Bourbon Street’s 10th annual wine tasting event benefiting Mama’s Kitchen, entitled “The Perfect 10!” this year, takes place Thursday, Aug. 25, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided by TK&A Custom Catering, Prego Ristorante, The Abbey Café, Sycuan Resort and Casino, Twiggs Bakery and others.

Southern Wine & Spirits will provide the wines, five of which will be poured throughout the evening. There will be live cabaret entertainment from Ashley Matte and a silent auction.

Admission is $40 per person, and all proceeds benefit Mama’s Kitchen, a non-profit organization that delivers home-cooked meals to people affected by AIDS in San Diego County.

Contact Richard De Lancey at (619) 233-6262 or richard@mamaskitchen.org for more information.

Gay and lesbian Democrats from across the country will meet this weekend, Friday, Aug. 26 through Sunday, Aug. 28, at the Holiday Inn on the Bay to strategize over ballot initiatives, marriage equality and political strength.

The 2006 Stonewall Democrats National Convention and Training will bring together national experts, elected officials and activists in San Diego. The meeting is hosted by the San Diego Democratic Club – the largest Democratic club in San Diego and a local chapter of the National Stonewall Democrats.

Events will take place all weekend long, including a Friday night reception at the home of Brogan Duffy and Desmond Kelly from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., located at 804 Madison Ave., featuring Congressmember Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Congressmember Bob Filner, D-Calif, San Diego Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, Academy Award winning producer Bruce Cohen (Best Picture, American Beauty) and former Arizona state representative and current openly gay candidate for Congress, Jack Jackson, Jr.

A leadership luncheon is schedule for Saturday, Aug. 27, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Guests will include: Palm Springs Mayor Ron Oden, California state Senator Christine Kehoe, California state Senator Liz Figueroa, San Diego Councilmember Donna Frye and Campaign for California’s Future chair Rick Jacobs.

The Holiday Inn on the Bay is located at 1355 North Harbor Drive in San Diego.

For more information, contact the San Diego Democratic Club at (858) 496-3312.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego (GMCSD) will kick off its 14th season of song with an information night on Wednesday, Sept. 7, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the chorus’ regular rehearsal space at the University Christian Church, located at 3900 Cleveland Ave., across the street from the Hillcrest post office. Those who attend will have the opportunity to find out about the Gay Men’s Chorus, meet current members, and hear a few samples of the chorus’ sound.

“We have an exciting 2005-2006 season planned, and welcome even more people to join us. The chorus is excited about the return of founding Artistic Director Gary Holt, who brings with him numerous opportunities for singers, as well as non-singing members, to participate,” said GMCSD president Robert Millar. “We are particularly interested in increasing our operations staff, and are looking for those folks who can spend about three hours each Wednesday evening to volunteer with the chorus.”

This upcoming season will include a holiday concert in December, a French-themed show in April, the Pride concert in July and a tribute to big-band music in August. The chorus recently concluded its 13th season by performing “Oz & Beyond: The Music of Harold Arlen.” Other concerts last season included “Broadway A to Z” and “An Evening in December: American Highlights.”

For more information about joining the chorus, call (619) 57-GMCSD, or visit this article online at www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to their Web site.

Mama’s Kitchen has initiated a pilot project aimed at providing home-delivered meal services to people who are critically ill and with disabilities other than HIV/AIDS. The partnering agency for the pilot project is the San Diego Hospice. Mama’s Kitchen will provide three meals a day, seven days a week during a six-month period to 25 clients, providing 100 percent of nutritional needs of those participating in this program.

“This pilot project is a result of a thoughtful strategic planning process conducted by our board of directors last fall,” said Mama’s Kitchen executive director Alberto Cortés. “We thank the LGBT community for what they have taught us for the past 15 years of nutritional expertise, and we hope to gather enough information from the pilot project to make an informed decision as to the future direction of Mama’s Kitchen.

“We have also received separate funding specifically for this pilot project to ensure that our supporters know that their gifts to Mama’s Kitchen continue to be directed toward our HIV/AIDS clients. This pilot project in no way diminishes our commitment to the nutritional needs of people with HIV/AIDS.”

For information about the pilot project, contact Cortés at (619) 233-6262.

The Center’s Health Services Center has formed a new group for women who are sexual assault survivors. The group meets on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Health Services Center, located at 2313 El Cajon Blvd.

The Sexual Assault Survivors group will be an ongoing group, and is geared for survivors of sexual abuse that occurred in either adulthood or childhood. For more information and/or to schedule an initial intake interview, call Dr. Sheryl Dagang at (619) 260-6380 ext. 114.

MTV and mtvU is seeking same-sex couples for a television show. A multiple Emmy award-winning non-profit production company is looking for appealing, interesting couples to talk about their lives on camera for a piece they are creating for mtvU and MTV to celebrate and promote committed relationships in the GLBT community.

As part of National Coming Out Month in October, their goal is to introduce young people across America to same-sex couples that are thriving in successful relationships.

Public Interest is the creator of several memorable campaigns on MTV – including one that The New York Times singled out among the best advertising on television and two that have won Emmy Awards.

The network mtvU is MTV’s new college television network, viewable by more than 6 million students on over 700 campuses across America.

E-mail Greg Fieser to apply, at greg@publicinterest.tv, or call (310) 664-4652.

The Center’s Living With HIV groups are designed to provide HIV/AIDS-infected community members with free counseling and support group services to help manage the challenges of surviving, and help participants begin living fuller, more enriched lives.

Groups are held Mondays and Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., and, beginning Sept. 2, on Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

All groups are ongoing – new members are admitted after a brief initial interview with the facilitator. One-on-one counseling services are also available for those who desire them.

For more information or to schedule an initial appointment, stop by The Center’s Health Services Building, located at 2313 El Cajon Blvd., or call (619) 260-6380.

Scientific research indicates that cancer risk could be reduced by consuming more healthful foods. The American Cancer Society’s Healthy Eating Program offers free personalized nutritional guidance. Trained nutrition counselors will provide qualified participants with feedback on their personal diets and supply educational materials to help improve nutritional consumption. The program involves four to eight prearranged phone calls during the day or evening. To take a qualifying survey, call the recruitment coordinator at (619) 682-7431.

I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is calling for volunteers to participate in a beach cleanup at La Jolla Shores on Sunday, Aug. 28, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Partnering with ILACSD for the event is San Diego County Credit Union, The Mighty 1090, Soft Rock KyXy 96.5 and KUSI.

Be one of the first 100 volunteers to register at The Mighty 1090 booth at 7:30 a.m. to receive a gift that includes a T-shirt, complimentary breakfast on site and other prizes.

Known for its gentle waves and eclectic animal and marine life, La Jolla Shores is one of California’s prized scuba diving sites, and keeping the beach clean is a vital part of keeping the plants and animals alive. With the Marine Life Refuge and the Ecological Reserve adjacent to La Jolla Shores, keeping the beach clean is of utmost importance, organizers said.

The California Coastal Commission reports that nearly 80 percent of marine debris, such as plastic containers and urban runoff through storm drains comes from inland areas. For humans, ocean pollution has been linked to multiple health issues including ear, nose and throat problems, skin irritations and cuts and abrasions.

For animal and plant life, litter often wraps around plants and animals, killing or shortening their lifespan, and if ingested, litter can cause animals to fall ill.

For more information on the beach cleanup at La Jolla Shores or other volunteer programs, call ILACSD at (800) 237-BLUE.