Stepping Stone’s ninth annual “Spring Fling” – a night of entertainment and dancing – takes place Friday, April 1, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the San Diego War Memorial Building. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

The San Diego War Memorial Building is located at 3325 Zoo Dr. in Balboa Park. Call (619) 521-1356 ext. 100 for more information.

On Saturday, April 2, Outback Steakhouse in Oceanside is hosting a lunchtime fundraiser for the Vista Community Clinic at 11:30 a.m. and again at 1:00 p.m. All proceeds for this event go directly to the Vista Community Clinic and the over 45,000 clients it serves annually throughout Oceanside, Vista, Fallbrook and North County.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 10. The staff at Outback will be donating their time and working for tips only during the event.

Outback Steakhouse is located at 2485 Vista Way in Oceanside, in the El Camino North Center Shopping area. To purchase tickets call Sandra Fichter, community resource director, at (760) 631-5000 ext. 1135.

The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA are hosting two upcoming workshops, one focusing on loss and grief, and the other on pet care and handling.

On Saturday, April 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, the “Pet Loss Support Group” meets and is open to anyone ages 12 and up, including pet parents who are considering euthanasia. Led by Lorri Greene, PhD, and Associates, the workshop is held on the first Saturday of every month and the third Thursday of every month, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Admission is $25. Call (619) 299-7012 ext. 2311 to make a reservation or for more information.

On Wednesday, April 6, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., a “Home Alone” workshop answers pet owners’ questions about normal dog behaviors such as chewing, digging and other activities that can be troubling. All training is accomplished through kind, effective and modern positive reinforcement methods. Workshop cost is $35 per session, including materials and handouts. Call (619) 299-7012 ext. 2247 to register.

The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is looking for volunteer foster parents to care for litters of young and neonatal kittens and puppies until they are ready to be adopted. Training and supplies are provided. For more information, or to find out how to become a foster parent, call (619) 243–3454. The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is located at 5500 Gaines St.

The Nicky Awards, the leading community awards in San Diego’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, take place this year on Sunday, May 15. For nearly 30 years, the awards have recognized outstanding community and business members in the GLBT and allied communities.

This year, the 29th annual Nicky Awards will be held at the Westin Horton Plaza Hotel, located at 910 Broadway Circle in downtown San Diego. The event is a fundraiser for selected local charities recognized by the IRS as nonprofit organizations. This year’s beneficiaries are the Asian Pacific Islander Community AIDS Project (APICAP), Equality California (EQCA), the Human Dignity Foundation and the Imperial Court de San Diego.

Tickets are $50 advance, $60 at the door and $80 VIP.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Jess San Roque, president of the 2005 Nicky Awards Board of Governors, at (619) 229-2822.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Voices for Children is looking for volunteers to serve as court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children. Volunteers will lend support to children, research cases, interview parties involved and make recommendations to the court. All training is provided.

“While we are proud of what we have accomplished for children, our celebration is bittersweet because our job is far from over,” said Gary Cagle, volunteer recruitment coordinator. “About 200 children enter foster care in San Diego County each month. Currently, there are over 500 children on our waiting list in need of a Court Appointed Special Advocate.”

The next Voices for Children informational meeting is Wednesday, May 4. Call (858) 569-2019 for more information.

The community is invited to attend a town hall meeting presented by San Diego Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Pride, at 7:00 p.m., April 13, in The Center’s auditorium, 3909 Centre St.

The meeting, titled “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” is designed to give community members an overview of the goals, achievements and challenges San Diego Pride, which celebrates its 31st anniversary this summer.

According to a statement issued by Pride’s board of directors: “We’re all shareholders in Pride. We must work together to shape its future and to ensure not only its vitality, but also its relevance to, and authenticity for, our LGBT community.”

Pride board members and staff will facilitate the meeting, and also share the results of last year’s attendance and demographic survey taken at the festival in July. It is the first such survey that Pride has ever conducted. Free dessert and beverages will be served.

This year’s Pride weekend is scheduled for July 29-31. For more information, call the Pride office at (619) 297-7683.

Beginning April 24, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Zen Spiritual Institute will offer a four part interactive group discussion on meditation, love, relating and spiritual growth, led by Zen Spiritual Institute founder and executive director Dwayne Custer.

“The purpose of these discussions is to educate and assist people in finding answers on their own by going inward to their heart first and then reflecting that journey outward to the world,” Custer said. “The experiences and stories from people all through the centuries who have proven these methods to be successful can be found everywhere from the Tao to the Bible, and even in modern society from people like Einstein and the Dalai Lama.”

The Zen Spiritual Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and assisting individuals in finding solutions to mental, physical, emotional and spiritual issues through meditation, one-on-one counseling, group discussion and self-actualization.

Participation is free.

The groups take place at the Exotic Bamboo Nursery Imports and Teas, located at 1475 University Ave. in Hillcrest. Contact Dwayne Custer at (619) 804-2150 or geeyouaretoo@yahoo.com for more information.

The San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council presents renowned GLBT leader Evan Wolfson from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, at The Center.

The executive director of Freedom to Marry, Wolfson has been at the forefront of the national fight for marriage equality. During his time with Lambda Legal, he served as co-counsel in the historic Hawaii same-sex marriage case and appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in Lambda’s discrimination case, Boy Scouts of America v. James Dale. Additionally, Wolfson was listed on Time magazine’s “The 100 Most Influential People in the World” list in 2004.

“Evan Wolfson is a true leader whose work has had a dramatic impact on our collective efforts to secure LGBT equal rights,” said Dr. Delores A. Jacobs, chief executive officer of The Center. “I have tremendous respect for his vision and courageous legal work on behalf of our community.”

Immediately following his speech, Wolfson will be available to sign his book, Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People’s Right to Marry.

The April 21 event is free and open to the public. A private reception with Wolfson will take place prior to the event. Call Zac Mikles at (619) 692-2077 ext. 246.