Join the Earth Centered Spirituality Circle for this popular festival at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego (Hillcrest area) on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20 and 21, at 6:00 p.m.

Now in its eighth year, this is a magical event to celebrate the return of the Sun. Drawing on earth-centered traditions from around the world, it celebrates many familiar traditions that have their origins in a spirituality based on the cycles of nature. The festival includes hot-spiced cider in a take-home mug, singing, dancing, drumming, storytelling, and participation by all. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season of light. This year there will be a new Crone and a surprise visit from a Forest Crone. There will also be an array of spices for sale as holiday gifts or for kitchen use.

Get tickets now, the festival regularly sells out. Tickets are $9 for adults, $2.50 for children under 12. “Will call” tickets may be purchased by mailing a check for the total number of tickets, payable to First UU Church. Indicate which night the tickets will be for, and provide a phone number for confirmations. Write “Solstice” on the outside of the envelope and mail it to: First UU Church, 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA 92103 or contact the church by phone at (619) 298-9978.

People aren’t the only ones who go hungry. So the members of the San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association are hosting their seventh annual Holiday Pet Food Drive. You can donate canned pet food at participating veterinary hospitals and clinics through Dec. 23, 2003. The San Diego Food Bank, in conjunction with the Holiday Food Drive, will distribute the donated food throughout the coming year. This will help San Diego County’s needy feed and keep their pets. People who fall on hard times shouldn’t have to share their food rations with their pets or give up their pets for lack of food. For limited income seniors and many other people, pets are like family members. Hill’s Pet Nutrition is providing logistical support. Their trucks and drivers will be picking up donations from participating veterinary clinics throughout the county. For more information or to locate a participating veterinarian, call the San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association at (619) 640-9583.

The San Diego Chapter of PFLAG will be holding their monthly meeting on Monday, Dec. 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 4190 Front Street, Hillcrest (Across the street from the UCSD Medical Center).

PFLAG will not have a formal meeting with a speaker this month, but members are invited to join each other in a relaxed holiday atmosphere for the election of officers and a sharing of thoughts and accomplishments throughout the year. There will be support groups on hand and PFLAG will be furnishing holiday treats. It will be the fourth night of lighting the Chanukah Menorah, so members will join friends in that tradition. For more information, call (619) 579-7640.

The City Council has approved a series of critical neighborhood improvement allocations, which will benefit Council District Three directly. Included in the actions taken were the approval of a $544,000 sidewalk replacement contract earmarked solely for locations in Council District Three, and funds for the installation of street lights and the modernization of traffic signals throughout the city.

This contract will replace 266 sidewalk locations that have been on the city’s backlog list for extensive periods of time. The Council also approved two contracts that will allow for the much-needed installation of traffic signals and streetlights. Construction on the sidewalks will run from March until August of 2004. The installation of the streetlights and the modernization of traffic signals will be an ongoing project throughout 2004.

Forty years after his greatest professional triumph — organizing the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington — and 16 years after his death, Bayard Rustin is still ahead of his time. Brother Outsider tracks the man’s 60-year career of (often radical) political activism. It spans his days in the 1930s as a communist and radical pacifist through to his even more controversial role as a political conciliator later in life. The film gracefully stitches together archival material, anecdotes and analysis to illuminate the man who was black, openly gay (years before it was fashionable or politically expedient), and who introduced Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance to Martin Luther King Jr. Rustin was a crucial link between decades of American social activism, surviving the homophobic maneuverings of his enemies both within and beyond the civil rights struggle, without ever giving in to bitterness or cynicism. The screening will be held on Friday, Dec.19, 7:00 p.m. at the Malcolm X Library, 5148 Market St. There will be a post screening discussion facilitated by San Diego scholar-activist, Dr. Pat Washington.

The Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, is seeking heavy smokers, or those who have quit smoking within the past 15 years, to participate in a study of the effectiveness of chest X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) scans in the early detection of lung center. The study is part of the National Lung Screening Trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, which includes 30 sites across the U.S. and 50,000 former and current smokers.

In the UCSD study, volunteers ages 55 to 74 will be selected by chance to receive either a chest X-ray or a spiral CT scan once a year for three years. The tests are free. Researchers will contact the participants periodically until 2009 to check on their health. If lung cancer is detected in a study participant, it may be caught at an early stage. Researchers hope that early detection of the disease may reduce symptoms from cancer, result in milder treatment with fewer side effects, or prolong life, but this has not been scientifically demonstrated. Data gathered from this study will help clarify some of the uncertainties about the possible value of these screening exams.

For more information about the National Lung Screening Trial, call the Moores UCSD Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Office at (858) 657-7020.

Ebony Pride San Diego has completely reorganized, with a new board of directors that consists of Ken Riley, Ronny Green, Debbie Hunt, Robert Carter, Renay Smith and Cheryl Robinson. The by-laws have been revised allowing positions for three more directors.

Ebony Pride has re-energized to become a visible and positive force, especially in San Diego’s African-American GLBT communities and the larger GLBT community in San Diego. Along with the new by-laws comes a dedication to fiscal responsibility. For the year 2002, their income was $15,811.50. Expenses were $21,761.99 with a net lost of $5,950.49 and all debts for 2002 have been completely repaid. Ebony Pride also has a new phone number, (619) 515-3606, and a new website. Visit the gaylesbiantimes.com and click on this story for a link. Their mailing address remains: 2936 Lincoln Ave., PMB 308, San Diego, CA 92104.

The Carlsbad chapter of PFLAG will be meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, at the Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 2020 Chestnut Avenue, Carlsbad. PFLAG provides support and information for those in North County having difficulties in understanding GLBT issues, especially when family relationships are disrupted. Family members as well as GLBT individuals are invited to join in discussion of mutual support. Call (760) 726-7524 for information.

Alternative Strategies and FloraStyle are hosting a Toy Drive for the Polinsky Center. You are invited to drop off your unwrapped toy through Dec. 22. Please deliver all toys to FloraStyle, located at 3807 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest.

The Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat (GMSR) is hosting its annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser — including the very popular Drag King/Drag Queen contest and dessert auction — from 6;00 to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 at The Center, 3909 Centre St. Sometimes the holidays can be challenging for the sober community. This event will provide a safe, sober environment filled with laughter, entertainment, camaraderie and fun. The one and only Ms. Kay Sedilla — international model, movie star and reigning Ms. Camp Stevens — will MC, and there will be many fantabulous door prizes. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Bring sponsors, sponsees, family and friends. For more information, call Johnny Flores at (619) 218-2130.