Sault Pride is inviting Sault Ste. Marie's queer and allied community to attend its second Neal Rainbow Family Holiday Dinner on Dec. 17 at the Machine Shop.
This all-ages event is free of charge and will feature a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings.
The event will address two serious issues often experienced by members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at this time of year, a news release said.
“The first is that the holiday season can be extraordinarily difficult for those members of the community who may be estranged from their families or whose family members are hostile toward their relationships or identities,” explains Sault Pride chair Amanda Zuke.
“People can feel lonely and isolated to begin with, and then being barraged with images of happy families makes it even harder.”
“The second, and the main reason for the event being offered free of charge, is that statistically, queer individuals and families face more economic uncertainty than the general population.”
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the meal will be served buffet-style at 6 p.m.
Registration is mandatory for this event, and can be accessed through Sault Pride's events box office at http://buytickets.at/SaultPride.
While the dinner is free of charge, some community members have reached out to offer to contribute; therefore, there are sponsored (for someone else) or paid (for yourself) supporting options, each priced at $50.
"We thank our sponsors and contributors for their generosity during this often complicated time of year," the release said.