6/27 ~ Portage Celebration

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Celebration)
Post #28:
It's more than fitting that while I am reporting on the prior day, 20 years ago, the Portage Celebration of 'Going Home' happened to correspond with yesterday's Marriage Equality Celebration of 'Welcome Home, Finally'. It was a time for celebration, and rest. I will correct an important fact in the news article, posted yesterday, (with notes of the 2nd of today's pics). (Each picture has more details.)

~~~

Picture #056

After breakfast at Mell's Diner in New Carlisle, I bicycled about 60 miles through mostly rain to Portage, IN, my original hometown. Brenda Hodges, G.M. of Super-8, had set Carl Lebman and I up with a jacuzzi suite, attached to a meeting room, where I might have a private reunion with my own children and their families. Meanwhile, the Portage Visitor's Bureau arranged to have my bike tuned up, while I took a day off to rest. There was still an afternoon media-meet in the lobby, attended by local newspapers, and Gary Post Tribute, a paper that serves all of Northwest IN, and South Chicago. Working with Carl & Brenda, they arranged a celebratory reunion dinner at (and courtesy of) Wingfield's 'Indian Oak Resort' in Chesterton. There were 14 in our party, all clad in USAIDS 5,000 tee shirts. (Pictures from June 26, 1995)
with Christina, niece, Jim Petretta, Sheila Abner, Lebman Carl and Marsha Petretta Nelson

Nancy K. Sorensen Is that your son? He looks just you.
Jim Petretta No, that's Carl (aka Cal in An Impossible Dream Story; I was not too creative with names, lol.

~~~

Picture #057

I want to pause, to correct a fact in yesterday's newspaper post. Though it rightfully states that I contracted HIV between two marriages, I didn't choose to share that I knew exactly how I became infected. I am in fact gay, and have known it since I was a young boy. I did not explore that part of me, until I was 39 years old, and already in a troubled marriage. However, that marriage, and family with my 3 children, was not a sham. It was very real, as was (and is) my love for all of them. This trip was about 'staying productive', not stereotyping AIDS. I am pleased that our message was clear, most of the trip, as it was in this surprising letter from, then Mayor, Sammie Maletta of Portage. (Picture from June 27, 1995)

Nancy K. Sorensen You are an amazing writer!