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Fort Collins Pride in the Park cancelled

Fort Collins Pride in the Park cancelled

Members of the Northern Colorado LGBT community take part in Pride in the Park June 2010. Organizers canceled this year's event due to financial problems. Photo by Nikki Kushner

The Fort Collins Lambda Center has canceled its Saturday Pride festival due to financial troubles, the organization said in a May 22 letter to supporters and in a press release.

 

Executive Director Andy Stoll has also parted ways with the organization.

 

Originally scheduled for June 4, Pride in the Park would cost more money then it would generate and incur more debt for the organization, its board of directors said.

 

“These events have not historically been money makers and right now, we cannot pay for the permits, etc. required to hold the event and taking on more debt does not seem prudent,” the board said in its letter to the community.

 

Board Treasure Amanda Keller told Out Front Colorado several things were different about this year’s Pride celebration than the previous seven including up front costs that hadn’t been necessary.

 

“Lambda has yet to receive funding from some Pride event sponsors,” she said in a May 23 interview. She added, “This year’s Pride in the Park Festival has several new, high expense costs that were due in order for us to move ahead with the Pride celebration. Things such as security fencing for the entire Civic Center Park and the need to cover the cost of beer up front where it has been donated at past Pride events.”

 

While acknowledging the organization had some outstanding bills, Keller wouldn’t go into detail about what those expenses are.

 

She called the bills typical.

 

“We are currently undergoing a mini audit to see exactly where our finances stand,” she said. “As of today, we are paying bills as we discover them. We are trying to take care of all of our local vendors and suppliers first.”

 

The weekend press release, the board at large cited a downward trend in donations to nonprofits across the nation.

 

“It’s no secret that many nonprofit organizations are struggling financially in this lingering economic downturn, and the Lambda Community Center is not immune to those issues,” the statement read. “A lack of funding and donations in the past year has taken its toll on the small, but vital, community center serving the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Questioning and Allied community.”

 

Calling the decision painful, the planning committee, staff and board of directors all hope Pride in the Park will resume next year.

 

“This is the toughest decision we have been faced with to-date,” Keller said.

 

In wake of the cancellation and the separation from Stoll – which Keller wouldn’t comment on – the board is meeting twice a week to help stabilize the Center.

 

Keller said all regular programs are still being offered and there were no plans to cancel any.

 

Pre- and post-Pride parties at area businesses are still going on as planned, Keller said.

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