For Mel Thivierge, Sunday’s Pride bake sale was about supporting an important cause without being the centre of attention.
“I thought I could lend extra hands because, in the back of my mind, there was a very, very slim concern” that there would be protesters, Thivierge told The Lake Report.
The bake sale led by mother Tara Rosling and her daughter Eliana McManus was planned in response to the vandalism of the town’s Pride crosswalk.
Thivierge came out on their motorcycle to keep an eye on the area for any issues, along with their friend Jeff — plus, to enjoy baked goods and lemonade.
Thivierge, who works as a lighting technician at the Shaw Festival, explained that they wanted to come out and support the two-spirit and LGBTQ+ community in Niagara-on-the-Lake amid recent acts of hate.
“There had been a drag queen storytime that had been protested, thankfully nothing happened (here) which is great. But I just wanted to be in support, to support the community,” Thivierge said.
Vanessa Wormwell, 21, was also in attendance to show her support in NOTL, along with her mom Chris, who was volunteering.
“There’s not a lot for the 2SLGBTQI+ community around, so to be able to have this here shows that people care,” she said.
The sale, which featured baked goods, lemonade, face painting and a silent auction raised $4,016 in support of Egale Canada, a Toronto-based advocacy organization.
