiminicis of Kingston, Kathy Friend of Glenford, Michael Mary of Catskill, Lance Ringel of Rhinecliff, and Diane Silverberg of High Falls. They join Ginny Apuzzo, Craig Burdett, Marcuse Pfeifer, and Nicole Ressa.
Outgoing members of the board Ted Hayes, Tim Hunt, Vanessa Shelmandine, Jeff Stults, and Dominick Vanacore, were thanked for their long and valued service to the Center. Δ