Lora Ceperley and Dana Buckner have been a major part of the LIKEME Lighthouse from the early planning stages – 14 months out – through this one-year anniversary. Right now, as co-chairs of events for the Lighthouse, they’re helping to plan its first anniversary event on March 9.
The center will have an open house that day from noon to 5 p.m. Local songwriter/singer/musician Kristie Stremel will be on hand from 2 to 4 p.m. for a meet-and-greet and will have copies of her CD available. Ceperley and Buckner said that it’s unlikely that Stremel will be able to perform that day because she’s still recovering from an injured hand that prevents her from playing guitar.
Organizers wanted to have her participate, though, Ceperley said, “because she was an important part of our opening concert” in March 2012. They also plan to have LIKEME Lighthouse founder Chely Wright and board president Chuck Walter participate by using Skype from New York around 4 p.m. Other local politicians who are LGBT allies will also be at the event.
In addition, Ceperley said, “No birthday party is complete without a cake, so we’ll have a cake and food and beverages and door prizes.”
They were still working out details about speakers and guests at the event, but they encouraged people to check the Facebook page (LikeMeLighthouseKC) and website (likemelighthouse.org) for updated information. The Lighthouse also has a free online newsletter that is going through a redesign, Ceperley and Buckner said. Readers can subscribe via the website.
Buckner said that a couple of exciting events are also in the works for spring and summer, but they can’t talk about them just yet. “Keep looking at our website for other special events coming up,” she said.
Since the LIKEME Lighthouse’s launch, countless volunteers, board members and advisory members have been busy creating events for the Lighthouse, which is open seven days a week.
Director of operations and treasurer Char Daniels, known affectionately by many as “Aunt Char,” has been a driving force since the early planning stages with her niece, Chely Wright. Ceperley and Buckner both credited volunteer Felicia Kyle for managing many of the day-to-day operational sides of keeping the Lighthouse open and available, staffed by volunteers seven days a week.
The center’s weekly calendar includes movie nights, social events, meetings, educational seminars and more. From the beginning, its goal was to be a safe, welcoming space for all LGBT people and allies in the community, especially for younger people with no place to go. A comfortable lounge is available, as are three computer stations and a library. In addition, there is a large meeting room and they are working on a second large meeting room that organizations in the community can use.
Some of the groups that meet at the LIKEME Lighthouse are Hear Me Out Toastmasters, SAGE, Lavender Ladies, KC Bear Mafia, two transgender support groups and a poetry club. Ceperley said they are working to build the educational aspect of the Lighthouse, noting that many local professionals have already held seminars.
The meeting space was available free in the initial months after the Lighthouse opened, but in 2013 it began to charge a modest fee. The rates are $25/hour or less, depending on the size of the room. Members of the center get 50 percent off the rental rates.
The group has been fine-tuning its website, with a new community calendar being created by Dianna Kuhlman. Other groups have tried for years to have master calendars that community organizers can use not only to know when events are occurring, but also to prevent scheduling conflicts when planning their own events. The calendar is being designed to put the power of input in the hands of the organization submitting information.
In order for the master calendar to be effective, Buckner said, “We first need to get that calendar ready to go on the website. And then we will go to each organization that we can, meet with them and identify a single person that Dianna can work with to train how to do this. If we just say to everybody, ‘Send us your stuff,’ it’s never going to work. It’s going to have to be more proactive, and we will be going out and grabbing people by the hand and bringing them in.”
Buckner and Ceperly were married in Iowa in 2010 and have been partners for nine years. In addition to their work on events at the center, they are both board members and they hold down full-time jobs. They live in Lee’s Summit with their three children.
The Lighthouse also has information about the Trevor Project suicide-prevention hotline for youth in crisis and a dedicated area of the center for people who are calling the hotline, Ceperley said.
“If someone comes in and is in crisis, they can go into the Trevor room, and it’s very private. It has a desk … and a hotline for them to call, and it goes to the Trevor Project.” (The hotline is at 866-488-7386, and the website is www.thetrevorproject.org.)
LIKEME is not alone among community centers being run by volunteers. Centerlink, the organization of LGBT centers nationally and around the world (www.lgbtcenters.org) says this about LGBT community centers:
“Centers serve a vital and multi-faceted role in many communities across the country. They are often the only staffed nonprofit LGBT presence in the area and the first point of contact for people seeking information, coming out, accessing services or organizing for social change. Forty percent of LGBT centers provide direct health care and 10 percent of these centers exclusively serve LGBT communities of color, youth, seniors or women. At the same time, half of the LGBT community centers have budgets under $50,000 and no full-time staff.”
Of her own volunteer service, Ceperley said, “It’s been really rewarding. Not that we weren’t busy, but we did want to find something meaningful to volunteer our time for. When we initially met Char and heard that the Lighthouse was coming, we thought ‘Wow, this was really something we could really get behind and help out with.’
“We had no idea the level it would grow to,” she said as the two women laughed. “We’re definitely not bored.”
The LIKEME Lighthouse
3909 Main St.
Kansas City, Mo.
816-753-7770
www.likemelighthouse.org
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: noon to 8 p.m.
Sunday: noon to 6 p.m.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.