OverThirtiesGroup

Over 30s Club

History

The Gay Over Thirties Society met monthly on a Saturday evening (or sometimes afternoon in the summer) for a very fun pot luck social. The parties were held in a member's house or apartment, a different one every month except for a few regulars such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, and one in July or August.

Most of the parties were in Halifax; some of the summer parties were in Amherst, South Shore, and the Valley.

Invitations were sent out by mail except near the end of the organization, after 2005 when some email was used.

1981, fall

ChrisShepherd writes: The Over 30's club was started in the fall of 1981 amidst a flurry of typical G.A.E. arguments, this one being over the fact that originally the group had requested ongoing funding. This was denied because the group catered to a specific group and the G.A.E. funds were accumulated from all different sources. The Over 30s group was eventually given a one time start up funding.

DrBobFredrickson writes: The very first iteration of an over 30s group was held at BobDoyle’s apartment on Hollis, and was maybe mid -late 80s. It was a courageous thing to do at that time, and I’m not sure everyone who came knew it was a gay group, and I’m pretty sure that’s why were so many people there. There were a few other attempts after that including one at Ruth Lawley’s place on Ferguson’s cove, but as so many attempts at “gay” community stuff in that and future eras, the “battle” of the sexes eventually ended it.

August 1984

GAEZETTE mentions it. Existed continuously from then until it was shut down.

1984

RegGiles writes: Jim Deyoung was coordinator in the year I turned 30... I told him I was 30, not dead !

1990s, ca

there are a couple invitations scanned to the media folder; there are lots in the JimDeYoung fonds

2004

DanielMacKay takes over the database to create the labels; DonMurchy? is coordinator. ; 2005-2006 Don retires and the organization gradually winds down

HistoryProjectTodoList: should have some history of who was coordinating and when. This was one of the SocialGroups in Halifax.