Picnic Raises Funds, Profile for Gay Center

As part of an effort to increase gay pride festivities in Ventura, the Gay and Lesbian Center sponsored a picnic and fund-raiser Saturday in Marina Park.

About 150 people turned out to eat burgers, watch a drag queen lip-syncing show and participate in a small auction.

“It’s an opportunity to celebrate pride and get together,” said Edie Brown, chairwoman of the center’s board of directors.

Picnic planner Bobby Nelson said the Ventura group would eventually like to have a more established annual pride festival, similar to the recent event in Simi Valley. But this year, a midsummer picnic seemed the best idea.

“It’s more of an event to just get together and have fun,” Nelson said.

The picnic also provides a way to build a stronger community, he said.

“Everything like this gives us an opportunity to be out, rather than resorting to bars,” Nelson said.

Toni Jones, who is active with the center, agrees that those in the gay and lesbian community need more opportunities for socializing.

“Any way that we can encourage community involvement and celebrate who we are, we take advantage of it,” Jones said.

To help raise funds, picnic-goers made a small donation for their sodas and burgers, and had a chance to bid on artworks and gift certificates from local merchants.

Randi Ramirez, who runs a transgender support group at the center, said he attended the picnic for some camaraderie but also thinks it’s important to be involved with the community.

“Any time you have a chance to get together in a public setting, people get to see we’re not any different than they are,” he said.

Ramirez sat in a lawn chair with his friend Ruth Irussi of Oxnard, who was there with her daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

“What’s nice is to have a place to go where you can share various lifestyles,” she said.