Trojan Pride looking for ‘helping hands’

Codi ClemmonsStaff Writer Troy’s second Trojan Pride is scheduled for spring semester after the event wasn’t held last year due to COVID concerns. Trojan Pride celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in Troy and though it is on Troy’s campus, the event is for the whole community. “We are so excited to plan and put on this event,” said vice president of Trojan Pride, Savannah Sapp, a junior political science major from Dothan, Alabama. “This is really showing the world that Troy is growing to be more than just a little town you pass by on Highway 231.” There have already been interest meetings conducted for Trojan Pride, and the team is on track to make the event come to fruition. “I’m really just looking forward to seeing our event happen this year,” said the president of Trojan Pride, Georgia Katherine Clark, a junior political science major from Dothan, Alabama. “It was disappointing, to say the least, when we heard the news of it being canceled in 2020. “With this past year being so hard on everyone, we want to give our community and its allies something to enjoy in an environment that is COVID conscious.” Leading up to the day of the event, the Trojan Pride team is working on fundraising and searching for as many volunteers as possible to lend a helping hand. “We have a handful of members as of right now to help, but the more hands and volunteers the better,” Sapp said. “We are also going to be offering this event as volunteer hours with our members.” Trojan Pride planners are being extremely cautious when it comes to COVID-19. “We are encouraging everyone to wear masks with our marketing and signs throughout the event,” Sapp said. “And, we are working on having special Trojan Pride face masks made to go along with our T-shirts for people to order.” “We will be following CDC protocol with masks, making sure everything is sanitized and clean,” Clark said. “Thankfully, our space on the social quad will give us plenty of room to be socially distanced.” The team for Trojan Pride is not only focused on the pride event, but is also working to help change the lives of Troy residents. “I’m excited to give the LGBTQ+ community in Troy a voice and a safe space,” Sapp said. “If there are individuals struggling to find community in such a rural area like Troy, we want to be that solace for them and make them feel loved and welcomed.” “For all this to happen, we need volunteers and members,” Clark said. “So, if you or anyone you know can offer some of your time to help us, please come out to our meetings and become an official volunteer or member.” “We would like to invite anyone to join us on April 24,” Sapp said. “This event is not exclusive to Troy students. Anyone can attend and we will be overjoyed to see everyone’s smiling faces.” If you can’t volunteer and still want to help out, the group also has a GoFundMe on its Instagram bio @_trojanpride_.