With Gay Games VIII in Cologne less than two months away, Team San Diego is seeking names and contact information for all San Diego-area athletes who will be traveling to Germany to compete in the week-long event.

The main focus of Team San Diego is to bring all local Gay Games competitors together over the next few weeks so that decisions can be made concerning the uniform to be worn for Opening Ceremonies, the logo to be used on trading pins and the team banner, and any fundraising that may need to be done to help defray the cost of these items.

If you or someone you know is registered to compete at Gay Games VIII, please e-mail your name, contact information, and the sport(s) in which you’ll be competing to George Biagi at hoya82@aol.com, or call him at (619) 993-6360. Time is of the essence, so please relay this information as soon as possible.

Take the early test from June 15th to July 11th and receive a free ticket to the Pride Festival, while supplies last. The UCSD AVRC is offering this free and confidential test at several different locations. The HIV early test detects HIV infection as early as one week after exposure. For more information or to take the test, call 619-543-8080 or visit theearlytest.ucsd.edu.

The Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA) has announced this year’s award recipients for outstanding business and community leadership. The honorees will be awarded at a public luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., June 25, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, located at 1380 Harbor Island Dr. Tickets are $50 per person.

The awardees meet various criteria that fall into six categories, and the two corporations honored by GSDBA in the lineup were required to hold a 100 percent rating in the Human Rights Campaign Equality Guide. The categories and winners are as follows:

Business of the Year: future-ink. Company president Christianna Connell is recognized for advocating equality and business fairness on behalf of the GLBT community. In December, she took part in President Obama’s White House job summit, offering her support of the jobs tax credit while raising concerns over the rising costs of health care.

Nonprofit of the Year: Stepping Stone. The honor coincides with the agency’s 10-year anniversary of its modern facility in City Heights, which provides housing and health programs to GLBT individuals in their recoveries from drugs and alcohol. The organization continues to serve as a model for other agencies of its kind throughout California.

Community Leadership Award: Mayor Jerry Sanders has been awarded for his open support on a variety of political and business issues that affect the spirit, pride and diversity of GLBT people. His political stand on such issues over the past year have contributed to the success of GLBT businesses and organizations.

Emerging Business of the Year: Urban Optics Optometry, owned by Gary Klein, has been awarded for its exemplary customer service and for demonstrating support to community-wide causes within the GLBT community.

Corporate Partner of the Year: Sempra Energy, which meets the award criteria in providing benefits to GLBT and non-GLBT employees alike, has openly supported the GLBT community at large, including non-profit organizations and political issues favoring GLBT equality.

Corporate Diversity Leader of the Year: U.S. Bank vice president Karen A. Clark. This year’s new award category recognizes the financial institution for its national support of GLBT issues while demonstrating an excellence in business practices that extend to full GLBT-employee benefits and outstanding multicultural marketing. The bank has openly supported the GSDBA and took part in last year’s San Diego Pride parade.

Tickets to the luncheon may be purchased online at www.gsdba.org. They can also be obtained by calling 619-296-4543 or faxing to 619-296-5616.

Join the North County LGBT Coalition and DOD FED GLOBE by marching at the Oceanside Freedom Parade, Saturday July 3, at 9 a.m., at the corner of Wisconsin and Coast Highway at the Gas Station, where, for the first time in history, a contingent of GLBT families and troops will participate in the Oceanside Freedom Parade.

Home to Camp Pendleton, the Oceanside Freedom Parade will include our military troops, their federal military representatives, the local government and our residents celebrating and honoring Independence Day and our troops.

The parade is a great opportunity to send a positive message of support to all our GLBT troops and to bring attention to the end of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

Since this event will be covered by the media, your presence and participation is appreciated; however, please remember that it is not a protest.