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Letters to the Editor

Published Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 in issue 971

“Have the background checks gone too far to the extent that people do not want to be investigated to volunteer a few hours at the event?”

Dear Editor:

As a volunteer for the SD Pride Festival for more than 10 years, I was deeply disappointed that one of the shifts I volunteered for (Beer Garden) appeared not to be able to use volunteers in a productive manner. After 3 years of volunteering to pour and serve beer and other beverages, I entered the beer garden and quickly could see that some type of catering company had taken over this function. I waited for over 30 minutes for someone to assign me, and was told I could do “crowd control or trash checks.”

One of the joys of volunteering is to have direct contact with the beautiful members of our LGBT community. For whatever reasons, the festival took away a hardworking group of people from our community that wanted to serve our own community. The atmosphere of that beer garden without the volunteer servers was clearly not of the same energy. I was told they could not get enough volunteers, but did anyone think to ask some of our LGBT organizations if they could help out? Have the background checks gone too far to the extent that people do not want to be investigated to volunteer a few hours at the event?

Let’s turn our Festival back to our community!

Michael McAndrew

“How very disappointing for her and others who know and love her and wanted to keep your article as a lovely memoir of her accomplishments and recognition.”

Dear Editor:

In your 27 July 2006, issue of Gay & Lesbian Times, on page 67, you wrote a piece honoring Bobbi Harwood as “Friend of the Year.” Unfortunately, although you got her first name correct in the headline and three other times towards the end of the piece, throughout the article you referred to her as “Bonnie” twelve times! How very disappointing for her and others who know and love her and wanted to keep your article as a lovely memoir of her accomplishments and recognition.

In view of the fact that, obviously, your proofreading process so horrendously broke down, I think it would be in order for you to republish the entire article, with her picture, in the next issue of your magazine. If the slip had occurred perhaps once or even twice, it might be a different story and perhaps just a correction would be in order, but TWELVE times!!!

I, and others in PFLAG, certainly hope you will take my suggestion seriously and completely redeem yourself with us.

Gail Folkman

Letters Policy

The Gay & Lesbian Times welcomes comments from all readers. Letters to the editor longer than 500 words will not be accepted. Send e-mail to editor@uptownpub.com; fax (619) 299-3430; or mail to PO Box 34624, San Diego, CA 92163. To be printed, letters must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

All letters containing subject matter that refers to the content of the Gay & Lesbian Times are published unedited. Letters that are unrelated to the content of the publication will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff.