Roz is a big softie! on Yahoo! Underground

Roz Campbell is rodeo director for the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association. She's also a former Marine; Roz spent more than 12 years in the USMC. Given her background, you wouldn't really expect her to be a softie, but Roz is a BIG softie. At least she was the day I met her.

I sat with her as she watched Viktor Manoel and his rescue horse, Senior Gonzalez, compete in their first gay rodeo. She'd met Viktor in 2006 at a Los Angeles AIDS fundraising ride. Recognizing the delight Viktor took in the free roping clinic she was working at the ride, Roz offered him a gift of a specially designed lasso.

It was a watershed moment. For Viktor, the gift released years of held-back emotions: He'd loved riding and rodeoin' as a child, only to have it and his horse taken away from him as a teenager when his father discovered he was gay. Roz's simple generosity brought Viktor back to the rodeo. I know this because Viktor told me so.

For Roz, it was like so many other moments she's experienced as a result of gay rodeo, which has always been a charity affair. Whether it's raising funds for organizations that assist people with AIDS, or bringing joy to people like Viktor, gay rodeo does as much for this ex-Marine as she does for it.

Though Roz's eye's welled up while watching Viktor ride, I doubt that's a regular occurrence. I didn't catch her ordering any rodeo volunteers to drop and give her twenty push-ups, but then, who wants to cross an ex-jarhead? Even if she is an old softie?

This year's L.A. Gay Rodeo has been postponed until 2008. But there are plenty of others to catch, should you be gay rodeo curious. Check the Underground event schedule at Upcoming.org for more event dates. Or add some of your own. And happy trails to you.

so, what's your story?

Need an Avatar?

Get one here, avatars.yahoo.com

Got a bone to pick or a story to tell? (Hopefully the latter) Well, here's your soapbox. Take this opportunity to sound off or to bicker endlessly with other users over pointless minutia like true denizens of the internet. You're the man now dog.

1 - 2 of 2 First | Previous | Next | Last

a bird got married to a girrafee and after the wedding night the rabbit asked the bird how it was,the bird said ROUGH,and how is dat being newlyweds? The bird said to kiss she flys up,to cuddle she drops a little and to make love oooohhh!!! she practically sinks to the ground. WHAT A MARRIAGE,IS YOURS LIKE THAT?

POSTED Tue, May 8, 2007 8:09 AM PDT

ock

VESTIGIAL IGNORANCE * * How needful once were people for church.. in Costa Rica, NOW, that denotes ignorance. * Dependence upon religion is a weakness in technological ability: a too simple being. * Must typical friendliness fail to suspicion? Step over that moat into balanced being. * It is always true that balance applies.. as much in human relations as in materials. * Cultures, worlds, fail without complete compliance, person to person, equality. * How much does vestigial ignorance impede.. progress, use of a PLANET’S SUPER ABUNDANCE? * * 16Jun07 dtluttn@yahoo.com BISHOPS AND OTHER FOOLS * * How does the perfect GOLDEN RULE beginning.. end up as a church‘s superstitious ignorance? * What entices men such as christ to corruption? Add muhamud, smith, a host of popes, and... * Bishops, kings, fools, to that list... God, how weak and silly are human beings! * How self seeking is mankind! How soon mislead! How long takes it to find its true SELF? * What’s the proper first steps to take against church? Tell me!. Help me! Its getting late! * * 17Jun07 dtaluttn@yahoo.com

POSTED Sun, Jun 17, 2007 1:01 PM PDT