January 2026 Newsletter
Wrap it, swap it, laugh a lot—
Our January Potluck will feature a White Elephant Gift Exchange!
Submitted by Cameryn Flynn and AI Copilot
On Saturday, January tenth, we’ll gather near,
LGBTQ+ seniors with good cheer.
A potluck feast will start the day.
And after we dine, we’ll laugh and play.
Bring a gift, but keep the value small,
Ten dollars or less—that’s all!
Wrap it up or bag it neat,
A mystery parcel, a surprise treat.
Why “white elephant”? Here’s the tale,
From Siam’s courts where legends prevail.
Sacred beasts, albino and grand,
Too costly to keep, yet revered in the land.
Kings would gift them, sly and shrewd,
A burden disguised as royal good.
So now we swap with humor bright,
Odd little treasures, delight or fright!
Come for the food, stay for the fun,
Community shines when the game’s begun.
So bring your gift, your smile, your heart,
And join the frivolity—be a part!
And that folks, courtesy of Cameryn, is our invitation to our January 10, 2026 noon potluck. Come with your white elephant or just show up and have some fun.
Santa and his favorite reindeer made a special appearance on our December zoom call. Thank you, Jeffrey and Hannah, for getting they/them here for our enjoyment at this busy time of year.
In other news, Christine and Dan represented us at the quarterly gathering of regional LGBTQ+ groups. The meeting was held at the Lincoln Center on Gonzaga's campus. Matthew and his team at Spokane Pride put it together. Each group shared briefly about their purpose, population served, financial state and more. Several groups are financially stressed, some are challenged for leadership, others are expanding and looking to take on more in very challenging environments nationally, regionally and even locally. The great news is that we are meeting and communicating with each other as organizational entities. There is hope and strength in numbers.
We are very hopeful to add a coffee and conversation day at the Spectrum Center commencing this winter. For folks wanting to have a little more contact in person, this will be a lovely way to come and share with each other over a cup of tea or coffee. Stay tuned for details soon.
Pride night for the Spokane Chiefs (FYI, that is a hockey team) is Tuesday, January 6. Some of us are going! Join us for an evening of PRIDE support and fun. More information at:
Friday, January 9, 5:30 pm kicks off a lecture series on spaces that shaped Spokane's 2SLGBTQIA+ history. Speakers will highlight more than a century of gathering places that fostered connection and belonging. The series will be held at the Q Lounge, in downtown Spokane's Richmond Hotel. Reservations can be made at hello@spokanepreservation.org. No host bar. Free admission
Our zoom speaker on January 16 is Dean Lynch, representing Human Rights Spokane. Please join us to hear his presentation about the valuable work they are doing.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 6, Tuesday: Taco Tuesday at noon
January 6, Tuesday: Chiefs Pride Night, Spokane Arena. Spokane vs Penticton.
January 8, Thursday: Steering Committee Meeting, 4 pm
January 9, Friday: Pride in Place lecture, Pride in Place, 5:30 pm at Q Lounge, 228 West Sprague, Spokane
January 10, Saturday: Pot Luck and White Elephant, noon
January 28, Wednesday: Lunch Out on the Town, noon,
every Friday: Join us for an hour of fellowship, 4:00 pm, Zoom!
Happy holidays to you all!