The Center’s Public Policy Department will host a special dinner and discussion, called “The LGBT Community: Why the ‘T’?” This free event will take place at The Center on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 6-7:30 p.m.

“With the current debate over transgender inclusion in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), we are engaging in more in depth, thoughtful dialogue about the role of the transgender community within the larger LGBT community,” said Caroline Dessert, coordinator of The Center’s Public Policy Department.

The goal of the event is to provide a safe space for community members to ask questions and discuss issues surrounding transgender inclusion, not only in the workplace but the entire GLBT community.

The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest.

For more information, contact Dessert at 619-692-2077, ext. 111 or e-mail cdessert@thecentersd.org.

The Rubber Rose Boutique and Community Gallery will be offering its space as a donation drop-off point for community members wishing to make donations to those affected by the recent San Diego County firestorm.

The store’s owners, along with Border Angels, are working with several other local groups, to make sure that donations are getting to fire victims on both sides of the border that need the most help. Additionally there are several drop-off times that donations are being accepted at Chicano Park in the South Bay.

The Rubber Rose will accept donations on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 2-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27 from noon to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 28 from noon to 8 p.m. The Rubber Rose is located at 3812 Ray St. in North Park.

For more information, visit www.therubberrose.com.

An open house for the Hillcrest Corridor Mobility Plan will be held in the Guild Room at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday, Nov. 8, from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This event will provide a forum to share the mobility alternatives along Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, between Washington and Elm streets. It will also review the benefits and challenges associated with each alternative.

The public is invited to drop by at any time during the allotted hours to provide input and ideas on this process. Refreshments will be provided.

Information about the Hillcrest Corridor Mobility Plan can be found at www.hillcrestmobilityplan.com

For more information about the open house, contact Marlon Pangilinan, project manager at 619-235-5293, or e-mail mpangilinan@sandiego.gov.

San Diego Pride recently announced that it will donate more than $150,000 to 80 community organizations this year.

The funds, which were raised at Pride’s 33rd annual celebration in July, helped the organization reach a total of $1.2 million in community giving over the years.

San Diego Pride has established a five-prong approach to giving to the community, which includes: grant funding, providing direct community support, support of other Prides, support of the LGBT Center, and forming partnerships with community organizations whose membership desire a larger participatory role in the Pride weekend events.

For a complete listing of organizations that received grants from Pride this year, visit www.sdpride.org. The 2008 San Diego LGBT Pride Celebration is scheduled for July 19-20.

Family Matters, a program of The Center, will host its annual Halloween Carnival and Costume Contest at The Center on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 5-8 p.m.

The event will include a number of carnival games, crafts, and other activities for children and parents. It will also include a “cool and spooky space” for children 9 and up to watch Halloween-themed movies. A new feature of the event this year will be a room for parents of infants to relax, show off their costumes and socialize in a comfortable atmosphere.

Prizes for the funniest, scariest, cutest, most original, and best family costumes will be awarded.

Admission to the Family Matters Halloween event is $5, and includes dinner. Children under the age of 5 are free.

The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest.

For more information, visit www.thecentersd.org.

The San Diego Women’s Chorus (SDWC) recently announced the next concert of its 20th Anniversary Season called “Songs for a Winter’s Night.”

This one-night-only event will take place inside the Mission Hills United Church of Christ, on Sunday, Dec. 2, starting at 7 p.m.

The gala evening will celebrate SDWC’s 20 years of making music, with songs and stories throughout the event. There will also be several surprises that will take place along with raffle drawings.

Featured numbers will include covers of “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan, “Everything She Touches” by Joan Szymko, and “Song for a Winter’s Night” by Gordon Lightfoot. The Women’s Chorus will also present an arrangement of “Adeste Fideles,” the Spanish lullaby “Tengo Sueño,” and the fun dreidel song “S’vivon” in honor of Hanukkah. They will also bring their style to “One Small Child,” “Nuttin’ for Christmas,” and a jazzy rendition of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

An auction of holiday items from all around San Diego and beyond will kick-off the evening, so people are encouraged to arrive early.

Tickets to “Songs for a Winter’s Night” are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors, students and military personnel. Children under the age of 12 are free.

The Mission Hills United Church of Christ is located at 4070 Jackdaw St. in Mission Hills.

For more information about the San Diego Women’s Chorus or to purchase tickets to “Songs for a Winter’s Night,” call 619-291-FEMM, or visit www.sdwc.org.

San Diego HIV Health Services Planning Council, which helps allocate Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act 2006 funds to provide services to people in San Diego living with HIV/AIDS, is currently seeking new members. The Planning Council is particularly interested in involving people living with HIV/AIDS in its committee work and as members of the council itself.

“The Planning Council is a wonderful opportunity for consumers to help design services for the HIV community, and to help allocate funds for those services and programs,” said Ken Riley, lead health planner.

For more information about the Planning Council, or to inquire about joining, contact Riley at 619-293-4711, or e-mail at Kenneth.Riley@sdcounty.ca.gov.

A number of events are being planned this year to commemorate Veterans Day in San Diego, primarily to honor GLBT veterans.

The “Honor Every Veteran” campaign will include a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rally, designed to help end discrimination in the military, at the Federal Building in downtown San Diego on Friday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. Following the rally, there will be a Kick-Off Reception at The Caliph at 8 p.m. which will include food and drinks.

On Saturday, Nov. 10, the San Diego Veterans’ Day Parade will step-off at 11 a.m. from the San Diego County Administration Building downtown. A GLBT community contingent will be represented in the parade. Later that evening, the San Diego LGBT Center in Hillcrest will host a Military Ball Cocktail Reception at 6 p.m.. The honorary chairs of the event are Congressmembers Bob Filner and Susan Davis. Filner is the chair of the House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Davis is chair of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Tickets to the reception are $20 at the door. Dress uniform or business casual attire is requested. There will be an after-party at Bourbon St. in University Heights starting at 10 p.m.

Finally, on Sunday, Nov. 11, the “Stand Down Draft Party” will be held at The Hole in Point Loma starting at 2 p.m., and the “Take No Prisoners Final Assault” party will be held at Pecs in North Park starting at 7 p.m.

All proceeds from the weekend’s event will be donated to American Veterans for Equal Rights, and The Center’s Public Policy Department. All events are open to the public, with the events held at bars being open only to those 21 years and older.

For more information, call 619-459-1019, or visit www.honoreveryveteran.org.

The South Bay Alliance, which helps to build community among GLBT people living in South San Diego County, will hold its next mixer at the South Bay Fish and Grill on Monday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The entire GLBT community is invited to the social event in an effort to connect to GLBT friendly businesses, and mobilize for political action on GLBT issues.

Appetizers will be included, and happy hour-priced drinks will be available.

South Bay Fish and Grill is located at 570 Marina Pkwy., in Chula Vista.

For more information, visit www.southbayalliance.net.