Cash-strapped gay, lesbian center seeks $200,000 bailout from Broward

sun-sentinel.com ^

[chance33_98]

Cash-strapped gay, lesbian center seeks $200,000 bailout from Broward

Years of financial turmoil have led Gay & Lesbian Community Center of South Florida to seek a $200,000 emergency bailout from Broward County and agree to sell its Fort Lauderdale home to developers.

The bailout would be one of the largest agreed to by the county in recent years and would be earmarked to pay for a hotline and more programs geared to segments of the gay community ranging from seniors to youths.

At the same time, the community center's board is in the final stage of a deal that would level its building to make way for a 140-unit condo high-rise. The developers are promising to build a new, but smaller, home for the center on the site as well as give it enough money to pay off its mortgage and find temporary space during construction.

But the center's management has long been a source of concern within the area's large gay community. Some question if the bailout and sale are the proper response to the financial problems and charge the deals have been shrouded in too much secrecy.

The president of the community center, Mark Ketchum, said the steps are necessary to avoid bankruptcy.

"This was the best we could do in a scary situation, but I think we will come out of it better than ever," said Ketchum, a Fort Lauderdale real estate agent and neighborhood activist.

The GLCC was founded 10 years ago in the garage of a Victoria Park home and moved to the old Shrine Club on North Andrews Avenue in 2000. The center houses an AIDS outreach program for young adults and offers social and support programs that range from bingo nights and country line dancing to gay Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and Christian lesbian discussions.

[San Jacinto]

I'm sure they badly need the money. I bet their interior decorating bill was simply outrageous.

[Condor51]

Gay 'country line dancing'!?!
I don't even want to think what that would look like.

And gay AA meetings? Those must be a hoot.''Hi, my name's Tom and I'm and alcoholic. Anyone want a date?''

~sarcasm off~

[GladesGuru]

That such a request was not rejected out of hand is all the proof needed to consider the Broward County government to be antithetical to the Republic.

What amazes me is that the gay community members are unhindered with the costs of raising a family - so they have more disposable income than normal people.

So - let them pay for their own needs! Pervs have more money available for ass-inities than does the rest of the public.

[r9etb]

But the center's management has long been a source of concern within the area's large gay community.

Just a guess, mind you, but I have a feeling that bitchiness, gossip, backstabbing, and preferential treatment for gay lovers are among the things that led to this problem.