Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg (GSH)

Program for the first Pennsylvania State Gay Conference, a statewide gay rights conference which was later known as Pride. 

Colin Kreitzer was born in 1947 in Enola, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania with his parents and his younger sister. He attended West Chester College and moved to Harrisburg in 1977, where he began getting involved in the gay community through activism and social activities. In this interview Colin reviews his involvement in the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg, Dignity, Metropolitan Community Church, and volleyball. He also talks about the stigma of growing up as a closeted gay man, the bullying he experienced in primary and secondary school, and how he came to accept his sexuality and come out when he was in college. He discusses his past relationships and the struggles that he has experienced trying to forge healthy, emotional connections with others. Colin is also involved in Alcoholics Anonymous, and explains the values he has gained from the organization and the changes in his own character and behavior.

John Folby was born in Pittsburgh in 1947. He was the oldest of five children in an Irish-Italian Catholic family. He relocated to Harrisburg in 1975 with his partner. John continues to live with his partner in Harrisburg in a relationship lasting more than 44 years. John is well-known for his activism in the LGBT community of Central Pennsylvania. In his younger days, John was involved in a Catholic group for lesbians and gays known as Dignity, and assisted in the Gay Switchboard Hotline. He began a 25-year career in a state government civil service position running a medical drug program for persons with HIV/AIDS. He continues his service to the LGBT community through consulting for the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health which offers the Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education Training Center. John’s work with HIV/AIDS has been recognized with numerous awards, and the John Folby Award for Excellence is named in his honor. He additionally volunteers for the LGBT Center of Central PA’s History project. In this interview, John not only discusses his extensive activism efforts, but also his family’s reluctance to address and accept his homosexuality, his relationship with his partner, and changes within the LGBT community within his lifetime. He also discusses his and his partner’s decision to have John adopt his partner in order to financially protect themselves and their assets when gay marriage was illegal in Pennsylvanian.

This is a story circle with Barry Loveland, Richard Hause, and Steven Leshner discussing the life and work of Jerry Brennan. They begin with the discussion of Jerry’s childhood religion and his attendance of St. Bernard’s Seminary in Alabama. Barry, Richard, and Steven also discuss Jerry’s charitable works, including being a founding member of Gay Community Services, Gay Switchboard, and finally in the local Dignity chapter. The men attempt to nail down Jerry’s personal life, from childhood to adulthood, although since he rarely talked about it they are only able to piece together clues from the time they knew him. They also discuss Jerry’s social activism and involvement in both the Black Civil Rights Movement and the local gay community. Barry, Richard, and Steven go off on a pleasant tangent discussing comedians and speakers that Jerry had come to Harrisburg. The men finish reminiscing about Jerry by discussing what little they knew about his love life.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The newsletter was used as outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community. In this report, the Caucus gives the location for the January meeting and provides the meeting minutes from December. Theses minutes include:

• Legislative Committe Report Communications Committee Report 
• Education Committee Report
• Summary of groups that make up the Rural Gay Caucus
• Notice about the Phone Tree that was put together

Lily White and Company 1994 Annural Report. Information includes:

- 1993 Board of Directors
- President's Report
- 1992 to 1993 Fiscal Report
- Managing Director's Report
- Organizational History on page 3 and 12

Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. This was the last newsletter created by the Switchboard, due to the establishment of another gay press in Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "Switchboard '82 Election"
• "God & Gays Part III"
• "Network Elects '82 Team"
• "1981 in the Black $477.31"
• "Harrisburg 'Press'es On"
• "Dignity Elects New Team"
• "CPGA (Central Pa. Gay Alliance) Dissolves

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "San Francisco Olympics"
• "New Newsletter"
• "Students Talk Back" presents letters on human sexuality from Elizabethtown College students

This was announced as the last GSH newsletter. A new newsletter produced by MCC Harrisburg was expected to make its first appearance in December 1981.

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "That Rabbit's in Love" (p. 1)
• "Williamsport Support Group" (p. 2)
• "Harrisburg MCC is 1" (p. 3)
• "GSH Benefit in November" (p. 5)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "Gay by Birthright" (p. 1)
• "Switchboard Elections" (p. 4)
• "Co-Director Mr. Buns" (p. 4)
• "1981 Flea Mkts. Nets $125.38" (p. 4)
• "Rabbit - November 14" (p. 5)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Lesbian Support Group" (p. 1)
• "Christmas Card Support" (p. 1)
• "From God Part II" (p. 3)
• "Fate of Newsletter" (p. 4)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Summer Picnic" (p. 1)
• "Switchboard Moves" (p. 1)
• "Fr. Swady Challenges Myths" (p. 3)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "A Rose" [La Rose Rouge] (p. 1)
• "Switchboard Summer Picnic" (p. 1)
• "June 30 - ERA Rally" (p. 3)
• "Dignity/Central PA is Six" (p. 3)
• "2 Flea Mkts. Net $98.38" (p. 4)
• "Gods & Gays Part I" (p. 6)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "New Officers in June" (p. 1)
• "Treasurer Stays" (p. 1)
• "Flea Mrkt. June 6" (p. 3)
• "MCC News" (p. 4)

Flyer advertising the performance of "That Rabbit" sponsored by the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg on April 11, 1981 at the Friends' Meeting House in Harrisburg, PA.

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Flea Market May 23" (p. 1)
• "Gay Pride Celeb'tn" (p. 2)
• "What's going on?" (p. 4)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "Anniversary Party, April 26" (p. 1)
• "Harrisburg Gay Switchboard Presents 'That Rabbit'" (p. 1)
• "Pennsmen Night" (p. 1)
• "Joann Farr Outstanding" (p. 2)
• "What's going on?" (p. 3)
• "Library Missing Books" (p. 3)
• "February a Record!" (p. 4)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Membership?" 
• "[Constitution] Admended Feb. 1"
• "MCC in Hbg."
• "You're Fired!"
• "That Benefit - Apr. 11"
• "New Officer - GSH"

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "81 Officers"
• "In the Red"
• "8 Resolutions"
• "81 Training"

Pamphlet and organizational document that explains the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg’s mission, background, funding, call-in categories, and call statistics.

Flyer advertising the performance of "That Rabbit's in Love" sponsored by the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg.

Document created by Jerry Brennan and Richard Hill recording the history and development of Dignity/Central PA as an organization in Harrisburg from July 1975 to June 1985. 

Calendar of events hosted by Dignity/Central PA during the Spring of 1982.