Acclaimed actor, author and activist B.D. Wong will receive the Family Pride Coalition’s Family Tree Award for his work in advancing the rights and increasing the visibility of GLBT parents and their families. Wong will be honored at Family Pride’s second annual national awards dinner, taking place Saturday, Oct. 8, in Los Angeles.

Wong has appeared on Broadway, in film and on television in M. Butterfly, Father of the Bride (parts I and II), Jurassic Park, Mulan, “Law & Order: SVU” and “Oz.” Wong is also the author of Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man. The book is based on a series of e-mail messages that he sent to his family and friends when the birth mother of his children – carrying twins – went into extremely premature labor at 28 weeks.

In addition, Wong has appeared in a Family Pride Coalition public service announcement demanding equality for GLBT-headed families.

“Through his writing and his advocacy, B.D. Wong has been one of our most compelling voices for equality for LGBT-headed families,” said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Pride Coalition. “No one can read Following Foo and say his is a family without values or deny the power of this gay father’s love.”

Chrisler continued, “The Family Tree Award was designed to recognize excellence and leadership on behalf of LGBT parents and their children. Time and time again B.D. has been a tireless and passionate voice and a face for our families and our love. We are honored to have the opportunity to recognize and thank B.D. for his commitment to equality for LGBT parents and their children.”

Tickets for the event are $175 per person and $250 for VIP tickets. There are a limited number of seats available. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (202) 331-5015.

Corporate sponsors for Family Pride’s national awards dinner include Capital One, IBM, Volvo Cars of North America, Growing Generations, Q Television, Crew Creative Advertising, Wells Fargo, Absolut, David Bohnett Foundation, Brady Klein Weissman LLP, Sound System Rentals, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, and 1-800-FLOWERS.

The Down Syndrome Association of San Diego kicks off the annual Buddy Walk on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 8:30 a.m. in Balboa Park’s Organ Pavilion. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with opening ceremonies scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and the walk starting at 10:00 a.m. Members of the Down Syndrome Association invite family, friends, co-workers, local dignitaries and the community to join in the effort to promote awareness and raise funds for education, research and advocacy.

Organized in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society, the Buddy Walk takes place this year in 120 cities across the nation. Down syndrome, a common genetic disorder, affects approximately one in every 800 to 1,000 live births. Funds raised will benefit the Down Syndrome Association, National Down Syndrome Society and San Diego Park & Recreation Disabled Services. For event and registration information, contact DSA at (619) 276-4474, or visit the Buddy Walk Web site at www.buddywalksandiego.org.

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation hosts a champagne brunch buffet aboard the Spirit of San Diego on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a boarding time of 11:30 a.m.

Entertainment will include singer/songwriter Skott Freedman, who was named one of Out magazine’s Top 100 People of 2003 and was the 2002 Outmusic Award Winner for best new recording (male). Freedman has been featured in Billboard magazine, on NBC news and on ABC’s “Daybreak.”

The San Diego LGBT Pride Fund, managed by the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, will present this year’s grant awards aboard the boat cruise.

Tickets are $75. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the foundation’s offices at (619) 291-3383.

Scouting for All (SFA) will hold its sixth annual rally to protest the Boy Scouts of America’s membership policies, which exclude gay and atheist youth and adult leaders. The rally will take place in front of the Boy Scouts’ Balboa Park headquarters, located at 1207 Upas St., on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 11:00 a.m.

After a kickoff performance by the San Diego Women’s Chorus, local Eagle Scouts and San Diego community leaders will share their views on the BSA’s policies of exclusion. Howard Menzer, Eagle Scout and southwestern regional director for Scouting for All, will emcee the event. The speaker lineup includes: Ernie McCray, retired school principal; Pat Washington, scholar and activist; Mick Rabin, school teacher and Eagle Scout; Brenda Watson, transgender Eagle Scout; Jennifer Schumaker, journalist; Bob Leyh, Eagle Scout; Rev. Keith Ramsey, minister; Ben Cartwright, SDSU LGBT resource center director; and Allen Acevedo, high school student, president of his school’s Gay Straight Alliance.

The city of San Diego has a standing 1990 ordinance that forbids the city to do business with organizations that discriminate. In April 2004, U.S. District Judge Napoleon Jones, Jr. ruled against the Boy Scouts on all issues in the city lease case, Barnes-Wallace v. Boy Scouts, including the BSA camp in Balboa Park and the BSA Fiesta Island facility in Pacific Beach. The Boy Scouts still use both facilities and have not vacated either property.

The rally, which typically attracts more than 200 protestors, will continue every year until the BSA changes its membership policies to include gays and atheists. For more information, visit www.sdscoutingforall.org/ ralyanc.html, or contact Menzer at (858) 268-2853; howmen@sbcglobal.net.

The Center will host a special one-hour workshop on intimacy for GLBT couples. Too Close, Too Far: The Dance of Intimacy for LGBT Couples will be presented by Dr. Heather Berberet on Monday, Oct. 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

Berberet is a local psychologist who has worked extensively with GLBT individuals and couples. This hour-long workshop will focus on one of the central issues of intimate relationships – the balance between having a life and having a love.

Admission is free. For more information, contact Dr. Erin Sicard of The Center’s Health Services at (619) 260-6380 ext. 106, or e-mail esicard@thecentersd.org.

A two-hour town hall meeting and mayoral debate is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, located at 6845 University Ave. The candidates for San Diego mayor will appear before the audience for a one-hour debate, and an hour will be allotted to a town hall style meeting.

There is free parking on site. The event is free to the public but people must RSVP, as there are only 600 seats available. Individuals can RSVP to envisionsd@kpbs.org.

As part of the “Aging as Ourselves” project, S.A.G.E. (Seniors Active in a Gay Environment) is accepting names of those who are interested in becoming a volunteer in the GLBT Senior Friendly Visitor Program. “Aging as Ourselves” is a project which will address issues raised in the San Diego County GLBT Senior Healthcare Needs Assessment. The project will soon be underway, and volunteers will be trained to provide culturally appropriate, non-medical, in-home supportive services to GLBT seniors. The training program will be developed and implemented by ElderHelp of San Diego and by S.A.G.E. Volunteer needs include friendly visitors, transportation, grocery shopping, home repair or gardening, bill paying and pet care.

The first training program is scheduled for Saturday morning, Nov. 5. For further information, call Tom Kirkman at (619) 298-9900 or visit the S.A.G.E. Center located at 3138 Fifth Avenue (between Spruce & Redwood).