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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield holds fourth annual Pride Parade
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The city of Springfield held its fourth annual Pride Parade in its downtown region. 'Loud and proud' pride celebrations come from a history rooted in oppression. Back in the early 1900s, same-sex acts were illegal in every state except Illinois, and businesses were shut down for employing or serving gay people. Springfield Pride Parade annual 'You Ball' benefits LGBTQ+ youth In June of 1969, there were a series of riots, protests, and police raids in New York City, particularly outside the Stonewall Inn. Years later, it caught the attention of U.S. presidents to make this month official to support LGBTQ+ rights. 'It means support, it means love, it means being loud, it means get your message out there and tell the world who you are and be unapologetic about it,' said Taurean Bethea, Executive Director of the Springfield Pride Parade Organization. 'It's still a work in progress, and we still have a long way to go, but I think it starts with things like this.' That is why the Springfield Pride Parade Committee used its annual pride parade to raise money for local programs serving the youth. The Safe Space program is currently in six Springfield Public Schools as an after-school program. In the next year, the committee hopes to expand it to the everyday curriculum. 'We have to shape our next generation of leaders and make sure they know that they have the support,' Bethea said. 'That they can get out there and take risks, and just go big, to really change the world.' The parade kicked off at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). 'Our middle name is 'community,' and pride is community,' said Traci Wolfe, Assistant Vice President of Advancement at STCC. The rain didn't stop anyone from marching down State Street and into Stearns Square. There were nearly 40 organizations present, and people from across the Pioneer Valley stopped by to show their support. 'Pride means to me just everyone getting together, staying true to oneself, and just being out and being proud about it,' said Taylor Scannapieco of Chicopee. Pride events are set to continue across western Mass. throughout the month of June. A full list of upcoming local parades and activities can be found here. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Town of Hay River, N.W.T., gives money to youth centre, neighbourhood watch program
The Town of Hay River, N.W.T., is investing in some of its local non-profit organizations. The Hay River Youth Centre and a local neighbourhood watch program will each receive $2,500 to support their initiatives. The money comes from a $5,000 prize the town received after winning the 2025 Healthy Community Award in March, from the N.W.T. Association of Communities. The award is given to a community dedicated to creating a healthy environment for residents. Glenn Smith, senior administrative officer for the Town of Hay River, said both organizations set to receive the funding fall within the mandate of the town's healthy community strategy, a 10-year plan launched late last year. "It just seems like there's a fit there. So I think the council is hopeful," he said. "You need these volunteer groups to build a healthy community." Smith said the neighbourhood watch program strengthens crime enforcement initiatives in the community by bringing an increased level of vigilance that is beyond the ability of officials and law enforcement. "These community groups provide another set of resources in a different approach," he said. "They're not tied into as much bureaucracy as governments might be." Smith said the Hay River Youth Centre was another obvious choice for the funding. Creating a space for youth to feel safe, express themselves, and access programming is paramount to providing a healthy environment for youth, he said. "One of the objectives refers to improving children and youth safety and access to opportunity," Smith said. "So, at a time of need, council was happy to support them." The Hay River Youth Centre reopened on April 1 after being forced to temporarily closed in March because of a funding shortfall. It's currently operating at limited hours until it can secure more funding for the upcoming year. "We're at a point where we're just going to apply for as many grants as possible," said Scott Cloutier, the centre's executive director. "We are anticipating, hopefully by June, we'll be able to expand our hours." Cloutier said the money from the town will help the centre continue to support youth by offering a safe space and tailored programming such as a greenhouse initiative and cooking classes. They have even attended youth conferences through the Students Commission of Canada. "I think all those things are crucial," he said. Watch program to install cameras, patrol streets Hans Wiedemann, a member of the neighbourhood watch group, said the money will help the group strengthen its community surveillance efforts. They hope to strategically place more cameras around the community and expand their camera lending program. The funding will also help get their patrol vehicle on the road. The vehicle is currently in the shop where a local mechanic is performing repairs by donation. "It's a community effort," said Wiedemann. "We need more corporate citizens like [the auto shop] that have really stepped up and helped the community." Wiedemann said the patrol vehicle will be equipped with dash cams, and volunteers, who already use their own vehicles to patrol, will be better equipped to observe and report. Residents who want to help but lack the ability can still support by registering their own security cameras with "If there is an incident, the police know that you have a camera and they can access it," Wiedemann said. One noticeable difference the group has seen since starting the watch program is a drop in trespassing, door-handle checkers, and property crimes. Wiedemann says criminals know they are being watched, and that's made them less brazen in their actions. Wiedemann said the goal of the neighbourhood watch is to create safer streets for youth, families, and elders. The group welcomes anyone who wants to support their efforts, whether by volunteering or registering their cameras.
