PHOTOS

Our New Photo Page
Is Now Available!

Link to Rally in Tally video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i72z1iaiMlU


If you have other photos to share, please email them to:
photos@thetriangleconnection.com


About Us:  A Brief History of
The Triangle Connection, Inc.


    The beautiful lakes, the rolling hills, and the concentration of quality dining, art, theatrical, and shopping opportunities have long attracted gay people to the area of northern Lake County that includes the Golden Triangle cities of Mount Dora, Eustis, and Tavares.  Today, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender  people who “live, work, love, and play” in the area have their own social and networking organization to host events, coordinate entertainment possibilities, and provide a platform for charitable and civic action.

    The Triangle Connection, Inc. (originally known as "The Triangle Group"), is a non-profit corporation coordinated entirely by volunteers.  Its premiere monthly meet-and-greet was held in November, 2006, and it has been growing ever since, with a current e-mailing list of some 250 people.  

    Typically, from 50 to 80 of us – singles and couples, men and women of all ages – gather for our monthly meet-and-greet evenings at a wide variety of area restaurants.  Smaller groups explore other restaurants as part of informal dining and breakfast clubs.  Triangle Connection participants have enriched all our lives by organizing trips to numerous theatrical productions, hosting wonderful holiday parties, and establishing interest groups for, among others,  the motorcyclists, horseback enthusiasts, and kayakers among us.

    Under The Triangle Connection's umbrella,  volunteers have also taken the lead in various civic fundraising and civil-rights campaigns.  Moneys have been raised to support the Mount Dora Dog Park and the Be Real Orlando program for GLBTQ young people.  

    The Triangle Connection has formed an affiliated youth-service organization, The Triangle Youth Alliance, which works with other Central Florida and statewide civil-rights groups, including Be Real (see our Triangle Youth Alliance page).  And our volunteers organized a charter bus trip to the 2009 "Rally in Tally" to speak with legislators at the State Capitol in support of GLBT rights.  

    Aside from the meet-and-greet events, most of these activities are arranged by our participants.  The Triangle Connection serves as an information conduit, and all of our participants are encouraged to create and organize an event or program that may interest various members of our community.

    The Triangle Connection is not the first GLBT organization to form the the Mount Dora, Eustis, & Tavares area.  It has picked up where the much-loved "Tuesday Night Friends" left off earlier this decade.  Originally established to host happy-hour socials, Friends grew so dramatically--publishing its own magazine and creating events which drew upwards of 350 people--that its volunteer creators became overwhelmed by its success.

    Based on the experience of their predecessors, the founders of The Triangle Connection have sought to limit the scope of the group's direct offerings, instead encouraging participants to use our meet-and-greets and this website to launch  and promote their own projects.

    Scot Cornwall, who helped found a similar social organization in his old Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, and his spouse Bill Opperman moved to northern Lake County in 2005.  After more than 25 years together, they were legally married in Massachusetts in 2004 – a status few other couples in our tri-town area (or anywhere in Florida) can claim - yet.  Cornwall and Opperman – as well as Triangle Connection cofounders Ed Fenninger and Charly Schormann (also formerly of Boston) – chose to make their home in this area in part because Tuesday Night Friends had done such an excellent job of bringing the GLBT community together.  

    Other organizers and early supporters of The Triangle Connection include Bill Sievert and John Theis, Sally and June Sellers, and Joan Kennedy. Tuesday Night Friends founders Glenna and Marsha also have been very supportive.  

    Although The Triangle Connection focuses on people who live in or near the three cities of the Golden Triangle, participants also include folks who live in nearby communities, including Leesburg, The Villages, and Paisley.  

    Today, scores of lesbians, gay men, and transgender people are vitally involved in making this organization meaningful and fun for our entire community!

Our Next Meet-and-Greets:
 

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

We will meet at a new venue, AL'S Landing, 111 Ruby St., Suite 1, Tavares, phone: 352-742-1113. 
The building they are in is new, two story & looks out on Lake Dora.  Their menu is limited, but growing; specials are offered daily. They have no website yet.
We will meet about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2010.  They offer inside & outside dining and a full bar.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

We will return to an old favorite of many, Gator's Dockside, 15241 US Highway 441, Eustis.  
We will meet about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2010.  They offer indside & outside dining and a full bar.  You may call them at 352-357-1255 or check out their website for more information:

www.gatorsdockside.com/

Monday, September 20, 2010

Casa Mia opens its doors to us again at 5:30 on Monday, September 20, 2010.  Their address is 505 West main Street, Tavares.  They have a full bar & some dining available outside.  Their phone is: 352-742-9940. 

OTHER EVENTS:

G.I.F.T. (Gender Identity in Florida Today)

A new peer-to-peer transgender support group in Lake County. 

2nd Wednesday of each month, at 7:00 p.m.

For location call:
352-360-5460, email rlk352@gmail.com, or visit:  http://glbcc.org/groups.php

Triangle Rainbow Sewing

10/22/09 6:00PM - 9:00PM

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SEW-MINI Things is proud to host a sewing/quilting evening for our sewing/quilting Rainbow family members.
This is a monthly social event, so feel free to BYOB and a pot luck snack to share.

Can't sew? That's ok. We can help you out.
Can sew but need a little guidance? We can help there also.
You don't sew but want to come with your partner and be social?
Come even if you can't or don't sew you're still invited to participate.

We look forward to seeing, socializing and sewing with our "Triangle" family.

 

 

Stuart & Timm

http://www.sewminithings.com

Tel 352-483-0082

Toll Free 888-238-6903 

Fax 352-483-0295
MAP

 

Smaller Dining Group

Would you be interested in organizing a small outing to one of your favorite restaurants?  Perhaps it is too small to hold our monthly Meet & Greet, or perhaps it's outside our Golden Triangle Area.  You suggest the particulars--where, when, etc.--& we will spread the word.  Send an email to: diningout@thetriangleconnection.com to orgainize such a gathering.


Breakfast Club

Mondays at Athens NY Style Diner,
 18750 US Hwy. 441 Mount Dora  (in the Gold's Gym Plaza) at 9:00 a.m.

Thursdays at the Green House Restaurant, 3725 West Old Hwy. 441, Mount Dora, at 9:30
phone: 352-735-2800


Horseback Riding

Anyone for horseback riding?  Tracy is interested in organizing at least one outing at a nearby ranch.  Beginners and seasoned equestrians are welcome.  Register your interest by emailing:

horsebackriding@thetriangleconnection.com