Are you ready for WomanREACH?
After four successful years hosting an annual North Florida ManREACH (NFMR) gathering for GBQT men in Florida’s rural panhandle, OASIS, the organization that has coordinated the events, is hosting its first WomanREACH gathering. “We constantly were getting asked why we don’t have a gathering for women, and the only fair and logical answer was, yes, this is needed in our rural area where there has never been any funding to support women’s issues,” said Butch McKay, Executive Director.
Founded in 2011, NFMR was inspired directly by Colorado ManREACH, but from its beginning has been based on a different business model. Specifically, a quarter of NFMR’s funding has come from each of the following: the Florida department of health, a private foundation, a corporate sponsor and participant registration fees. WomanREACH will be based on the same NFMR business model and embrace the same heart-centered mission as North Florida and Colorado ManREACH. The “women only” event will take place October 23-25, 2015, in Panama City, Florida.
Note that the Colorado ManREACH Steering Committee is studying the NFMR business model – in addition to other business models – as it addresses the organization’s need to become financially sustainable. Butch McKay attended Colorado ManREACH’s 2011 and 2014 (10th Anniversary) gatherings at Cal-Wood and will let us know how the first WomanREACH gathering goes!