Event Recap: Global Youth Service Day - Tree Planting, Drumming, more...

The LGBT Center had the pleasure of helping out with making metro St. Louis more green! Blue & I planted trees at The Green Center's park near the corner of McKnight and Olive in U. City.

I know, you're thinking the heavy Home Depot-type. Actually, these were just sprouting and looked more like a stick with roots than a tree (good for my 110-pound small frame). Planting trees were amazingly easy, far easier than I remember from Channel 9's perspective. Most of the seedlings were planted about a foot apart. By the time Blue and I arrived, much of the underbrush had been cleared and the ground had softened from an earlier rain. We were able to dig holes (about a foot or so deep) without any problems. Many of the trees were sprouting already. Some looked dormant, but our guide, Susan Mintz from The Green Center, assured us that they were alive and well... and ready to be planted!

Blue and I, being the ever-creative beings that we are, decided to name the trees: Dusty, Sparky, Sprouty, Bartholomew, Chaka Khan (thanks to Andy from Art of Living), and Rick James. We were hoping that this would encourage the trees to grow strong and tall. We'll check back to see how we did.

The most enjoyable part of this adventure was that the whole day focused around youth participation. I remember a couple of little boys being determined in their planting, looking very seriously at the ground to make sure they did not step on any seedlings. I was emotionally moved. I like seeing kids take an initiative, effort, and care into what they do (which is rare nowadays).

After the planting, clearing, digging and such, we all packed up and returned to The Green Center for a potluck feast. To my surprise, I was able to eat a lot of the tasty food (Blue & I are both vegan). Unfortunately, we did not continue on to the drumming session, which looked like a lot of fun. However, Blue & I made some new friends and reconnected with existing ones.

Hope your Earth Week was equally as informing.

To learn more about The Green Center
and their upcoming activities, visit:
http://www.thegreencenter.org/

Photos: (upper left) Blue, Executive Director of The Center, and Susan of The Green Center [in black hoodie], and Norm of "Art of Living St. Louis" after a lot of digging...; (lower right) A determined young tree planter looking for the perfect spot... Photos by Andy Nunberg.


Shän
------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com

Blue's Testimony: "Art of Living" Course

Hello all,

By now, I hope that you've seen flyers, information, etc. about the Art of Living courses. If you need a little extra "boost" to show you what people think about it, Ms. Blue (Executive Director, The Center) has taken the course and provided the following:

"I recently took the Art of Living Course I and found the course itself along with tools that I use regularly to be very beneficial to my physical health and keeping my stress level (and darlings, I have a large cup of stress to deal with) balanced.

In the LGBT Community our overall well being (mental, physical and spiritual) has been an important focus for a number of decades. Homophobia, Biphobia and Bi invisibility and Transphobia are all stressors to individuals in our community along with physical health challenges like HIV and AIDS and breast cancer to name a few. Stress is a main factor that affects all physical ailments. It is vital that we incorporate holistic ways to address our mental and physical health. The Art of Living Course is designed to support a more stress free life giving the tools to do so.

I suggest checking out the informational and taking the time to take the course. Relieving the stress in your life is worth it."

-- Blue, Executive Director, The LGBT Comm. Center of Metro St. Louis

See the flyer below for Art of Living's upcoming May & June 2008 courses.

(click for larger image)

Visit Art of Living online at http://us.artofliving.org/mo/stlouis for details about the course. Informational introductory courses (listed on website) are free to attend.


For more information:
Mary Kunce
314-283-6953
stlouis@us.artofliving.org


Financial assistance for this event may be available for those who qualify.


------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com

Event Recap: Financial Seminar for Gay Men and Lesbians

Hello all,

After having the financial seminar, I had a while to contemplate on some of the information and issues addressed in regard to the financial health of the LGBT community.

One of the foremost issues was "what happens when my loved one..." You can fill-in the blank on this one.

Many couples have the mentality of "Well, I only have to take care of myself financially and maybe help support my spouse, but that's really it." But what happens when someone is no longer mentally capable of making decisions for themselves? What happens to the property that is shared? Who inherits and/or handles the house, car, bank accounts?

Unfortunately, many LGBT couples fail to realize the harsh facts behind inheritance. Many wait until a devastating catastrophe (earthquakes, hurricanes, violent attacks, etc.), then try to rush to obtain the best lawyer/accountant they can find to help them "fight" for the house, car(s), and money that was shared. One thing that all of the speaker wanted to share was how important it is to have even a simple will drawn up to direct where money and remaining assets go.

