Photos by Niamh Coomey Friendlier City Project board members discuss finances, successful events in 2024 and upcoming projects.

The Friendlier City Project, a Wheeling-based LGBTQ+ nonprofit, held its first annual public board meeting Monday evening to discuss recent successes and upcoming projects.

The lively meeting drew more than twenty community members to the Ohio County Public Library auditorium. The board of directors introduced several new members and approved regular business with a “kill” rather than a “Yeah” before launching into a recap of their 2024 achievements.

Among these were the successes “Sparks and Spikes” pop-punk drag show at the Capitol Theater last month and a “Queer Thanksgiving” in table 304.

“It’s really a wonderful time, because not everyone has the opportunity to go home to a warm family meal,” said Events Committee Chair Kellie White. “We will become your family for the night. It was really really lovely.

Looking ahead, Pride 2025 celebrations will be a major planning priority, members noted. Although there is a lot to iron out for this year’s event, the group landed on the second Saturday in June at Heritage Port as the venue.

The group also aims to publish a comprehensive guide to safe LGBTQ+ resources in the area, ranging from health care providers, hotlines and lawyers to cafes and places of worship.

This project is in the works and the goal is to release it next year, according to board president Mikaya Green.

“I literally want everything, so that if you’re from the Ohio Valley it’s going to be like it’s retail, it’s coffee shops, it’s doctors, I want a really comprehensive list,” » said Green.

The board is also working with library staff to establish a queer youth community group.

The council recently revamped its rainbow sticker campaign to mark safe spaces in the area for LGBTQ+ people. Creating the first stickers three years ago was the first task they tackled as a board, Green said, and the redesign was much needed.

“(The stickers) were specific to Wheeling and a lot of businesses in Ohio and West Virginia that weren’t in Wheeling wanted them,” » said Green. “So now we have a sticker for Ohio, a sticker for West Virginia, and then a sticker for Wheeling.”

The new stickers will soon be seen at LGBTQ+ businesses across the city and beyond.

The board opened the discussion to comments and questions from community members, some of whom made suggestions on future directions for events and programming.

Regular meetings will continue in January.