Cazenovia Pride seeks Ally of the Year nominations

By kAtE hill Staff writer

Cazenovia Pride is currently seeking nominations for its “Amy Bradstreet Ally of the Year” award, which will be announced on Saturday, June 17 at Lakeland Park during the third annual Pride Fest Weekend festivities.

According to Pride Fest organizer Travis Barr, Cazenovia Pride is looking for local nominees who not only openly support LGBTQIA+ community members and youth but also serve as examples of kindness and compassion towards all.

During the first annual Pride Fest Weekend, the Ally of the Year award was posthumously presented to former Cazenovia community member Amy Bradstreet, who was killed at her home in 2014.

Bradstreet was the daughter of former Nelson Town Supervisor Roger Bradstreet and his wife, Bonnie. Barr created the award to honor Bradstreet and her family for the role they played in his youth and in shaping who he is today.

“Amy Bradstreet was a huge part of my childhood and teenage years, and it was her kindness, compassion, and support that made me feel like the ‘coolest kid in school’ despite feeling like I was on an island as a gay youth in the 90s in Cazenovia,” said Barr. “Our goal is to highlight how easy it is to truly support people who may be different from you. [We hope to highlight] someone who is an example of treating everyone equally while also recognizing another person’s lived experiences.”

Last year, the award was presented to Cazenovia community member Casey Frazee.

Nominations for this year’s honoree can be sent to CazenoviaPride@gmail.com along with a few sentences describing why they would be the best person for this award. Direct messages can also be sent to Cazenovia Pride (“cazenoviapride”) on Instagram.

All nominees should live within the Cazenovia Central School District.

Cazenovia Pride is also looking for suggestions for its Youth Ambassador, a local student who interacts with other young people in an

Winter Festival is coming

Cazenovia’s annual celebration of winter is coming soon! This year’s Winter Festival, featuring snow sculptures, ice skating, a pancake breakfast, a talent show and much more, will be held Feb. 10-12.

Project CAFE is once again collaborating with the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce to schedule and publicize the calendar of events.

If your group has an event you would like featured on the WinterFest schedule or if you have a talent you’d like to share during the Feb 10 Talent Show, please email kurtwheeler13035@gmail. com or leave a voicemail at 315-655-9380.

The CCS Class of 2023 poses with their snow sculpture of the world during the 2021 Winter Festival. This year’s festival will be Feb 10-12.

Submitted pHoto

Submitted pHoto inspiring and engaging way.

Cazenovia Pride is currently seeking nominations for its “Amy Bradstreet Ally of the Year” award, which recognizes a local person who not only openly supports LGBTQIA+ community members and youth but also serves as an example of kindness and compassion towards all.

“This person shows passion, enthusiasm, kindness, and commitment in supporting all young people in their journey through life and especially at Cazenovia Pride Festival,” said Barr. According to Barr, this year’s Pride Fest has been scheduled for Father’s Day weekend, but the or- ganizing committee is still in the early stages of planning. Additional details will be shared as they become available.