Toms River Shows Its Colors, Raises Pride Flag

Photo courtesy Toms River Township

  TOMS RIVER – In a show of inclusivity and togetherness, Toms River township officials helped to raise the inaugural Pride flag during a ceremony held earlier today at town hall.

  The raising of the flag also signals the beginning of downtown Pride celebrations to come this weekend.

  “The Pride flag (or rainbow flag) has six colors. Red represents life, orange is for healing, yellow is sunshine, green means nature, blue represents harmony, and purple is spirit. The flag will fly through the month of June to honor Pride Month and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in Manhattan,” according to township officials.

  Present at the flag raising ceremony was Mayor Kelaher; Councilmen Mo Hill and Terrance Turnbach; Jonathan Petro, President of the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce; Karen Hershey, CEO of the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce; and Lexi Davenport of Exit 82 Theatre Company.

  If you wish to join in a celebration of Pride in your own community, come out to Exit 82’s Pride event on June 22, 12-5 p.m. Celebrate diversity, culture and equality with a festival on Robbins Street, games, food trucks, vendors and shows.

  As of the most recent council meeting, June 22 has been officially proclaimed as Toms River Pride Day in the Township of Toms River.