While still a young man living in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. J. Michael Heider (“Jay” to his friends) was impressed by the big difference he saw his hometown dentist making in the lives of people in his community. Although only one man, that dental practitioner had a positive impact on many people— including the future Dr. Heider, who earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree at Ohio State University in Columbus, and completed his general practice residency at Miami Children’s Hospital.

“I really loved South Florida, so I decided to stay here and begin my practice,” recalls Heider. “This was not too long after the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCC) [now the Pride Center at Equality Park] opened.

I read an article about the GLCC, and decided to check it out. I showed up one day, looked at the services, and decided to volunteer.”

Heider had been introduced to the future Pride Center during a difficult time. “Unfortunately, I volunteered at one of the Center’s darkest periods,” he relates. “I continued to volunteer, because I believed in the Mission Statement of the Center.” Heider explains: “At that point, there was lots of internal politics involved [in the organization]. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the person who was Executive Director. I was asked to serve on the Board of Directors.”

As Heider, who became president of the non-for-profit’s board, recalls, “During this dark time, local businessman Ed Nicholas took the reigns as the GLCC’s executive director, and donated his time to clean up and begin aggressive fundraising efforts to get the Center back in the black. It worked. During that year, money began to flow in, and the board tried to get Nicholas to stay on. He said, ‘No, I’ve given it a year and helped to turn it around.’ So we began the search for a new executive director. The Board interviewed several candidates—and then enter Paul Hyman. It was a great decision,” Heider adds.

Dr. J. Michael Heider (“Jay” to his friends)

With a professional executive director to take the reins, Heider says that as president, “My personal mission was to keep it up and going, and continue its vital services to the community.” The GLCC would soon experience major changes. “In 2007, Tarragon Development purchased the property on which the Center was located, to build a large complex, so the Center had to move. We occupied a couple of locations while we continued the search for a permanent site,” Heider remembers.

The Pride Center at Equality Park on North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors was the ultimate fruit of those labors of love and hard work.

In recognition of those contributions, the Pride Center at Equality Park (under its new executive director, longtime community activist Robert Boo), will honor Dr. Heider and other board members, past and present, at an event on September 30.

Heider, who is celebrating 28 years with his partner, realtor Thom Carr, says he is glad to have been a part of the Pride Center’s past and present accomplishments, and anticipates a bright future for it, and the community it serves. “I am honored that the Pride Center has seen fit to recognize me.

The time I donated came from my heart, and there is such a need for the services it provides,” he adds. We might say the same about him.