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Free Hugs, Fundraisers and Festival Organizers: How Volunteers Make Pride What It Is

 

Alexandra Beninda (right) sitting next to Transgender Michigan founder Rachel Crandall-Crocker. Beninda is a volunteer at Ferndale Pride this year who will be giving out free hugs.

Alexandra Beninda: Have Hugs, Will Travel
Free hugs.
That's an official volunteer opportunity at Ferndale Pride this year, and when Alexandra Beninda learned of it, she was eager to lend a hand — or arms, to be precise.
"That's right up my alley — I normally do that anyway," Beninda said with a laugh. She called it "an ideal activity" for her. Beninda said she originally signed up for three shifts of hugging, from noon to 6 p.m., but decided to cut that short. Depending on the weather, she said by 4 o'clock she "might be not-so-huggable."
Attendees interested should look for "free hugs" volunteers in their team T-shirts. It's a program sponsored by Jim Shaffer and Associates Realtors.
Having volunteered at Ferndale Pride in years past at various booths, including Transgender Michigan, Beninda has lived in Ferndale since 2015. She said she's assisted with fundraisers that support the event as well. Beninda explained that volunteering for Pride is one of the ways she supports not only the LGBTQ community but also the local community.
"For one thing, I love the Pride activities," she said, "but I also love Ferndale, particularly all the businesses in Ferndale. So, when the fundraisers are at different localities that are supported by the different businesses that support pride, I feel doubly obligated to be active and part of those activities."
Before returning to Metro Detroit in 2015, Beninda said she lived in the Washington, D.C. area for 23 years, where she was very active with D.C. Pride.
"I've always wanted to be involved in pride activities wherever I was at," she said, "but I've been excited all the time that they have a pride event right here in Ferndale."
Volunteering in general, and hugs in particular, seems to suit Beninda's nature. She described living in Ferndale's Autumn House Apartments, where she said she takes particular concern in her neighbors there who are disabled or who are elderly and have medical issues.
Though Beninda may be modest and unassuming, her own experience with Pride throughout the years may serve to inspire to others in the LGBTQ community who haven't considered volunteering before.
"The whole Pride event is always important to me. … It's changed a lot because it sometimes is a lot more commercial and business-oriented … but it still is the event where people can get out and enjoy themselves and express themselves how they want. Nobody gets real crazy in Ferndale," she said with a laugh. "That's what I've always enjoyed about the Pride activities … is that it's a good event for people that are in the LGBT community to be out there and active and supportive. There's a lot of places yet that that's a hard thing to do."

Rolanda Kelley and her partner, Jess Walsh, at the fundraiser. Photo by Rolanda Kelley.

Rolanda Kelley: First-Time Volunteer, Big-Time Fundraiser
For Rolanda Kelley, attending Ferndale Pride each year is something she's always enjoyed. But this time around, it's extra special.
"I love it," Kelley said. "I live in Ferndale and I love the city and I love the community and Pride is always on my birthday weekend … all my friends come out — my straight friends, my work friends.
"It's where I first started going and feeling that I could be myself," she continued. "[It's] one of the only places that I could be myself, at pride, and hold my partner's hand and not worry about who was watching or who was judging. And it was just something I always knew I wanted to be more involved in."
To that end, this year Kelley talked to Ferndale Pride event chair Julia Music, who put her in charge of a fundraising event. It was a perfect fit. In the end, Kelley — with the help of her friends — amassed enough donations to put together the most successful fundraiser in Ferndale Pride's history. All told, over $3,000 was raised for Pride at First Wednesday Queerest Tin Can Raffle hosted by Rose Garcia of "The Real L Word" at Rosie O'Grady's on May 1.
When asked how she managed to amass that amount, she said that first and foremost she had friends — and her partner especially — who assisted in soliciting items from area businesses.
"Gift cards and gift baskets. Basically, every single business we went to said, 'Absolutely,'" Kelley recalled. "We had a lot of amazing gifts, and so much support from the community, not just the LGBTQIA community, but everyone. It was just awesome. Overwhelming. Such an amazing experience."
Kelley said the event was also a great opportunity to showcase new or little-known businesses in Ferndale, like Midnight Obsessions, whose owner Sandiego attended the fundraiser along with owners of other shops. One-of-a-kind donations were part of the unique-to-Ferndale event, too. A rainbow cornhole set named "Love Wins" was made especially for the raffle by Pammy Bali and Melissa Hearth and was donated to Affirmations by the individual who won it.
From attending Ferndale Pride over the years to becoming a major force behind the scenes, Kelley reflected on the significance of volunteering for something that in 2019 Ferndale, many in the LGBTQ community take for granted.
"They need our help," she said. "It's all volunteer-based, and I think we don't realize that. We go, we're there, we participate and we're excited. But we don't realize all that takes to go into it and it's all volunteer-based. It's all community-based. We all need to get involved. If everyone did just a little bit it would make such a big impact."

