Kathy Thompson
OBCIEP Project Coordinator
Phone Toll Free: 1-888-837-9071
E-mail: kathy@cancersupportnetwork.ca
Website: www.cancersupportnetwork.ca

The Ontario Breast Cancer Information Exchange Partnership (OBCIEP) is hosting the Cancer
Support Network pilot of teleconference and online support groups with other partners that include
the Canadian Cancer Society, the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, Lung Cancer Canada,
Ovarian Cancer Canada, Wellspring and the Odette (Sunnybrook) Cancer Centre

By going to your AGM you help keep a good organization healthy. 

www.mabelleague.com

The Mabel League is a lesbian fast pitch softball league in Vancouver, BC.

Not so strictly ballroom holds same-sex dance classes in Vancouver.  Their website is: www.gayvancouver.net/nssb/

No classes  Monday June 9, 16 and Saturday June 14.
REVIEW classes taught during the past 7 weeks. 
NEW 4 WEEK CLASS  JUNE 28 – JULY 19

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10:45 am – 11:15 am*
Intro/Newcomers Quick Step
*note: due to the small size of this class, it  will be held for 30, not 45 minutes

11:15 AM – 12:00 Noon
Intro Salsa!!   Salsa dancers, come join us!!

Cost:  Free to current students
Special drop in fee for those with experience in any/all of above dances.

Where:  WISE Hall, 1882 Adanac Street, Vancouver (@ Victoria Drive)
Time:  7:30 doors open; 8:00 – 9:00 Power Dating; 9:00 – 1:00 a.m. Dancing with DJ Susan Yeager
Cost:  $10 – $20 sliding scale – Tickets available at the door
For more information:  contact Tracey at gregariousgirlproductions@gmail.com or 604-523-9877

In the early nineteen eighties if you were a lesbian woman and wanted to meet other lesbian women your option was limited to the few gay bars or clubs that were operating at that time. They were dirty, dark establishments in rough areas of the city; the bathrooms had stalls where doors where non-existent. These were hardly places where lesbian women could have a quiet drink, pleasant conversation and feel good about themselves. These were also “Anita Bryant” times, where some women were fearful of being outed and worried about the ramifications of being labeled a lesbian in their workplace. It was for many of these reasons that Marsha Trew believed that there was a great need for a lesbian organization as an alternative to the club scene. As Marsha was new to the city, and knew very few other lesbians, she related her ideas to Paulette Thomson. Paulette, like Marsha, felt a place was needed where gay women could meet, socialize, and feel good about their surroundings. Paulette asked some of her friends to a meeting with Marsha. The group, consisting of Marsha and Paulette, Sharyn Collis, Judith Shaver, and Val Fortey, spent the next few months organizing a first event. More at: http://www.gazeboconnection.com/history.html

SATURDAY MARCH 8 CELEBRATE !!! ‘INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY’ with the fabulous … KIM KUZMA and guests …

SUGARBEACH (The band) special installment … featuring 3 dusted off and better than ever!! former  MISTRESS members … the outstanding/powerhouse vocals of  Marlee Walchuk the beautiful harmonies and keyboard stylings of Tully Callender the serious rocker chick guitar licks of Rona Goodman rounded off by the always stellar drumming of Lisa Lambert and a very special…  

MELISSA ETHERIDGE TRIBUTE  by yet another former ‘MISTRESS’ member … JANIS MULLAN opening set with … BONNIE STE-CROIX an incomprable evening of outstanding women’s music and merriment!!! The Fairview Pub … 898 West Broadway Doors: 8:30pm  Show: 9:30pm advance tix $15 available @ Little Sisters 1238 Davie St. *get tix early!! always a sell out! http://www.kimkuzma.com/ http://www.sugarbeachmusic.com/   

(Girlgigs productions – girlgigs@yahoo.com) 

We are happy to announce that we have just confirmed a location for a dance in
Vancouver on March 15th!!
 
The new management at the Howard Johnson’s (formerly the Biltmore) has offered us
a monthly Saturday night for a women’s over-30’s dance. The lounge has an intimate
setting with couches and a good sized dance floor. This is an opportunity to
establish a monthly space for women in a prime location.  There is plenty of free
parking at the hotel and across the street.
 
