In October 2009, the PNWD office purchased a Standing on the Side of Love banner to share among our congregations. Since that time our banner has been marched in Gay Pride parades, a high school homecoming parade, a Cinco de Mayo parade, and even a rodeo parade! It has been hung to inaugurate a Welcoming Congregation program, publicize a Social Justice Fairness Fair, and to launch a Candidating Week. The banner has stood on the steps of state capitol buildings, been present for a Marriage Equality Town Forum, and raised on a busy street-corner during an Interfaith Alliance rally.
Our banner’s first stop was Juneau, Alaska and its final stop was Ellensburg, Washington. After 37 visits, through all four PNWD states, our banner was starting to look very tired. At District Assembly in Spokane, we held a raffle to see who could guess the total miles our banner has traveled during the past 53 months. The winner would take the banner home to spend its final days in retirement. Leslie Miller of Boise UU Fellowship guessed just 279 miles shy of the 13,385 total miles traveled! Congratulations, Leslie!