York Hospice House (York, PA)

York Area LAMBDA calendar of events for March - June 1993.

York Area LAMBDA, started in the 1990s and originally known as York Support Inc., was an educational, political, and social group for the LGBTQ+ community of York, PA and the surrounding area.

Crossroads Magazine was a bi-monthly local LGBTQ+ magazine created, edited, and published by Dr. Eric Selvey. The goal of Crossroads was to bring together the LGBTQ+ community of Central Pennsylvania by creating a space to showcase the efforts and talents of local LGBTQ+ organizations, people, and events, with all articles being voluntary contributions. Crossroads was published from June 1996 – October 1997.

In this AIDS Issue:

• Central Pennsylvania in the Face of AIDS Spotlights
• SCANN Closure 
• York Hospice House
• Coverage of the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt
• 1997 Community Calendar

Joy (Ufema) Counsel was raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania. After completing high school, (Ufema) Counsel began studying to become a nurse at the Altoona Hospital, and later completed a nursing program at Harrisburg Area Community College. Throughout her career as a nurse, (Ufema) Counsel developed an affinity for caring for patients who were terminally ill.

Searching for direction after facing a roadblock in her career, (Ufema) Counsel decided to use her experience in hospice care to alleviate the suffering she had witnessed in the AIDS crisis. After proposing the idea to the mayor of York, PA, (Ufema) Counsel bought an old brownstone for one dollar and began renovations. In 1991, York Hospice House was born. Counsel used her expertise in death and dying to design the home based on a philosophy of extreme attention to detail. She wanted to create “a tone in this hospice of love and acceptance and peace.” From 1991-1995, the York House provided care to 95 dying AIDS patients.

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. 

News featured in this issue includes:

• "Lancaster MCC about to Buy a Home for Itself" (p. 3)
• "York Hospice in Gear" (p. 5)
• "Patriot News Gives Gays Clout" (p. 5)

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.

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. Featured news includes:

• "York House Donated by Mayor" (p. 3)

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. This issues features: 

• "Hates Crime Bill Introduced in Legislature" (p. 4)
• "KKK to. March in Lancaster" (p. 4)
• "Gay Bookstore Gets Bombed" (p. 4)
• "Channel 8 Debates KKK in Area" (p. 4)
• "Lancaster City Council Approves Ordinance" (p. 5)
• "WITF Declines to Air Award Winning Black Gay Film" (p. 5)
• 'York House AIDS Hospice to Open in York" (p. 5)

Wishlist of items for the York Hospice House.

Brochure advertising "A Quiet End" performed by Lily White and Company on July 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, and 23 at the Open Stage of Harrisburg at Strawberry Square.

Program for ""Lily in La-La Land, or the Looking Glass Cracked" performed July 24, 1994 at the Harrisburg Hotel. Also includes a timeline of organizational history.

The Lily-Gram was a newsletter produced by the Lily White & Company for members of the company. Highlights in this issue include:

• "Rehearsals for' A Lily White Christmas IV' " (p. 1)
• "Calender Survey Report" (p. 2)
• "Lily White and Company Two-Year Calendar" (p. 6)
• "At Open Stage, 'A Quite End' Benefits AIDS Hospice" (p. 6)

The Lily-Gram is a newsletter produced by the Lily White & Company for members of the company. Highlights in this issue include:

• "A Busy Year (so far)!"
• "Lily in La-La Land Hits the Hotel July 24th!"
• "And Now, a Word from the Prez..."

Flyer advertising the performance of "Lily in La-La Land, or the Looking Glass Cracked" performed by Lily White and Company.

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

Program for "The Lisbon Traviata" performance produced by Lily White & Company at Open Stage of Harrisburg, PA on July 21-24, 1993. 

Event program for "A Hystery of the World According to Lily" performed by Lily White & Company in the Harrisburg Hotel Grand Ballroom on August 6, 1992. 

Joy (Ufema) Counsel was raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania. After completing high school, Joy began studies to become a nurse at the Altoona Hospital, and later completed a nursing program at Harrisburg Area Community College. Joy worked in numerous hospitals and medical facilities in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Throughout her career as a nurse, Joy developed an affinity for caring for patients who were terminally ill. Her work in the area of death and dying received considerable media attention.

As a result, she was interviewed on 60 Minutes, a TV movie titled A Matter of Life and Death (1981) was made about her work, she authored numerous publications, and she participated in many speaking engagements across the country. In her interview, Joy discusses her work and experiences during the height of her recognition. She goes on to discuss the AIDS hospice she operated in York, Pennsylvania — elaborating on some of her most memorable patients and her experiences running a non-profit. Joy talks about her family’s reaction to her homosexuality, and her experiences as a lesbian in Central Pennsylvania. In the interview Joy goes on to discuss both challenges and the progress she sees as being significant to the LGBT community. Finally, Joy discusses the role of spirituality in her life.