Jun 14, 2017

INSPIRING | Present Minded

PHOTO COURTESY RICH HUNT


Jun 11, 2017

EVENT | AUG. 4 - 6


Jun 10, 2017

INSPIRING |


Jun 9, 2017

YOU & ME | Perfectly Proud in the Park

Congratulations, It's a Girl!
FRANCA PHOTO BOMBS SHADA BLACK & MY SISTER JANE
Mother Nature seemed to get the bulletin that Niagara's LGBT community and their supporters would be celebrating their annual Pride in the Park event on June 10th, as she provided us with a hot and sunny day, with just a wee bit of humidity. Perfect weather for a day in the park.

I went to the event with my friend and downstairs neighbour Deanna, her daughter and granddaughter. They stayed for a few hours in the afternoon, but I was there for the entire day & night.

This was the 6th year for the festivities, once again held at Montebello Park in downtown St. Catharines and it drew a record crowd who enjoyed a day filled with music, food, numerous vendors and live entertainment.  

Vendors from across Niagara and Hamilton were on hand selling jewelry, rainbow attire, clothing, pet stuff and Scentsy products. Other vendors included realtors, Niagara Regional police department, positive living/anti-bullying groups, Federal Liberal MPP Chris Bittle, the local LGBT Conservatives group and numerous food vendors, who kept our bellies filled with yummy dishes. 

For the kids, there was a bouncy castle and the Waterfall Empire group featured the one and only Miss Shada Black, reading storybooks throughout the afternoon. 

The Bell Tower Community Arts & Entertainment Complex of Fort Erie were in charge of the licensed area, restricted to guests 19 and over. They had several cocktail options served by the happiest, best-looking bartenders around. 

That's a Wrap!
ENJOYING THE WRAP UP PARTY AT DETOUR MUSIC HALL
Entertainment included acts on the main stage (featuring Rupaul's Drag Race alumni Chi Chi Devayne and Milk) and local drag performers on the smaller stage near the licensed lounge area. 

The all day event started at noon and closed at 10:30 pm, but organizers were there bright and early around 6 am to help set things up. Most of the vendors closed up between 5-6 pm, with the exception of those selling food, who stayed open later.

After Pride in the Park was over, the fun moved to the Detour Music Hall on St. Paul Street for the Wrap Up party. I attended the party with my sister Jane and although I'd already had my share of liquid refreshments, I had the desire for a few more... LOL!

Throughout the day I ran into old friends, some of which I had not seen in almost 20 years - Yikes, I'm so old! Everyone was in agreement that celebrating Pride in the heart of downtown St. Catharines was something we couldn't even imagine in the past. 

There's plenty of volunteers, businesses and organizations who work hard to put the annual festivities together, but the group that sees to it that we even have a Pride week are the members of Pride Niagara. It's hard to believe that this small group of devoted individuals take the challenge of putting together a week's worth of Pride activities and turn it into an annual roaring success. I am so proud of them for all they do, not just during Pride week, but all year round. Give yourselves a round of applause, Pride Niagara, as you certainly deserve it.


