Fort Collins Lambda aims to bounce back in 2012

Details about why the Lambda Community Center canceled its 2011 Pride are  gradually being released.

Recently I met with Amanda Keller, the treasurer of the Lambda in Fort Collins. She was happy to give Out Front Colorado an update on the center’s activities and plans for the upcoming year.

Keller and I last spoke the day after Lambda issued a press release May 23 announcing it would be canceling the 2011 Pride celebration in Fort Collins, just days before the event. At that time, Keller could share few details, but stated that the cancellation was “due to financial troubles.”

When I asked Keller about the updates at the Lambda she said the nonprofit is still in the process of reorganization.

“We are looking at every piece from leadership of the board, to staff, to volunteers, to what role our community members will play,” she said. “It has been a really long crisis and unfortunately so many things were broken here, and we didn’t see it.”

She added that the Lambda has been working with Longmont-based consultants to help them restructure.

“In addition,” Keller said, “we have been asking questions of other LGBT centers, seeking their input. We are really close to having a plan completed. We are hoping before Christmas. We want to start 2012 anew [to] be stronger, healthier, more stable and vibrant.”

The Lambda Board of Directors are President Jim Zimmerman, Vice President Barbara Bue, Secretary John Case and Keller as the Treasurer.

When I asked Keller specifically about what happened to Pride’s budget last May, she revealed the most shocking news.

“The IRS swooped in and levied our bank account,” she said.

The IRS began to look more closely at the Lambda’s finances after finding errors in their payroll taxes.

But since the IRS’ involvement at the Lambda, Keller admitted that their debts are now paid off, allowing them to move forward.

During our May interview, I had asked Keller about possible cuts to programs or services at Lambda. At the time she said that their goal was to continue all of the current programming. She recently admitted that since then the Lambda has only discontinued one program and said that it had nothing to do with their budget crisis. The nonprofit is actually expanding programming with a new program called the Intersex Support Group.

So what’s in store for next year’s Fort Collins Pride celebration? According to Keller the board is currently budgeting for next year’s celebration. Fort Collins’ Pride festivities will be back in business in 2012.

Intersex support group forms at Lambda

A new program now being offered at Lambda is a peer led support group for the intersex community. Dana Zzyym, an intersex-transgender woman is leading the group. Zzyym’s goal for the group is initial support and directing more interest for programming down the road. The group meets on the first Monday of each month. For more information contact Zzyym by email at dana@lamdacenter.org or call 970-221-3247.