Making a difference in the River Valley
by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief
“Time after time we've seen people come to an event fearful and isolated at first,” said Jordan Ruud, Board Secretary of River Valley Equality Center (RVEC) in Ft. Smith, Ark. “Given our friendly encouragement, though, they come back, and with the passage of time, we've seen so many of the people we’re proud to serve blossom into happy, self-confident individuals.”
RVEC started in 2012 when a group of local people realized the Arkansas River Valley needed an organization to provide support for the LGBT+ community. Recently, they celebrated their fifth year of hosting River Valley Pride, which was commemorated by a proclamation from Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders declaring the week of June 6 – 14 as Pride Week in Fort Smith.
“We offer a sounding board for everyone in our community, whether they're youth on the verge of coming out, settled adults looking for a social outlet, or transgender people who feel isolated and need to talk to others like them,” Ruud asserted.
“In the River Valley, a fairly large region with pockets of geographical isolation and whose LGBT communities present widely varying needs, we're able to accommodate the needs of our community by offering opportunities for fellowship and fun, both virtually and in-person.
“We're keenly responsive to our community's needs,” he added emphatically. “For example, after marriage equality came about in 2015, we retooled our agenda away from specifically promoting that toward fulfilling other needs, such as those of our transgender population.
“The work we face is never over, but with our flexibility and willingness to help our entire community, we anticipate that we'll be happily doing this work for years to come.”
RVEC currently offers a Transgender Support Group that meets one Saturday a month at the Fort Smith Public Library. They work in concert with the local AA group specific to people in the LGBT+ community, and are looking to resume their LGBT+ Support and Friends & Family support groups (at Fort Smith Public Library) in addition to making plans for other groups to host.
“We recently hosted a community meeting to take suggestions and input from our community members for future events,” added Jason Phillips, President of RVEC. “We are in the process of starting up some athletic leagues, like a bowling team and disc golf.
“We also plan to resume having community dinners once a month, likely the first Tuesday of the month. We do plan to informally offer other events, like a board game night or maybe just having a BBQ at someone's home.”
Phillips has been involved at some level with RVEC since 2013, serving as both treasurer (2013 – 2014) and president (2014 – 2015). He stepped away from the organization in 2016 “for self-care.” He returned as president in April 2017 with the retirement of past president, Jeremy Woody.
All non-profits must raise money to continue providing services to the community they serve, and RVEC is no different. Each spring they hold their annual gala, a tradition that began in 2013. Gala fun includes a full-service bar, hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction and entertainment.
“We strive to have a fun theme for our guests every year, like ‘Through the Looking Glass’ in 2015 and ‘Back to Oz’ in 2016. We offer entertainment from some of the best and brightest drag talent in the state,” concluded Phillips.
The date for the next annual gala will be April 7, 2018. Ticket prices typically average around $50, with a group discount if you purchase a table seating eight.
RVEC relies on word-of-mouth and social media to get their message out. Be sure and visit their website at www.rvecark.org, check them out on Facebook/RiverValleyEqualityCenter or Twitter @RVEC2012.
Copyright 2017 The Gayly – August 22, 2017 @ 9:30 a.m. CDT.