A new community center for LGBT residents of the Quad Cities has opened in Rock Island. City leaders, clients, and staff held a ribbon cutting Tuesday for Clock, Inc. on 24th Street, in the former Illinois Oil building.
The founder, Chase Norris, says it offers a range of services, including counseling, group meetings, and educational events - for all ages and genders. And it's growing every week.
"Our biggest group is our all ages - which is LGBT youth, adults, school educators, counselors, literally everyone. People who realistically wouldn't all be part of one group and all in the same room and we do a group activity together."
So far, he is a staff of one, plus two college interns, and a lot of volunteers.
Hanna says she was looking for a community, and found Clock Inc.
"Through Clock I've not only found tolerance towards my identity, but acceptance. And it's allowed me to blossom socially. This place is my comfort zone, it's my home away from home."
To name his new organization, Norris wanted a simple, easy to say name, clock also refers to it's time for society to change, and their clocks are set to 6-28, referring to June 28, 1969 when the Stonewall riots broke out in New York - they're often thought to be the beginning of the LGBT movement in the US.
