The Seward Pride Alliance rallied this weekend after a Drag Story Hour, part of their Pride Week celebrations, was displaced by a bomb threat. The event was able to continue after a delay and a fundraising effort has brought in more than $13,000.
The Drag Story Hour was planned for Saturday morning, June 8, at the Seward Community Library and Museum. A message from Library Director Sue Drover, posted online Monday, says the library received “a very serious threat” which necessitated an evacuation of the library.
Drover writes that the threat was made “in direct response” to an event happening Saturday morning. Updates from the Seward Police Department say that a bomb threat was received, and that the library was cleared and searched safely.
“We are happy to report the event that was disrupted by this threat was immediately relocated to an alternate location and commenced in its entirety,” Drover writes.
KBBI 890 AM reported Sunday that the relocated story hour went ahead at the Seward SeaLife Center.
A release from Seward’s Flamingo Cocktail Lounge on Monday says that, in response to the bomb threat, they and several other Seward businesses had pledged to match donations with a goal of raising $10,000 for the Seward Pride Alliance.
Kayak Adventures, Sunny Cove, Seward Alehouse, Flamingo Lounge and Resurrect Art all pledged $1,000 in matches, with a GoFundMe established to raise donations from individuals and other businesses in the community.
“As community members, business owners, and parents, we will not stand idly by and allow hatred, bigotry, and threats of violence in our community,” the group wrote.
As of Tuesday evening, included donations and pledged matches, the effort had raised $13,500.
“We are grateful to you for joining us, showing your support, and sending the message that fear won’t stop this community from standing up for our values and beliefs. Love and acceptance run deep here,” they wrote. “Let’s get Seward Pride Alliance more resources to continue their vision of fostering a strong, engaged community for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies.”
On Facebook, the Pride Alliance also wrote Saturday that a “Welcome to Seward Pride Weekend” banner had been stolen.
For more information, find “Seward Pride Alliance” on Facebook. The fundraiser can be found on GoFundMe.com, and a direct link will be included in the web version of this story.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
