Seattle Space Needle offers gay community $50K challenge to fly Rainbow Flag again
The iconic Space Needle building of Seattle, WA raised the Rainbow Flag last year for the 2010 Gay Pride celebration. But this year, there was no plan to revisit that proud moment until complaints arose from area residents.
Jeff Wright, chairman of Space Needle, LLC, says now in a press release that the Rainbow Flag will be raised at the end of the city’s Pride Parade if the community can raise $50,000 (SpaceNeedle.com):
”Raising the flag last year was a one-time occurrence, as almost all of them are. We strive to keep this very special and do it on a limited basis. It is important, however, that we rotate this rare opportunity through the many worthwhile charities in the coming years. We’re excited to see the response to this new community challenge and hope that it is very successful.”
The money, he says, will be distributed equally to four different charities:
- Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Scholarship Program
- Lambda Legal
- It Gets Better for the Trevor Project
- Mary’s Place
Reaction on the Space Needle’s Facebook page appears to be mixed, some saying it is a great idea, others believing it is some kind of discrimination. A fundraising app on the site says $13,045 has been raised so far. The Pride Parade is to take place on Sunday, June 26.
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