YOU | A Colourful First Impression


YOU | Recognizing a Lifetime of Achievement

ARTICLE FROM THE ST. CATHARINES STANDARD
by ALLAN BENNER

Niagara was a much less accepting society when Ted Mouradian started working to change perceptions.
Back in the late 1980s, Mouradian said, “it was tough to stand up and say: ‘This is who I am. Please accept me.’”
Nevertheless, Mouradian was among the first people in Niagara to advocate for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
“To be very honest with you, I have the hate mail to prove it. I do, I’ve got a box of hate mail. I’ve kept it as a reminder.”
Despite the resentment, he persevered and helped transform Niagara into “a great place to live” for members of the LGBT community.
“We have a lot of friends from Toronto who are retiring and coming down here. We’re talking about older gay couples. And they’re loving it here,” he said. “The cost of living is amazing. The acceptance is amazing. Niagara is really great spot to live, and I’ve told people that.”
His lifetime of effort earned Mouradian recognition from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community Wednesday evening.
He was selected winner of the The Ed Eldred Unity Award, one of the top awards handed out during Pride Niagara’s Unity Awards celebration.
“This award is not just for today’s advocates,” Mouradian said Thursday. “It’s for people who over the years have been constantly a voice of reason, constantly a voice of unity and awareness.”
He said winning the Ed Eldred award “is a huge, huge honour, especially today.”
“I’m not as vocal as I was in the 1990s, so for people to be remembering some of us old guys …” the 69-year-old said. “Because some of the youth today, I don’t know whether they know seriously about some of the struggles.
“I hope the youth remember there were a lot of people who died, who lost their family, lost their jobs. I’ve lost friends and family who won’t talk to me today,” he said.
Mouradian is one 10 individuals and organizations honoured by Pride Niagara during the event, held at Amici’s Banquet Centre in Thorold.
Port Colborne resident Dennis Everleigh earned the Community Culture Unity Award for an initiative he launched nearly a year ago, to bring the LGBT community together in a social setting.
“Last summer, I was reflecting on the fact that I didn’t really have any gay friends,” Everleigh said. “As an older gay guy, I was looking around trying to find friends. They’re just hard to find because there aren’t places to meet.”
He said three men showed up for his first weekly drop-in event for older gay men.
“Within four weeks, we had 30 guys coming. I was just overwhelmed.”
Now, more than 50 men gather each week at Mahtay Cafe in downtown St Catharines.
“It’s now a place where gay men meet, make friends and come to meet their friends.”
Although finding a new partner was never on Everleigh’s mind when he started the group, he met a man and they now live together.
“My whole life changed. Now I know 200 gay guys in the Niagara area,” he said, adding people from outlying areas including Burlington, Hamilton, Mississauga and Buffalo and Niagara Falls, N.Y., join the group, too.
“New guys come all the time. It’s just amazing.” ...
Mouradian is continuing to work towards changing perceptions about the LGBT community.
“That’s what I’m doing right now, trying to reach out to various faith based groups to try and have them understand that we’re not a threat and we’re not sinners, and it’s not a choice,” he said.
His concern is preventing suicides among gay teenagers, who feel they have no where else to turn.
He said the next big challenge is changing attitudes towards the transgender community.
“They need to be accepted and people need to understand. That’s the next sort of battle,” he said.
Despite overall progress, Mouradian said there are still pockets of intolerance.
“You’ll never change that,” he said. “The key is to be strong and to say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with me.’”

YOU | Justin Shines at the Unity Awards

PHOTOS COURTESY JUSTIN PRESTON'S FACEBOOK PAGE | MISS CONCEPTION PHOTO COURTESY PRIDE NIAGARA


4th Annual Niagara 2017 UNITY Awards: WINNERS! 
[list courtesy Pride Niagara]


1. Ed Eldred Unity Award: Ted Mouradian 
2. Jonathon Crawford Unity Award: Kyle Miller
3. Community Involvement Unity Award: Scott dePass 
4. Volunteer Excellence Unity Award: Michael Thomson 
5. Outstanding Young Person Unity Award: Jessica Victoria
6. Outstanding School Gay-Straight Alliance Unity Award: Ridley College Positive Space Group
7. Commitment Unity Award: Lancaster, Brooks & Welch LLP
8. LGBT Positive Business Unity Award: Hernder Estate Wines
9. Community Culture Unity Award: Dennis Eveleigh
10. Performance of the Year Unity Award: Niagara Women’s Drum Group Linda Hampton

YOU | Rise & Shine

PHOTOS AS FEATURED ON ST. CATHARINES MAYOR WALTER SENDZIK'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Schulz
The Rainbow flag was raised Mon. Jun, 5th at cities and towns across Niagara. Flag raising ceremonies were held in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Port Colborne, Fort Erie & Grimsby.

 St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik wrote this message on his Facebook page:

 "Today we had the 13th Annual Rainbow flag raising at St. Catharines City Hall to recognize Pride Week.
MAYOR SENDZIK

 Thank you to Darryl Dyball for being the emcee as well as the inspiring and empowering stories by Ted Mouradian, Lisa Crawford and Pride Chair, Enzo DeDivitiis.

 Pride is an important time for our hometown to value and celebrate all members of our diverse society.

 Thank you to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered (LGBT) community in St. Catharines for your work to bring about positive social change and for sending out a message that it is imperative that everyone of us has the right to live without discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

 We are striving to build a culture of compassion in St. Catharines and we want everyone to feel like they are a part of the circle."

What a great comment Mr. Sendzik, I'm so proud to have you as my mayor.

To see photos and video footage from each location and from numerous sources CLICK HERE TO VISIT PRIDE NIAGARA'S FACEBOOK PAGE



How it came to be...


YOU | Rainbows & Bunnies & Crowns...Oh My!


