The Camp 10 - Stephanie Smith

The nights are getting colder, and the leaves are beginning to change. As we think of Thanksgiving coming up, we might consider becoming a little more involved in the community. One opportunity is the Hyde Park Thanksgiving Pilgrim Fun Run, a 5K run and walk that takes place on Thanksgiving morning. Stephanie Smith gives us some background and information about the run, as well as her other activities within the Kansas City LGBT community.
1. Could you give us some background about yourself? How long have you lived in the Kansas City area?
I’ve lived in Kansas City since 1981. Truly a Midwestern girl, born in Denver, raised in Nebraska, graduated from KU with a BFA in visual communications. I was a KU basketball walk-on to play along side Lynette Woodard. My first job out of college I was an art director with a small advertising agency in Kansas City, Kan. After six months, the agency closed its doors and I started freelancing to survive. My next ad agency job lasted seven years before I took a leap of faith and started S&Co. Design. Twenty-nine years later, I’m still passionate about design.
2. You have been involved with the Hyde Park Pilgrim Run on Thanksgiving for a while now. How did you become active in this run?
I’ve been involved with the Pilgrim Run from the very beginning in 2011, when I was asked to design the logo. Pro bono projects always seem to expand in scope, which led to print materials, awards, signage, T-shirts and website. We have a great team of core volunteers that make this event run like a fine-tuned machine. It’s a really a fun bunch of people to work with, so it never seemed like work. The Pilgrim Run is an awesome way to start your Thanksgiving morning. Everyone is so happy, alive! There’s an electric buzz in the air. You can feel it!
3. It is important for people to know that this is a fundraiser for Uplifting Westport, the youth and children’s service component of Pilgrim Center Inc. How does the money that is raised help Uplifting Westport?
Pilgrim Run is a fundraising event for Uplifting Westport, which produces children’s programs such as the Hyde Park Spring Frolic and Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday and the Hyde Park Children’s Film Festival on every Friday in July.

The children’s festival offers a concert featuring local musicians; a fun arts and crafts activity; and a recently released movie, with free refreshments, including snow cones and popcorn, for the 150 to 200 children. The Spring Frolic and Egg Hunt attracts over 600 children and their parents to what began many years ago as a simple egg hunt. Now the event includes a variety of craft activities, a petting zoo, and photos with the Easter Bunny.
4. One of the things that I really love about this run is that it encourages kids, not just through the fundraising, but also through the race itself. Could you explain how children are involved in the run?
Many kids run the 5K, and it’s a gas to see them race to the finish line to beat their parents. The joy on their faces is amazing. After the 5K race is the Children’s Pilgrim Dash for kids 8 and under. There are three age divisions: [ages> 4 &amp

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

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.

Keep readingShow less
by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

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.

Keep readingShow less

Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

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.

Keep readingShow less