Martinis Above Fourth would like to thank the many donors and buyers of wreaths at their first annual wreath auction benefiting the Queen Eddie Conlon Youth Fund at The Center. The event raised $3,425 for youth, and Martinis has set a goal to triple that next year.

The restaurant and bar continues to collect unwrapped toys for the Imperial Court de San Diego Toys for Kids Drive, as well as blankets for the Tijuana Blanket Drive. Martinis Above Fourth is located at 3940 Fourth Ave., Suite 200. Call (619) 400-4500 for more information.

The Sea Breeze Rainbow Deaf Society of San Diego is hosting a New Year’s Eve party Friday, Dec. 31, from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at the Inn Suites/LaFayette Suite Hotel, located at 2250 El Cajon Blvd. Semi-formal dress is required. There will be a buffet-style dinner, dancing and a DJ. Tickets are $60 at the door. Email SBRDSSanDiego04@aol.com for further information.

Bring a buddy or partner to a day dedicated to the well being of women. The Center’s Women’s Resource Center and Comprehensive Health Center are holding a full day of healthy workshops and services Saturday, Jan. 22, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free, and childcare will be provided.

At 12:00 noon, a healthy cooking class will teach you to make treats that are both good and good for you; at 1:30 p.m., there is a partners massage workshop, teaching you relaxation techniques; at 2:30 p.m. is “Safer Sex in the City”, detailing everything you ever wanted to know about safer sex with women; at 4:00 p.m. is a women’s wellness panel, introduced by Councilmember Toni Atkins, where you can learn about women’s healthcare in San Diego and ask the doctors anything via anonymous question ballots. Low or no-cost mammograms and breast exams in a comfortable, GLBT-friendly environment, will be offered throughout the day.

ASL or interpreters will be provided with seven-day advance notice.

The centers will also be hosting two future Women’s Wellness fairs, on Saturday, May 21, and Saturday, Sept. 17, also from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission, again, is free.

The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. Call Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 or email clucero@thecentersd.org for further information or to reserve a spot. Space is limited.

The Center’s Positive Action program offers a writing group for HIV-positive men, led by Fergal O’Doherty, who taught a series of creative writing workshops for people with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles from 1996 to 2004, and is currently a professor of English at Palomar College in San Diego. No formal writing experience is necessary. The next meeting takes place Friday, Jan. 7, at The Center at 11:00 a.m. Call (619) 692-2077 for more information.

Teresa Oyos, an activist and community program representative for UCSD’s HIV studies, is the featured guest at San Diego’s only live talk show dedicated to celebrating amazing women in the diverse LBT community, taking place Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Women’s Resource Center at The Center. Admission is free.

The event takes place on the second Wednesday of the month, unless otherwise noted, where the resource center features a different inspiring woman and gets to know her. Upcoming Coffee and Conversation guests include: Feb. 12 – Joyce Marieb, executive director of the Greater San Diego Business Association, and Linda Barufaldi, a chiropractor and healer; March 9 – Bixi Craig, founder and publisher of Lavender Lens; April 13 – Pat Washington, PhD, activist and community leader; May 11 – Julia “Jhigs” Legaspi, a city commissioner and business owner; June 8 – Delores Jacobs, chief executive officer of The Center; and July 13 – Amber Thorne, vice president of Dawn Media, which publishes Update.

Marie from the woman-owned coffee shop Sip This will provide complimentary coffee. Call Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 or email her at clucero@thecentersd.org for more information.

Over 15,000 people are expected to attend the seventh annual San Diego Multicultural Festival taking place Saturday, Jan. 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. along the Martin Luther King Promenade in downtown San Diego’s marina – across from the San Diego Convention Center, and around Fourth Avenue and Market Street on Harbor Drive.

Conceived of by the Centre City Development Corporation, the festival features a variety of ethnic food, merchandise and community information booths; two stages of multicultural performances and entertainment; an artist’s circle and a children’s area with free hands-on activities. The aim of the festival is to bring together people and ideas from all different cultures and corners of the globe to celebrate and learn from their differences.

Admission is free. Contact Jacki Taylor at (619) 533-7145 or via email at taylor@ccdc.com.

The holidays may be drawing to a close, but the Hillcrest Youth Center is still in need of a number of items to help meet the needs of the approximately 10 homeless youth who come to the center for help. The Hillcrest Youth Center is looking for: blankets, backpacks, bus passes and tokens, gift certificates for clothing, hairbrushes; jackets; nonperishable food items; socks; sweatshirts; sleeping bags; travel-size shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and deodorant; and undershirts.

To make arrangements for donation drop-offs, contact Patrick Loose at (619) 692-2077 ext. 125, or ploose@thecentersd.org.

HIV-positive youth are encouraged to attend the 12th annual Ryan White National Youth Conference on HIV and AIDS (RWNYC) in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 19-21. RWNYC is the only national conference dedicated to building the HIV prevention and advocacy skills of young people living with HIV, peer educators and activists, as well as adults who work in support of young people. Conference participants will attend workshops highlighting programs and intervention, providing comprehensive, youth appropriate services for those at risk for HIV and for those who are living with it. RWNYC is an opportunity to learn about what works, share challenges and successes, and network with others who seek to end the AIDS crisis for America’s youth.

The Positive Youth Institute is a daylong conference for HIV-positive youth on Feb. 18, the day before the conference begins. The institute is led by HIV-positive staff from the National Association of People with AIDS and is designed to build leadership and advocacy skills among young people living with HIV. The goals of the institute are to build a sense of self-awareness, to foster a connection with other HIV-positive young people and to lessen the feelings of isolation. There are no additional fees for RWNYC participants who attend the Positive Youth Institute. For more information, call (202) 898-0414.

The San Diego Bisexual Forum is a discussion group for those who wish to talk about issues of bisexuality in a warm, friendly and safe environment. There is a general discussion group, as well as a support group for those who wish to talk about deeper personal issues. Everyone, whether they identify as bisexual, friend, gay, lesbian, transgender, straight or queer, is welcome in this friendly and open setting. The group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Community Resource Center at The Center. Call (619) 293-3268 for more information.