It was a spectacular night of music, pageantry and lots of laughs at the Pride Niagara Kick Off Party held on June 3rd at the Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines. 

Emceed by the infamous Miss Claudia Silva, the evening included the Miss Pride Niagara pageant. Performing their step-down numbers were last year's winners Macy Manolo (Miss Pride Niagara) and Kayim Syder (Mr Pride Niagara.) 

Contestants for this year's title included Tammy B (who performed her new original single "Take Me or Watch Me" which she is happy to announce will be released on SoundCloud June 6th.) and Kino Saigawa. 

This year's winner of Miss Pride Niagara was the stunning Miss Cara Scene.  Following the event, Cara Scene wrote on her Facebook page, "Thank you everyone who voted for me to be Miss Pride Niagara. I love you all and can't wait for the next week of events for Pride week."

Also appearing this night was the legendary American drag artist Lady Bunny (yes...the real deal, Rupaul's bestie) who kept the room in stitches with her humour and also posed for photos with party goers in a meet and greet.

Attending the Kick Off Party for the first time was Unity Award nominee Justin Preston (founder of 'Rise Against Bullying') who was blown away by the event.

Said Justin on Facebook; "I never really have the option to have a night out with having fun. I'm so proud of Pride Niagara for bringing in so many people.I have never had so much fun as I did last night and glad to been able to attend one of my first dance parties that Pride Niagara hosts"

Enzo DeDivtiis photo-Standard
"I still cannot believe Claudia was Enzo DeDivitiis." Justin said in amazement, "[Which] only shows I need to get out more often."

Niagara Pride Week continues with flag raising ceremonies across the region June 5th, the 4th Annual Unity Awards June 7th and the 6th Annual Pride in the Park extravaganza on June 10th.

Celebrating Niagara’s sexual diversity

Filling our hearts with even more pride, Enzo DeDivtiis - Pride Niagara board chairperson - appeared in an article in the local newspaper The St. Catharines Standard, where he spoke about Pride Week and diversity in the region. To read that article click here. 

Jun 8, 2017

PETS | "Howdy Neighbour"



Jun 7, 2017

ME | Playing Nice

I generally steer clear of getting political on Scribbles, but I found this photo very uplifting and wanted to share it and my comments with you. I'm addressing conduct here, not government policies.

PHOTO COURTESY CHRIS BITTLE 
St. Catharines M.P. Chris Bittle [above in red jacket] posted this photo on his Facebook page and of course, me being...well, me...I just had to write something to Mr. Bittle about it.

My comment to M.P. Chris Bittle and Canada's Prime Minister:

"This photo fills me with much pride. Thank you Prime Minister Trudeau and my M.P. Chris Bittle for putting a positive spin on how to conduct yourself in today's political arena. Not always easy to do with so much negativity and rudeness coming from many directions. 

I believe this is the time for Canada to show the world that treating people with respect and kindness may not always make the day's top headlines or be "breaking news", but it is the right thing to do. 

Bless you and our amazing country on its 150th birthday"

VIDEO | Kyle the Canadian Goose Imprints with Mike

From CBS 'On the Road', here's the story of Kyle the Canadian goose and a man named Mike.

There's two versions of the story featured below. The first is full screen with clear audio, but a few seconds of the intro and ending are cut off. The second was uploaded by someone who recorded it off their TV, the quality is not as good, but you get the entire story. Your choice. Or watch them both.

 EDITED VERSION... 

FULL VERSION (PICTURE & SOUND QUALITY NOT AS GOOD)... 

Jun 6, 2017

Scribbles Pals Don't Just Talk the Talk, They Also Walk the Walk... And it's All for a Good Cause

Rankin Cancer Run 2017
 PHOTOS COURTESY: SAMANTHA JAYNE & GAIL SHARRATT-MALLORY

PHOTOS COURTESY: MICHAEL BOWMAN-POIRIER

Hike for Hospice 2017
PHOTOS COURTESY: CATHY DICK & MEGAN FOX

Walk So Kids Can Talk
PHOTOS COURTESY: JUSTIN PRESTON & WALK SO KIDS CAN TALK WEBSITE

Mother's Day Breast Cancer Walk
PHOTOS COURTESY: THE BELL TOWER COMMUNITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
The Bell Tower is Proud to Support Pride Niagara.
Find us in the Pavillion Running the Bar at this Year's 
Pride in the Park - Sat. Jun. 10 - Montebello Park - St. Catharines 


Check out all that's Going On at the Bell Tower

KIDS |

Our Ottawa Valley pal Emerson Rose is seen here climbing to new heights, in an encore post from last July.

