The races at Del Mar have become a San Diego tradition, and this year The Center will be taking part in the fun and excitement. Join the Front and Center Club at the Del Mar Racetrack on Monday, Aug. 23. The Center has reserved a Celebrity Suite for the Front & Center Club to enjoy their Day at the Races in style. Enjoy superb trackside viewing, access to the patio overlooking the saddling paddock, a buffet, air conditioning and great ambience. Make an afternoon of it by leaving work early and joining The Center at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 each. To purchase, contact Zac Mikles at (619) 692-2077 ext.246.

Beginning on Monday, Aug. 16, and continuing on the third Monday of each month, Andrea Beth Damsky, licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, will offer a free health information clinic for members of the GLBT community at Exotic Bamboo Nursery Imports and Teas, located at 1475 University Ave.

Health concerns Damsky will address include acute and chronic pain; women’s health (menopause, menstrual complaints and PMS); side effects of pharmaceutical medications; depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress and fatigue; addiction detoxification and sobriety support; chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia; cancer and other immune-related illnesses; allergies, asthma, sinus and respiratory problems; digestive and eliminatory disturbances; memory problems and coping with difficult emotions. Bring your questions and also a pad and pen. There will be time for confidential, one-on-one consultation with Damsky.

Call Damsky at (619) 300-9960 for more information.

Enjoy an evening of summer theatre by moonlight on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 8:00 p.m., when Fraternity House, Inc. and Moonlight Stage Productions of Vista collaborate to present Cabaret, a musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb. Since 1988, Fraternity House has provided San Diego County’s only licensed homes dedicated to serving men and women with HIV/AIDS: Michaelle House in Vista and Fraternity House in Escondido.

All ticket proceeds from the Aug. 24 production of Cabaret go directly to fund resident care at Fraternity House and Michaelle House. Orchestra tickets cost $25 and include entrance to a private wine and cheese reception, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Standard tickets cost $15, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. All attendees are invited to take part in a 50/50 raffle; the winning ticket will be drawn at intermission. To purchase tickets to Cabaret, call VisTix, at (760) 724-2110 or visit Obelisk Bookstore, at 1029 University Ave. Call Abby Schwartz at Fraternity House for more information: (760) 736-0292 ext. 103.

Gay Day returns to South Bay on Nov. 3, and community businesses are encouraged to participate by reserving a booth for this picnic and “mini” Pride event that will be held at Heritage Park in Otay Ranch. This is a great way to display your business, service or organization and to shine in the community. Spaces are limited and are filling up fast so hurry to reserve a booth space for $50.

The event, sponsored by Family Matters, provides entertainment for the kids and is open to all but is ideal for those that live in the South Bay and want to get to know others in their community. It is a great opportunity for GLBT or supportive businesses to attract new business.

For more information, call (619) 298-5431.

Mr. Ebony Universe Ronnie Miranda and Ladies Over Forty present the first annual Mr., Miss and Ms. Black Elite California Pageant on Saturday, Aug. 14, and they are looking for contestants. Categories include presentation, swimwear, eveningwear, talent and question and answer. The pageant takes place at Elks Lodge #598, located at #6 Hensley in San Diego. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.; show begins promptly at 8:00 p.m. Call Ronnie Miranda at (619) 808-3571 or email him at anothony12@yahoo.com for more information.

The Center’s Women’s Resource Center and Comprehensive Health Center have teamed up to bring local women together to focus on women’s healthcare. On Saturday, Aug. 14 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., women will have the opportunity to receive information on breast exams, mammograms and breast health/risks, and can attend a safer sex workshop. This event takes place in the Women’s Resource Center.

Many of the services offered on this day will be at no cost to qualified participants. For free services, some income and age requirements may apply. For more information, or to qualify for pre-approved for services, participants should contact Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206.

The Center hosts an evening with author and activist Abigail Garner on Wednesday, Aug. 25.

Garner is the author of Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is. The grown daughter of a gay father who came out in 1978, Garner uses nearly eight years of community involvement and interviews to compile a work that includes the voices of young adults who were raised by one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents. While Families Like Mine debunks the myth that children of GLBT parents grow up damaged and confused, she also explores and refutes the sentiment that they turn out “just like everyone else.”

The reading and book signing takes place in The Center’s auditorium from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $5 at the door. Copies of Families Like Mine: Children with Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is will be available for purchase. Childcare will be available. For more information, contact AJ Davis, The Center’s director of public policy, at (619) 692-2077 ext. 212.

The Center’s Positive Action program has formed a writing group for HIV-positive men that will begin Friday, Sept. 3. No formal writing experience is necessary. The group will meet at The Center on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will operate on a drop-in basis, so there’s no need to reserve a space.

The workshop will be led by Fergal O’Doherty. O’Doherty is currently a professor of English at Palomar College. He also taught a series of creative writing workshops for people with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles from 1996 to 2004.

For further questions, contact Carolyn at the Positive Action Office at (619) 692-2077 ext. 133.

Fraternity House, Inc. invites the community to dine in style, while simultaneously making a difference in the lives of men and women living with HIV/AIDS. As San Diego County’s only nonprofit organization licensed to provide residential care facilities for the chronically ill, Fraternity House, Inc. presents its fifth annual Fraternity Feasts series, a sequence of elegant dining experiences designed to raise funds in support of the vital services Fraternity House provides.

The first in the dinner series is “A Midsummer Night’s Garden Feast” taking place on Saturday, Aug. 14, at 6:00 p.m. Patrick Anderson and Les Olson will host the dinner. Guests are invited to partake in a twilight stroll through the hosts’ renowned gardens, followed by hors ‘d oeuvres and cocktails in the grand hilltop pavilion. After sunset, the group adjourns to the house for a dinner accompanied by fine wines. Space is limited to 12 guests and tickets are $100 per person. To make reservations for the feast, contact Abby Schwartz at (760) 736-0292 ext.103.