LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — July 8, 2026

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Heartfelt thanks

On behalf of the 2026 Sequim Pride Volunteer Team, we wanted to reach out and thank you for all of your support in making the 5th Annual Sequim Pride such a vibrant success! Your participation and enthusiasm were truly inspiring, especially the incredible turnout for the parade led by our grand marshal, Curt Queyrouze. We are so grateful for your willingness to come together and celebrate diversity and inclusion in our community.

A key highlight this year was our ability to donate $500 to the Sequim High School Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA), made possible by the generous support of this year’s primary sponsor, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe!

We would like to extend a special thank you to:

Our speakers: Curt Queyrouze, our 2026 Grand Marshal and CEO of First Fed Bank, for your inspiring leadership; Michael Lowe, representing the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe; Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias; Washington State Representative Adam Bernbaum; and Toby Hendrickson from the Sequim High School GSA, for sharing your voice and your vision for the future.

The Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market: Thank you to Layla Forêt and the entire team for partnering with us once again and for providing a wonderful place to center this celebration, creating an inclusive experience for the community.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe: Your generous sponsorship and partnership made a significant impact on our event and our ability to support our local youth GSA.

The Sequim Gazette: For all of the coverage leading up to the event and coverage of the event.

Leslie Van Damme: For volunteering as our photographer and capturing the joy of the day.

Our volunteer team: To everyone who helped stuff giveaway bags, managed the booth, and organized logistics behind the scenes — we couldn’t have done this without you.

The overwhelming community outpouring and the incredible crowd this year truly touched our hearts. While there is always work to be done, we are moved by your unwavering support and believe that together, we are making Sequim an even more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone.

If you are interested in volunteering for next year’s Sequim Pride, please contact us at sequimpride@gmail.com. For updates throughout the year, follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/sequimpride or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/SequimPride.

With Pride,

Your 2026 Sequim Pride Volunteer Team