San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride has made available a number of community partnership grants for this year’s 35th annual Pride celebration, scheduled for July 18-19. This year’s Pride theme is “Stonewall 2.0: Activism for Equality” and the community partnership program is an excellent way for organizations to raise money while showing their activism and commitment to equality. The beneficiary program gives nonprofit organizations valuable opportunities to fund raise during Pride weekend, which attracts more than 225,000 people to its parade and two-day festival.

Partnership organizations will receive more than $30,000 in grants and funds through a variety of services that support Pride weekend, such as assisting in the sales of water and festival tickets. Participating organizations have included The Gay Men’s Chorus, Different Strokes Swim Team, and Live & Let Live Alano Club, to name a few.

A broader list of opportunities is available this year, including involvement in the areas of ID checking, parade marshals, recycling, ASL coordination, beverage sales and more. Agencies taking part are responsible for managing and staffing various program areas.

“The partnerships we’ve formed with community organizations are one of the five ways San Diego Pride gives funding directly to the community. By collaborating with community organizations, Pride not only invests in our community, but it also reinforces a community-based future for the annual celebration,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride.

In addition to providing funds through partnerships, Pride has given more than $1.3 million to a host of community organizations and charities through grant funding, including to The San Diego LGBT Community Center and other Pride organizations as well.

Applications are currently available and must be submitted by March 3. They are available in the “About Us” section on Pride’s web site: www.sdpride.org.

The program is open to nonprofit agencies whose mission involves services to the GLBT community, or to entities that provide positive outreach and education to the public about GLBT issues.

For more information, visit the web site or call the Pride office at 619-297-7683, ext. 111.

On Valentine’s Day, a day typically reserved for couples, Urban Mo’s is hosting a number of events geared toward singles, couples and those somewhere in between. On Saturday, Feb. 14, Urban Mo’s will host “The Postmaster” which will allow bar and restaurant patrons to send “flirt mail” to each other. Later that night, between 7-8:30 p.m., Lee will host free country line dancing lessons, and the fifth annual Bear Basket Auction will take place at 9 p.m. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Greater San Diego Rodeo Association.

Urban Mo’s is located at 308 University Ave. in Hillcrest. For more information, call 619-491-0400 or visit www.urbanmos.com.

The eighth annual Hillcrest Mardi Gras Street Party celebration will be held on University between First and Fourth avenues on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 11 p.m. Hillcrest Mardi Gras is a fun-filled evening featuring games, vendors, food, live entertainment and costumes. More than 2,000 guests enjoyed the event in 2008.

The festival will take place rain or shine.

The event is sponsored by the GSDBA Charitable Foundation and the Hillcrest Business Association. All proceeds from the street party benefit both organizations. The GSDBA Charitable Foundation issues annual Youth Scholarships.

The festival will feature live entertainment, special guest performers, and an exclusive V.I.P. area. Food and other drinks will be available for purchase from participating vendors and venues. Additionally, full liquor will also be served during the event. An array of other surprises, plenty of beads, and various other party favors will also be part of the festive evening. Hillcrest Mardi Gras remains a 21 and up age event.

Tickets are on sale now. Advance ticket price is $15 for general admission or $50 for a V.I.P Pass, which includes entry, private reception area, and private bathrooms. Tickets the day of the event are $20 for general admission and $75 for V.I.P. passes. Tickets are available at the following Hillcrest locations: Baja Betty’s, 1421 University Ave.; Urban Mo’s, at 308 University Ave.; and Obelisk Bookstore at 1029 University Ave.

Ticket purchases are tax-deductible. The festival will take place rain or shine and no refunds will be available on tickets. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.hillcrestmardigras.org.

From November 2005 through January of 2007 dozens of diligent sweepers met the first and third Sundays of each month to clean the sidewalks and gutters of Hillcrest. After a hiatus, they’re sweeping again at least once every quarter with the combined efforts of the Hillcrest Town Council. The winter clean-up effort will take place after the Fat Tuesday and Hillcrest Mardi Gras celebrations on Saturday, Feb. 28, beginning at 9 a.m.

Got junk to pitch? A dumpster will be located across the street in Numbers parking lot.

Brooms, gloves, tools and free T-shirts will be provided to all volunteers. This is an opportunity to help enhance Hillcrest by keeping it clean and picking up after yourself and others.

For more information, visit www.hillcresttowncouncil.com.

Aging as Ourselves will sponsor the Social Isolation in Recovery workshop presented and facilitated by licensed therapist Robert L. Bettinger. Bettinger is a GLBT senior activist who has presented workshops on recovery, personal growth, and dynamics of behavior in social settings for more than 20 years. During the presentation, participants in the workshop will focus on how isolation happens, how it involves all of your senses, refocusing your mindset to effect change and enhancing social skills to maintain your recovery.

Aging as Ourselves is an innovative community-wide collaborative that provides a safe and comfortable environment for GLBT seniors in San Diego to tap into culturally responsive legal, social and health related services. This program is part of a series of presentations for GLBT seniors in recovery held at S.A.G.E. (Seniors Active in a Gay Environment) of California, Inc.

The workshop will be held from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at the S.A.G.E. Center, 3138 Fifth Ave. (between Spruce and Redwood). Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 16. For more information, contact Tom Kirkman, S.A.G.E. Center executive director, at 619-298-9900 or visit www.agingasourselves.org.

First Lutheran Church of San Diego will kick off its 20th anniversary year as a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation with a musical gala on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. The gala event will include a light meal followed by vocalist, Deborah Liv Johnson and guitarist, Peter Sprague. A $20 suggested donation is asked to support this event and other events that will be part of the year-long celebration.

RIC congregations open their doors, their hearts, and their arms to people from diverse backgrounds – whether that be sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, economic status, color, capabilities, or any difference that separates one from another.

First Lutheran Church of San Diego holds weekly services every Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m.

Reservations for the gala event can be made by calling the church office at 619-234-6149. Tickets will also be available at the door.

First Lutheran Church is located at 1420 Third Ave. in Bankers Hill.

For more information about this and future RIC celebration events, e-mail ric20yrs.firstlutheran@yahoo.com or visit www.firstlutheransd.org.

Make this Valentines Day one that special someone will never forget. Talented quartets from San Diego Chorus will be delivering very special messages of love for Valentine’s Day. The San Diego Chorus can sing in a favorite restaurant, at work, at home, or wherever your sweetheart happens to be.

Singers will be delivering all day Friday, Feb. 13, and Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Feb. 14. For more information, call 858-451-8869.

If you have old television sets, computers, telephones or other consumer electronics bring them to 100 Park Blvd. in Downtown San Diego, Saturday, Feb. 21, between 9 a .m. and 3 p.m. The San Diego Padres, in partnership with Cox Communications, CIWMB and E-World Recyclers are hosting a free electronics recycling event at Petco Park. This is your chance to clear out your garage and do something great for the environment. No hazardous waste will be accepted. If you have questions about specific products you wish to dispose of, or for more information contact E-World Recyclers at 760-599-0888, ext. 214.