To help in the effort to financially educate, I've inserted some info about the event's speakers (but it sure doesn't replace being there and asking TONS of questions):

Kevin McCormack, MetLife
Kevin is the Regional Manager of MetLife for the MO, MN, KS, NE, IA, OK, AR, and TX states. He enlighted us on the benefits and advantages of the new MetLife online bank (started in 2000). The money market account works very similar to standard checking ones, except for one difference: A limit of 6 transactions per month. Another ascetically pleasing benefit to the MetLife Money Market account: reimbursements of up to $5 per month for ATM transactions fees.

Also, I've attached some of Kevin's handouts (apologies for the scanner's poor quality):

Interest rates for Money Market
and High Yield Savings Account
(including IRA Money Market)
(click image to view larger version)

Interest rates for
Certificates of Deposit
(click image to view larger version)

Home Equity Line of Credit
(click image to view larger version)

To find out more about the MetLife online bank, contact Kevin J. McCormick at (636)736-3314.


Terry Crow, Attorney (Legal & Financial Services)
Terry is a licensed and practicing lawyer with the firm Crow, Takacs & Texier, LLC. He delved into the aspects of proactive planning - focusing on the various elements one needs to consider (both financially and legally) to protect their rights and the rights of their partner:

• Transfer of Death (TOD) enables transferal of certain accounts (securites) to your partner or a designated party WITHOUT having to go through probate court.
  
• Payable on Death (POD) or a "Totten Trust" allows one to pass on a bank account (trust) to another upon death.
• Beneficiary Deeds are used to pass on titles upon death without much involvement from the courts.
• Springing Power of Attorney (POA) is much like our standard vision of POA, but takes over when one is incapacitated either mentally or physically and cannot make decisions for themselves. Usually this comes on when a doctor has deemed that the individual is unable to make medical decisions for themselves. But careful... these are good for about 5 years. You'll want to keep them renewed!
  

Make sure to check with your legal representative to see which of these elements are available for you and your family. Certain states may not recognize them.

To find out more about legal and financial protection, contact Terry Crow at (314)918-0045.


Connie Bober, MetLife
Connie is an Investment Adviser for MetLife and also a coordinator with the LGBT business association, the Gateway Business Guild. She touched on the investment opportunities available for LGBT individuals and why using these vehicles are important to building financial freedom. The slideshow presentation started off by asking 5 simple questions to consider:

1. Where do you want to be?
2. Where are you now?
3. What might change?
4. What can get in the way?
5. How can your money work for you?

Throughout, we learned how goal-setting, knowing your net worth (including insurance, benefits, and risk tolerance), calculating the cost of change (such as relocation, getting a new home, providing for a sick/aging/disabled loved one, changing/loosing a job, or death/incapacitation), and paying yourself first through investments, tax minimization/deferral, and understanding your retirement costs all contribute to lifelong financial stability. She stressed the importance of having a financial professional to help with these needs.

To find out more about MetLife's financial professional services, contact Connie Bober at (636)736-3339.


Special thank you to Jon Shigemura for putting together this wonderful event and the speakers for donating their time to inform the LGBT community on what they should be considering for their financial future. Also thanks to Financial Planner and Investment Advisor, Mary Alice Davidson, for contributing commentary to the discussion. As well as another "thank you" to Kevin for providing dinner as well as contributing to Dining Out For Life. Both Blue & I learned A LOT during this free seminar, as well as the others who attended.


Shän

------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com

Upcoming Event (5/10/08): Urbanaire

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Urbanaire
Benefitting Promo, promoting equality for all Missourians

Date: May 10, 2008


Time: 7:30 p - 12:30 a


Place:
The Rialto Ballroom in Grand Center
Centene Center for the Arts
3547 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63103

Click HERE for Maps & Directions


Tickets & More Info: Log onto www.promoonline.org


Featuring:
Rivival
El Scorcho
Boogaloo
Fu ManChu
Farshi
Gravity Plays Favorites
Pangaea's Vault
... and much more!


Complimentary drinks provided by Luxco and Anheuser-Busch!



Shän
------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com

Upcoming Event (4/25/08 - 4/27/08): Sistahs Indeed! by Mariah Richardson

(click for a larger image)

Sistahs Indeed!
A piece about the joys and tribulations
of sisterhood in the post-feminist era.

by Mariah Richardson
Directed By Mary Hurley

April 18-19 & 25-26, 2008 @ 8 pm
April 20 & 27 @ 3 pm

Mildred E. Bastian Center
for the Performing Arts Room
Forest Park Community College
5600 Oakland Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-644-9100

Click HERE for Map & Directions

$4 for adults, $2 for students and seniors
Free w/ valid St. Louis Community College ID

MATURE CONTENT

Shän
------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com