Just hosted the Pacfic Northwest Regional Leadership Conference

[beckyg]

Hi all,

I have been super busy! My PFLAG chapter just hosted this wonderful conference! We learned alot about running an effective PFLAG chapter and ways to network with other organizations on issues we care about. We had speakers on Marriage Equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Safe Schools (GLSEN), and PFLAG's Straight for Equality in Healthcare that has information for healthcare providers on how to better serve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. It was sooo much fun!

For entertainment we had a drag show. I was pretty impressed with the staff at the hotel where we had the conference. They were very friendly and helpful to everyone! They got a kick out of the drag show and were friendly to the "queens" we took to the lounge afterward. A guy at the hotel desk told me that he "heard we were going to have a wild night and not to get too crazy!" Ha, ha!

I met some new and wonderful people! One gay man invited me to his community for an event they have and told me that anytime I needed to be picked up at the airport in Seattle, just give him a call. He insisted on taking me out to dinner where he ordered us two pitchers of margaritas! lol Very sweet guy! He told me a story that really touched my heart. He was an RN in an Emergency Room when an 11 year old boy was brought in and was very sick. He had been taken from his parents who were alcohol and drug addicted and were not taking care of him. Well the hospital was full so the police said that after he was treated they would just have to take him back to the police station. My friend said "Oh nooo you are not." He agreed to take the child home with him so he signed all the necessary paperwork and did just that. Well guess what? The child never left. He ended up adopting him and now he is grown, married, and has given my friend three grandchildren whom he adores.

I also got to meet a longtime facebook friend who travels the United States helping transgender families adjust and talking to schools where these kids go so that the schools can be inclusive of them and their needs.

It was such a wonderful experience. Oh yes....and I got my picture taken with Jody Huckaby who is PFLAG National's Executive Director! That was a highlight. Jody has been on Oprah. He has a unique family situation. There are eight kids in his family and four of them are gay. He is such a very nice person too! Love him!

So much fun!

Becky