Sandiego, owner of Midnight Obsessions (a new business in Ferndale) holding a basket of donated goodies. Photo: Rolanda Kelley

Dave Wait: It All Started with a Single Shift
"Seventeen years ago, I helped out with a shift at the festival, and then just got more involved from there."
That might sound like the statement of any particularly dedicated Pride volunteer, but considering those are the words of Motor City Pride's Chair of the Board and Planning Committee Dave Wait, it's especially worthy of note. He is, in fact, a volunteer himself and reported that this year is on track to be the biggest event ever — an event that has always been entirely volunteer-run.
"We couldn't do the festival without the volunteers," Wait said. "And it's just great working with and meeting new people who come to volunteer each year to get involved and give back. And it's also heartwarming to see these people who are going to give up their time to help put on the festival for other individuals."
"We'll get about 300 volunteers to help out at the festival," Wait continued, estimating this year's number. "A lot of them help out at the welcome gate, the family area, with the entertainment and then also with the beverage sales. We have people help out with the parade, to make sure it keeps flowing and [to] help people get lined up."
Wait added they have a core production team that helps throughout the year. Planning for the following year's festival begins almost immediately after each year's ends, and goes into full swing in September.

Motor City Pride volunteers. Courtesy photo.

Why He Does It
Although Wait began volunteering 17 years ago, he said he really started devoting most of his free time to the organization a few years back, after Equality Michigan assisted Motor City Pride in becoming its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit. One reason Wait said he enjoys giving of himself to the degree that he does for the festival is that he like bringing people together: the event is an opportunity for people to connect with the many nonprofits, health providers and various organizations and companies that support Motor City Pride.
But when it comes to his continued commitment to Motor City Pride, Wait said creating a space that enables LGBTQ people to feel comfortable being who they are is what he finds most gratifying.
"I think the biggest moving thing for me is when I see people who aren't out in their everyday life or aren't able to be their authentic self that can come to the festival and have a safe space that they can really be who they are for that day or for that weekend," Wait said. "And I meet people like that every year, who aren't comfortable or able to be out on a day-to-day basis. This is a place that they can do that to be able to begin that journey.
"And in a way, it's too bad that it's still a challenge for people in today's time," he said. "But it really makes it show how relevant festivals like this truly still are."

Where to Volunteer
There are still at least 100 roles to fill for volunteers. Each slot is a four-hour commitment, and volunteers receive free admission to the festival for the weekend (otherwise $5 per day), a free T-shirt, food vouchers and parking assistance. Saturday afternoon help is especially needed, he said.

Motor City Pride will be held Saturday, June 8 (1 to 9 p.m., entrance closes at 8 p.m.) and June 9 (noon to 7 p.m., entrance closes at 6 p.m.) at Hart Plaza. Cover charge: $5 (free for age 12 and under). Sign up here.

Ferndale Pride will be held Saturday, June 1, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Volunteer for Ferndale Pride here. Volunteer for free hugs at Ferndale Pride here.

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