Mayor Jacobs met last week with local activists who state that the meeting was encouraging but that there is still more work to be done.

For more than a year, leaders from the LGBT community have been asking Orange County to create a countywide domestic partnership registry that would grant these same enforceable rights for gay and straight unmarried families beyond Orlando's city limits.

Please continue to urge Orange County to follow Orlando's lead.  Tell Mayor Jacobs and the Orange County Commission that you want all families to have these protections. Click here to send an email to the Mayor and Commissioners through Equality Florida's website.

Or, send your own personal comments individually:

Orange County Mayor - Teresa Jacobs 

District 1 Commissioner - S. Scott Boyd

District 2 Commissioner - Fred Brummer

District 3 Commissioner - John Martinez

District 4 Commissioner - Jennifer Thompson

District 5 Commissioner - Ted Edwards

District 6 Commissioner - Tiffany Moore Russell

Next year Las Vegas, Nevada will host the first Gay Days Las Vegas, September 4-10, 2012. As in Gay Days Orlando, the Las Vegas event will include a Travel-Retail Expo, pool parties, and events all around town with a portion of proceeds benefiting local non-profit organizations.  Click here to visit the Gay Days Las Vegas web site.

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The Animal Rescue site with Petfinder.com provide grants to help animals in need.  These grants are distributed based on the number of votes received.  All you have to do it CLICK once each day for your favorite group.  The voting begins January 9th and ends on March 18th. 

Among those local groups are:

Pet Rescue by Judy

SPCA of Central Florida, and

Seminole County Animal Services

Perhaps there is another group you support.  The site has an easy search function.  It only takes a  moment.  Click here to vote.