Bela Dornon was drawn to volunteering at GenPride after the death of his beloved 20-year-old kitty, Sugarpuss. His grief caused him to realize that making connections in his community was needed in his life. Facilitating the Men’s Support Group was a natural for him after having been both a facilitator and a participant in men’s groups over the years. He brings a thoughtful understanding of the importance of men supporting one another:

“In my experience, men are definitely programmed, both genetically and socially, to give help. Accepting help seems to be a little more difficult. This group is designed to give mature men a safe place to discuss their feelings and issues. Widowhood, old age, and the urban experience all isolate us: we have to make an effort to connect and receive the support we all need.”

Tim Callahan is also a group facilitator and brings a background as a behavioral health nurse.

“I retired from Kaiser in 2018 but have felt that I would like to give back to my community using my skill set as a volunteer. I have a good amount of experience facilitating groups in other arenas also. During the AIDS crisis I co-facilitated a HIV+ couples group through SASG. This group gave me a good foundation for dealing with gay men’s issues.”

The Men’s Support Group offers all men-identified LGBTQ+ people aged 55+ a way to build a foundation for important connections among peers. Both Bela and Tim hope that The Men’s Support Group will continue to grow and thrive as a group in which men can reach out to one another and create important bonds. We welcome you to join the group each 2nd and 4th Tuesday from 2:00PM to 3:30PM