Dancing begins at 9pm with DJ Susan Y until 1 am.
Howard Johnson’s is located at 12th and Kingsway.
Opening night cover is $7
Please respond by email to reserve your tickets. djsusandyeager@hotmail.com

VANCOUVER OUTDOOR CLUB FOR WOMEN XMAS DANCE
Saturday, December 8th

125 W. 17th at Main st. ( just up from the Heritage Hall) 7-9 Appetizers
9-1 am Dance with DJ Joan. (fantastic dj!!)
Free for VOCW members; 5 dollars for guests
You can becom a member at the door –  20 dollars for the year.

More information: http://www.outdoorwomen.ca/

Recently, I also came across a social evaluation of these products that I found helpful. The Human Rights Campaign, a non-profit in the US, has evaluated a large number of US companies on their level of respect for gay and lesbian people’s human rights in the workplace. They classify the companies in three groups, basically ones that are doing a good job, ones that are getting better and ones that are awful. Here’s a link to their technology section. You can click on other categories from that page to see the ratings of other items, including cars, food, hotels and more. If you click on a company’s scores you will see why they scored as they did.  There’s also a printable pdf version you can take shopping with you.

I was pleased to see that my old standby recommendations (HP and Dell) had a 100 pt rating.  However, other products I’ve purchased such from Polaroid, McAfee and Nokia were rated a lot lower. McAfee wouldn’t be my first choice to recommend in antivirus software anyhow. Only Norton has been worse in my experience in conflicts with other software. Lexmark also has 100 pts, but I can’t recommend their printers, whose driver software I’ve found to be buggy and intrusive, and whose ink is quite expensive. 

SUNDAY DECEMBER 9
A CHICKS WITH PICKS XMISS
CHICKS ROCK FOR PWN!!!
annual  POSTIVE WOMEN’S NETWORK Christmas benefit
featuring performances by … SANDY SCOFIELD  SHELLEY LENNOX  BONNIE STE-CROIX  LEELA GILDAY  MELISA DEVOST  KATE REID   JILL NEWMAN  JOANNA CHAPMAN-SMITH  YVETTE NARLOCK  SUGARBEACH  CRIS DERKSEN  NADINE DAVENPORT CAROLE COTE  ROBIN TOMA  PASCALE GOODRICH-BLACK  and a very special guest appearance by  … you’ll have to come to find out …
The Railway Club …. 579 Dunsmuir St.
Doors: 7pm  Show: 8pm
Admission: $5 with non-perishable food or bath items or both!!
Please join the girlgig production crew and line-up of multi talented artists who have come together to celebrate and contribute to this wonderful and important cause … always a huge success & sooooooooooooo much fun!!!!!
ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New classes are back! (5 week session)
It’s back to 45 minute classes this time around to try and fill at least some of your requests, keeping in mind the various levels of experience. More beginners classes in the New Year. Be sure to sign up. You asked for it! Classes could be cancelled if registration is low.Monday November 19 through December 17 (5 weeks)
Let’s Dance Studio, 927 Granville – 2nd Floor
Instructors: Ian Kirkonnel and Murray Schellenberg

7:00 – 7:45 pm Intermediate Level: Night Club 2 Step with Ian Kirkonnel
7:45 – 8:30 pm Level 2: Slow Waltz (for our newer students and those who haven’t danced waltz for awhile) Murray Schellenberg
8:30 – 9:15 pm Beginner Level: Samba – scintillating, sexy, smooth Latin Dance!Saturday November 24 through December 15 (5 weeks)
Legion Hall, 6th & Commercial, 2nd floor (go through auditorium door on street level)
Instructor: Geraldine Goyer

10:30 – 11:15 am Level 2: West Coast Swing (continuation of present class; others welcome to join)
11:15 – 12:00 pm – Intermediate Level: Rumba – the dance of love. For all who have had at least one or more classes in Rumba
12:00 – 12:45 pm Beginner Level: International Fox TrotFees:
$40 per lesson or $12 drop in
$70 for 2 lessons Your choice: Mondays, Saturdays or combination of both
$100 for 3 lessons Your choice: Mondays, Saturdays or combination of both