For a printable pamphlet about RSO click HERE
Rainbow Service Organization (RSO) is committed to promoting, advocating, and celebrating the interests of the Queer, Questioning, Lesbian, Bisexual, Two-Spirited, Transgender, and Gay community.
RSO is a volunteer-run
non-profit community organization based in Peterborough, Ontario since 1993
RSO OBJECTIVES
1. To act as a catalyst to bring the queer, questioning, lesbian, bisexual, two-Spirited, transgendered and gay (QQLBTTG) community together in a way that respects our common and diverse interests and honours our collective struggle.
2. To provide supportive, comfortable, safe, non-judgmental environments and opportunities where QQLBTTG individuals and groups can socialize, learn and interact.
3. To act as a referral source to QQLBTTG individuals and groups with medical, legal, spiritual or psychological needs.
4. To provide an accessible space for centralized resources on sexual orientation and related issues for the QQLBTTG community, professional agencies and the general population.
5. To provide regular social activities which are sensitive to the varying interests of the QQLBTTG community.
KEY RSO PRINCIPLES
- Inclusiveness that recognizes and celebrates diversity
- Community not isolation
- Non-judgmental
- Caring and supportive
- Zero tolerance of discrimination of any kind
- Work within legal structures but question them if need be
- We are a learning organization
- Advocacy and information support tolerance and acceptance.
Who Can Join RSO ?
Anyone that is part of or a friend of the Queer, Questioning, Lesbian, Bisexual, Two-Spirited, Transgender, and Gay community can join RSO.
What services does RSO provide ?
- Website with events calendar, resources, news, and more
- Newsletter (4 per year) and email updates
- Extensive lending library
- Socials and other events
Benefits of RSO Membership ?
- Discounts on RSO events
- Emailed newsletter and event listings.
- Knowledge that you are supporting the health of the QQLBTTG
community through the services provided.
RSO is your organization, and does not exist or provide services without the participation of the members of the community. We invite you to take an active role in helping us to provide increasingly better services for our community. Your membership and ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Please provide ideas, events, issues you want to suggest to RSO or ways for improving RSO. How can you help us? Email ideas and thoughts to rso@pipcom.com or mail to Box 1742, Peterborough ON, K9J 7X6
RSO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR:
Rick Lambert
VICE—CHAIR :
Bill Gunson
TREASURER:
Rick Lambert
SECRETARY:
vacant
BOARD DIRECTORS:
Rick Lambert
Bill Gunson
Bryan Nayler
Special Advisor to the Board:
Kaitlin Acres
If you are interested in being a volunteer for RSO please email us at rso@pipcom.com and indicate your areas of interest and expertise.
The Rainbow Service Organization was founded in 1993 by a group of men and women concerned by a lack of services for lesbian gay and bisexuals in the four counties of Peterborough, Haliburton, Victoria and Northumberland in Ontario, Canada.
The first two years of Rainbow existence was governed by an ad hoc committee. Funds were raised by dances and other fundraising events. One of the first things that was done was to produce, distribute and analyze a needs assessment survey. From the results of that survey, a steering committee was established to develop a strategic plan.
Resolution of internal disputes led to the establishment of three fundamental questions to assist us in setting our priorities:
What sort of organization are we to be?
How do we define inclusively without alienating large parts of the community?
How do we accommodate everybody's point of view?
The answers to these questions led to the creation of a constitution and a set of formalized policies and procedures that were adopted by the steering committee.
In 1996-1997 we faced an ever-growing problem of finances. Our grant application to The Trillium Foundation was turned down on the basis that RSO did not represent an underprivileged group. To combat this economic crunch we partnered with a new local bar in March of 1997. This partnership provided a stable source of income through provision of an overhead-free venue in which to hold our dances, a large source of our revenue.
Dances then moved to the Gordon Best Theatre and in 2003 we discontinued our relationship with that venue. More recently we have sourced revenue from memberships and City of Peterborough Grants. We continue to explore other partnerships with like minded organizations such as, Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN). On February 15th, 2007 RSO officially became a non-profit Corporation.
Our programs and social events are expanding and we continue to attract new board members that allow us to grow. For further details on programs and activities see the Programs and Newsletter links in this site.
Please feel free to contact us at:
P.O. Box 1742
Peterborough ON
K9J 7X6
RSO is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of visitors to our site. We do not collect any information about the identity of visitors to our site.
Whether you email us with a question or comment, your name and address will be kept private. We will not put you on a mailing list without your consent, share your name with anyone else, or use your words in testimonials that identify you unless you have given us permission to do so.
At certain places in this website, links to other Internet addresses can be accessed. RSO is not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of the Web sites to which it may link. Any changes to RSO's privacy policy will be posted and explained as soon as they go into effect.
Such external Internet addresses contain information created, published, maintained or otherwise posted by institutions or organizations independent of the Rainbow Service Organization. These organizations are solely responsible for the operation and information found on their websites. Thus, no guarantee can be made as to their accuracy or availability. A link to these sites does not imply any endorsement on the part of the Rainbow Service Organization.
Bulletin from Egale Canada:
New Health Canada regulations that ban gay men from donating their organs slipped through unnoticed in December. Even the head of Canada's largest organ transplant program at Toronto's University Health Network, Dr. Gary Levy, didn't know about the changes.
The new regulations will ban any men who have been sexually engaged with another man in the previous five years. The rejections are based solely on sexual orientation rather than on unsafe sexual practice.
Health Canada is essentially telling Canadians that unprotected sex is safe as long as you aren't a gay man.
Egale Canada believes that the regulations are discriminatory and should be suspended. Health Canada should be making sure the regulations stop unsafe organ transplants not creating a situation where healthy viable gay organs will be thrown in the garbage.
Let Health Canada know how you feel:
Call the Minister's Chief of Staff, William King at 613-957-0200 or email him at: william_king@hc-sc.gc.ca
Contact the minister's constituency office too!
Toll free: 1-866-375-8669. Email: Clement.T@parl.gc.ca
The minister's web site says, "Tony will return all calls."
To learn more about this topic and the efforts of EGALE go to their website
at http://www.egale.ca/index.asp?lang=E