POETRY |


Jun 5, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT | One Love

PHOTOS COURTESY DAVE HOGAN A/P

PETS | "Seriously? You're Not Going to Give Me Any?"


YOU | Get Your Geek On



Jun 4, 2017

INSPIRING |

Check out RISE AGAINST BULLYING Revised Website - CLICK HERE

Jun 3, 2017

REVIEW | DCT'S 'Calendar Girls'

Unfortunately, ill health prevented me (and my theatre-going sidekick Deanna) from attending Dunnville Community Theatre's production of Calendar Girls. And judging by the reviews we've seen on Facebook and local media, we really missed a great one.

The storyline for Calendar Girls is rather titillating.  After the death of her best friend's husband from cancer, a spirited Yorkshire housewife hatches a scheme to raise money for a memorial to him. Utilizing a tradition from the hidebound Woman's Institute association, she encourages her friends to create a calendar -- with the novel detail of using the middle-aged women of their village as nude models. The idea stuns the husbands and a wary young photographer.

Many have called Calendar Girls one of DCT's best productions in years.

Here in her own words, Nancy Erskine, producer of DCT's Calendar Girls, thanks the many, many people involved in putting this stellar show together...

"Wow! What a fabulous run of Calendar Girls! Thanks so much to the cast for your hard-work, line-learning, pow, front-of-stage. What a tight group of people you are: Candace, Tracey, Judy, Kathryn, Ellen, Stephanie, Lisa, Angela, Jordan, Derek, Dick, and Tery. You are all stars: satellites for sunshine. XO

Thanks to our Producer, Linda for your management, your dedication and support, it's a blessing. 

To our backstage 'invisible' people: Sheila, who went above and beyond as Stage Manager and took care of a cast of 12's needs. I appreciate your hard-work and your sense of humour We will be raising money and eyebrows for a throne that will float backstage. It will be engraved with your name. 

Thanks to our ninja, always reliable, sweet, Rj who can change a set in record time and see tiny objects on the floor in the dark. To Chris, our sound and lighting, who watches the show quietly behind his script, lighting board and sound console. Spot-on with your cues, eager to try new equipment and sounds and looking forward to what challenges lie ahead...thank-you. 

To Maxine, our set designer who created beautiful backdrops of fields of sunflowers for John's Hill, painting the set and floor and installing and donating a curtain rod that will run 25' across the back of our stage. I enjoyed working with you, getting to know you and I loved seeing the last scene with your artwork. Thanks Max. 

Wendy, who baked us treats and telephoned to see how we were doing and what we needed...thanks, we also appreciate you sending your amazing grandsons when we have heavy work to do - they are amazing at that. Thanks once again, Debb, for a delicious, creative meal that was the perfect companion to our show. Much love to you. 

Everett, who is always there for builds and loads, you are incredible in your support, help and guidance. Thanks. 

A big, big thanks to Gary and Derek at The Hunters and Anglers Club and all their members, including the Lion's Club that supports us. In each production we are given more and more...braces for our flats to the walls, a huge, heated green-room that was built on their deck for our Calendar Girls. 

You guys go above and beyond at the club and at the store for us where you have been our box-office for over 20 years and run the bar for our shows. We are blessed to be in your hall and so very appreciative of all you do for us. 

Thanks to our audience who come out in droves to see our shows...we will keep creating because you keep coming. We love your support and your laughter...it lifts us. XO"

- Nancy Erskine


VIDEO | Puppet Goes "Hands Free"

This video from America's Got Talent goes back a few years (Howard Stern appears in this clip and he left the show 2 seasons ago)  but it's still entertaining and worth a look....
 

Jun 2, 2017

VIDEO | Magic Moments on AGT

The acts on this year's America's Got Talent have really stepped up their game. Here's four very different performances that have us begging for more.

Take a look at these awesome magicians...


Just in case you missed it, check out this incredible illusionist. As he tells us at the start of his act, don't blink... 

Here's a death-defying brother and sister act that is scary as hell but amazing (the intro which includes back stage footage of other acts is a bit long but if you advance to about the 2:00 minute point, you'll see them in action) ....


Unlike the act above, it's ok if you want to try what this unique & funny guy does, at home. Although you'll need lots of practice to be as clever as he is...
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT AIRS TUESDAYS AT 8 PM ON NBC & CITY

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