Please join us at our Tuesday, January 14, 2020 support meeting of PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Sedona Public Library, located at 3250 White Bear Road in Sedona. Our speaker will be Mr. Barry Maketansky, Vice President and founding member of Unify Sedona, A Rainbow Alliance. Barry is actively involved in the non-profit community across the Verde Valley. In addition to being the Vice President of Unify Sedona, Barry is a board member and lead facilitator for Northern Arizona Restorative Justice and serves on the board of the Sedona International Film Festival. Barry was also the former president of the Verde Valley Sanctuary. Raised in New Jersey, Barry did his undergraduate work at Michigan State University and has continued his graduate studies in the non-profit and philanthropic areas. Much of Barry’s work has included the defense of endangered species against extinction, special expedition cruises in the Amazon and varied ecological studies for national Geographic in Mexico and Central America. Barry’s interests include the environment, animal welfare, theater and social injustice. Barry Maketansky’s presentation will focus on the activities of Unify Sedona. Unify Sedona promotes acceptance and celebrates diversity through education and collaboration. The organization facilitates conversations around films, speakers, theater, etc., that address issues of importance to the LGBTQ community. They embrace uniqueness, value the strength of togetherness, and work to build bridges that unify Sedona and surrounding communities. Unify Sedona’s work centers around four pillars that are the organization’s foundation: nondiscrimination, youth and education, transgender rights and health and aging. Please join PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley in welcoming Barry Maketansky and learning about Unify Sedona.

Please join us at our Tuesday, December 10, 2019 support meeting of PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley.  The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Sedona Public Library, located at 3250 White Bear Road in Sedona.

There will be no speaker/program at this meeting.  At 6:30 p.m., we will hear about PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley and LGBTQ news/legislation updates and celebrate the Holiday season.  To get into the holiday spirit, meeting attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite “Ugly Holiday sweaters” or other holiday garb!  We will begin a 90-minute support group sharing and discussion session at 7:00 p.m.

We will also be doing a drawing for a beautiful Love touchstone pendant created by local artist, Shey Khandro.  Those who paid their PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley membership dues by November 12^th will be entered into this drawing.

Please mark your calendars and join us at our Tuesday, December 10, 2019 support meeting starting at 6:30 p.m.   All are welcome to attend!

Please join us on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the Sedona Public Library for our monthly support meeting.  We are very excited to have students and their advisor from the Mingus Union High School group call YATCY (Yavapai Anti-Tobacco Coalition of Youth) as our presenters.  YATCY made Arizona history in 2016 by obtaining a unanimous yes vote with the Cottonwood city council to increase the tobacco and vape sales age from 18-21!  Tobacco use is killing at least 30,000 LGBTQ people each year in the US.  The tobacco industry purposely targets LGBTQ population by sponsoring LGBTQ events, placing ads in mainstream Magazines that have a high LGBTQ readership, and direct advertising in LGBTQ specific media.   Youth feel like outsiders, so they smoke to fit in.

The presenters will be Jen Mabery, Emily Mohr and Abby Heydorn.  Jen, a 34 year resident of the Verde Valley, is the adviser to this amazing group.   Having been an outdoor guide and teambuilding facilitator, her passions for community, service work and education brought her to Yavapai County Community Health Education, where she is now a health educator, working primarily in tobacco education.  She is also the adult coordinator for the YATCY group at Mingus Union High School.

Emily Mohr is the current President of YATCY. Emily is a Junior at Mingus Union High School. This year at the Students Direction Summer Conference she was awarded the MVP of her club and The Most Inspirational. She works passionately on educating her peers and the community on the harmful affects of tobacco use. Emily lead YATCY in presenting to the entire student body on addiction by holding two school assemblies. Her family is most important to her and you will often find her and her family boating on the lake!

Abby Heydorn is a sophomore at Mingus Union High School. Abby is definitely our “idea and let’s get it done” person. She participates in community presentations, peer to peer education, and serves as a mentor to 5^th grade level students from Clarkdale school, teaching them about the harmful effects of tobacco use. She is currently working on several different community awareness projects, which include an Opioid awareness campaign and a Cottonwood Humane Society drive to educate pet owners of the harmful effects of tobacco use and pets. Abby is so very passionate about her community and one of her main loves is the Theatre. She is part of her school Theatre troop and you will see her often on stage!  And she is a founding member of the newly formed GSA at Mingus Union High School.

Just a reminder to pay your dues!  Those who pay on or before November 12^th will entered into a drawing for a beautiful Love touchstone pendant created by Shey Khandro.

Please join us on Monday, October 14, 2019, when our speaker will be Stephanie Foley of the Sedona Police Department.  Stephanie oversees the field operations for the Sedona Police Department.  She began her career with the City of Sedona in 2005 as a dispatcher. In December 2005, Stephanie became a sworn officer and has worked numerous assignments along the way:  Field Training Officer, K9 Handler, Sergeant, to her current position as Lieutenant.

Stephanie is a graduate of Northern Arizona University and received her bachelor of arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology.  She recently attended a 10 week leadership course through Northwestern University and will be attending the FBI National Academy in October of 2020. 

Stephanie is married to her wife Jet Foley. They both work with numerous organizations and volunteer their time to help others.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the organizations they are a part of.  Jet and Stephanie are going into their second year with their Little Sister Ky.  

Just a reminder, we are currently in the midst of our 2019-2020 membership drive. You can join via our website at pflagsedona.org, at the meeting or by sending your check to PFLAG Sedona/Verde Valley, P. O. Box 20033, Sedona, AZ  86341 ($50 individual/$75 family).  If you join before November 11, 2019, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for this beautiful necklace handcrafted by Sedona’s own Shey Khandro.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday, October 14, 2019 at 6:30 pm in Painted Cliffs Hall of the Church of the Red Rocks, 54 Bowstring Drive, Sedona.  A facilitated support meeting will follow beginning around 7:35 pm.  All are welcome.