State Senator Christine Kehoe honored Marci Bair of Bair Financial Group at the California Small Business Day luncheon held in Sacramento in July. As the owner and senior financial planner at Bair Financial, Bair has been assisting businesses, non-profit groups and individuals with their financial planning needs for over 15 years.

“Marci is a successful small business owner, along with her family in the 39th Senate District, who not only cares about her clients; she cares about her entire community,” Kehoe said. “In addition to being a dedicated business owner and mother, she makes the time to support LGBT families. It was pleasure to recognize her.”

Bair is the past president and board member of the local non-profit Family Matters, which promotes the well-being of families with one or more parent who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. She is also a youth soccer and basketball coach for the South Bay YMCA and a member of the Better Business Bureau, the Greater San Diego Business Association and the LGBT Community Leadership Council.

“I am proud to be honored with such an outstanding group of other small business owners throughout the state of California, and am proud to represent San Diego in its diversity and support of small businesses,” Bair said.

Bair Financial is located in Mission Valley and Hillcrest.

Equality California’s Marriage Equality project will meet and discuss the most current information on marriage equality at Exotic Bamboo on Tuesday, Aug. 16, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

EQCA is a GLBT civil rights and advocacy organization that leads efforts for GLBT civil rights at the state level through an array of strategies that includes sponsoring legislation and leading efforts to ensure their passage, lobbying legislators and other government officials, building coalitions and empowering other organizations and individuals to engage in the political process.

Exotic Bamboo is located at 1475 University Ave. Call (619) 291-8221 or e-mail r.renee.olson@gmail.com for more information.

The Center’s next Community Coalition Lunch takes place Friday, Aug. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in The Center’s auditorium. This month’s guest is District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.

Admission charge includes lunch catered by The Abbey Café, networking and an information session.

For the past two years, the meeting has been a monthly staple for members of San Diego’s GLBT leadership, politicians and candidates, and for organizations collaborating with The Center.

The Community Coalition Lunch takes place on the third Friday of every month. ASL interpretation will be provided upon request. Requests must be sent to AJ Davis at (619) 692-2077 ext. 212 at least seven working days before the event.

Desert AIDS Project is collecting back-to-school supplies for clients’ children throughout the month of August. Collection boxes are located in the DAP lobby and at Palm Springs International Airport, as well as various locations throughout the city. Grade-appropriate supply lists are posted near the collection boxes, or may be obtained from George Puddephatt, director of social services and case management, by calling (760) 323-2118 ext. 248, or e-mailing gpuddephatt@desertaidsproject.org.

Supplies appropriate for kindergarten through sixth grades and for seventh through 12th grades are needed, including gift certificates to office supply stores and stores that sell school supplies and uniforms. Supplies and certificates will be distributed during the first week of September. Approximately 75 children were served last year.

For more information, call (760) 323-2118, or visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to their Web site.

Throughout August, Time Warner Cable is holding its sixth annual Clothes 4 A Cause business clothing drive. People are encouraged to donate ready-to-wear business outfits to benefit individuals enrolled in job training programs with the Alpha Project and YWCA/Becky’s House.

Through these programs, men and women receive career development, encouragement, and clothing suitable to wear in a business environment, allowing them an opportunity to become self-sufficient professionals. In 2004, more than 1,500 complete business outfits were collected in San Diego.

Donations are accepted at any San Diego County Jenny Craig Weight Loss Centre and at Time Warner Cable’s San Diego and Coronado offices. For each complete business outfit donated, donors will receive a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree to the Fashion Valley mall, courtesy of Lifetime Television. Donors also have a chance to win prize packages from sponsors.

For a complete list of drop-off locations and details on prizes, visit this article online at www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to the project’s Web site. For more information, contact Suzanne McClain at (619) 239-0355 ext. 218.

Henry’s Farmers Markets’ annual countywide summer food drive ends Aug. 14, and residents are encouraged to drop off canned food items at participating Henry’s Farmers Markets.

Residents who donate 10 or more items will receive a coupon good toward $10 off admission to Legoland. All collected food will benefit the San Diego Food Bank, a program of the Neighborhood House Association.

“Since school is out, many San Diego County children face a special need with the end of school breakfast and lunch programs,” said Jennifer Ames, food drive coordinator at the San Diego Food Bank. “The Henry’s Farmers Market summer food drive will help the Food Bank collect additional food needed during the critical months ahead.”

All types of canned food items are needed. However, the most requested are canned meats such as tuna, chicken and stew, canned fruits and vegetables, chili and soup. Non-food items such as paper goods, toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant are also needed.

“When we learned that 48 percent of the people served by the Food Bank are under the age of 18, and 16 percent are children 5 years old and younger, we knew we had to do something to help,” said Al Bercuson, director of operations for Henry’s Farmers Markets. “Hosting a summer food drive seemed to make perfect sense, and we are happy that it helps the Food Bank during such an important time of the year.”

For more information, call (866) 350-FOOD.

An ongoing counseling support program for both men and women who use crystal meth is available through marriage and family therapist intern Tom Wall and First Avenue Counseling Centre. The program offers an alternative harm-reduction approach for current substance users who have not been successful with other intervention options. Though abstinence is the eventual goal, the program is designed to meet crystal meth users with where they are at without stigma or shame.

The program offers one-on-one counseling support for men and women, as well as a group called Lifestyles in Transition for gay and bisexual men who use crystal meth.

For more information about the group or about individual counseling, contact Tom Wall, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern #43024 (Supervised by Daniel Carr MFCC #31037) at (619) 708-7126.