Chestermere celebrates pride 

Synergy and Stepping Stones to Mental Health celebrated pride with COVID-19 friendly activities for the community.

Throughout the afternoon, residents were encouraged to take a pride themed package which included chalk, river rocks that could be painted and tossed in the riverbeds, put in a park, or taken home, pride flags, and pronoun buttons.

“It was a quick activity that they could do at our park or do at home. Last year there wasn’t an opportunity to do anything and given the phases we were going through with COVID-19 this year, we realized there was a sliver of opportunity to do something,” said Synergy Program Coordinator, Alicea Sproule.

“It was really good. We had a maximum of 20 people, we were worried we would have to turn people away, it just worked out with people coming and going that we didn’t have to send anyone away, and it was really special,” Sproule said.

There are pride themed packages

still available, and anyone interested in collecting one is welcome to stop by the Synergy building anytime.

Sproule and the Synergy team are hopeful that next year the pride celebrations can be modeled after the 2019 pride events.

“Pride two years ago we did an all-ages drag show, had a breakfast and a barbeque, and had workshops. We had good attendance, but lower than I was expecting. We’re hoping next year we can do something similar but have a better turnout,” Sproule said.

“We’re hoping next year, we’ll be able to have an actual event where we can share a space with each other, but it was so special to be able to get to be at the same place at the same time. It wasn’t the same type of celebration that we’re used to, but it was still really lovely,” she said.

Although the pride celebrations this year, were unlike most years, it was extremely important for Synergy and Stepping Stones to Mental Health to celebrate and continue the conversation.

“It’s important because there’s a queer community in Chestermere and south east Rocky View. Many are in our programs, or their friends and family members are people in our programs, and we want to acknowledge and support wholeheartedly that without a shadow of a doubt we are in their corner,” Sproule added. “This is an ongoing conversation and topic.”

To learn more about Synergy programming, visit, https://www.yoursynergy.ca/.

“It wasn’t just one day for us, if people are interested in us, come by and check out our space, this is a safe and inclusive space where they can be them,” Sproule said.

“As the world reopens if people are feeling disconnected, or unsure how they are going to navigate this new normal, anyway, that we can help people support, and keeping the conversating going, we’re happy to do that,” she said.