Join the Gay & Lesbian Times and Rocket magazine for an evening of wine and hors d’oeuvres with Frank the wine guy on Monday, March 20, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Crush wine bar.

Let Frank Marquez, wine columnist for the Gay & Lesbian Times, and other industry experts teach you about the fine wines you’re drinking, and enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by Crush – all to benefit the Youth Housing Project, a 23-unit transitional housing facility designed to stabilize lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and HIV-positive youth.

The Youth Housing Project is a collaborative of The Center, Walden Family Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego and Children’s Hospital Chadwick Center. The project aims to help GLBT, questioning and HIV-positive 18-24 year-old youth successfully transition from homelessness.

The facility has already opened its doors to these youth, and will officially open in the spring.

All proceeds benefit the Youth Housing Project. Admission is a minimum donation of $30.

Crush is located at 530 University Ave. in Hillcrest.

Call (619) 331-7103 or e-mail editor@uptownpub.com for more information.

The Center’s Positive Action program will host a four-week educational course called Positive Living, designed for people living with HIV/AIDS. The course begins on Tuesday, March 7, and will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at David’s Coffeehouse, located at 3766 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest.

“With our ‘Positive Living’ course, we hope to help participants live positively and keep their immune systems healthy by presenting a series of informative and interactive workshops,” said Carolyn Hunt, The Center’s Positive Action coordinator. “Over the four weeks, more than 20 topics will be covered in the workshops, including nutrition, medication, health, depression, communication skills and dealing with stress. All people living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS are invited to participate, including HIV-negative people in a relationship with someone who is HIV positive.”

There is no fee to attend, but advance registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Carolyn Hunt at (619) 692-2077 ext. 133 or e-mail chunt@thecentersd.org. Visit www.sdpozaction.org for additional information.

San Diego LGBT Pride announced the appointment of Leane Marchese and Robert J. Leyh onto its board of directors.

Marchese is the executive director of ElderHelp San Diego, an agency that helps seniors to remain independent through a host of various services. The mother of two and past coordinator for senior programs at the YMCA, Marchese is also a member of the mayor’s Senior Affairs Advisory Board and co-chair of the Downtown Rotary Seniors Committee.

Leyh is a human resources manager at Predicate Logic Inc., and has served on the boards of Front Runners & Walkers San Diego, Special Delivery, Something Special Food Pantry and the LGBT Community Leadership Council. He also served more than six years in the U.S. Navy and is a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, the San Diego Democratic Club and Scouting for All.

“These new board members, along with two others waiting in the wings as candidates, will broaden the scope of our board of directors and enrich the impact we have on our community,” said Philip Princetta, co-chair of San Diego LGBT Pride.

Pride’s 32nd annual celebration is scheduled for July 28-30. This year’s theme is, “Equality! No Turning Back.” For more information or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call the Pride office at (619) 297-7683 or visit www.sdpride.org.

Diversionary Theatre and the Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego have teamed up for a gala cabaret that will benefit both organizations. “Trolley Follies of 2006” will take placed at Diversionary Theatre on Saturday, March 4, and will feature the musical talents of Priscilla Allen, Angelo D’Agostino, Leigh Scarritt and members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego.

The festivities begin at 6:15 p.m. with a cocktail party outside, with heavy hors d’oeuvres and “trolleytinis” prepared by Jason Dean. A silent auction will feature several dinner/theater packages. The gala cabaret will feature Broadway songs and standards. Following the performance, desserts and champagne will be provided.

“We took the trolley theme from the University Heights sign,” said Diversionary Theatre executive director Dan Kirsch.

Diversionary Theatre is located at 4545 Park Blvd. Tickets are $125 per person. For tickets or further information, call the Diversionary box office at (619) 220-0097 or visit www.diversionary.org.

The Gay Men’s Relationships and Empowerment Retreat will take place at Angel’s Landing in Julian April 14-16. The free event is aimed at providing men with tools to make their relationships as safe and healthy as possible.

Activities, discussions and presentations will be led by staff from the Gay Men’s Health Program at Family Health Centers of San Diego. The retreat aims to help participants explore their current or future relationships. It will also demonstrate different types of relationships gay men have with each other, along with health concerns, communication skills and other tools that can increase the success of relationships and dating.

Angel’s Landing is located about a two-hour drive from San Diego. Carpooling may be available. Participants are guaranteed their own bed, but will share a room with one other person. Spaces are limited and all applications will be considered. For an application, contact the Gay Men’s Health Program at (619) 515-2446 or e-mail GMHP@fhcsd.org.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, The Center’s Women Resource Center will host its second annual Lunafest on Friday, March 10. This year’s Lunafest will take place at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St. Back by popular demand is the pre-festival dessert reception beginning at 6:00 p.m., with film screenings beginning at 7:00 p.m.

“This year, these unique films address such issues as the romantic lives of seniors; the life of a busy single mom juggling time in the National Guard; and an Asian-American woman facing the challenging expectations of perfection,” said Claudia Lucero, coordinator of The Center’s Women’s Resource Center.

Tickets are $15 per person including the dessert reception and screenings, or $10 to attend the screenings only. Tickets will be sold at the door, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Breast Cancer Fund and the Women’s Resource Center.

For more details on the films that will be featured, visit www.lunabar.com. For more information on Lunafest, contact Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 or e-mail clucero@thecentersd.org.

AIDS Walk San Diego is now taking registrations for its 2006 event. Interested participants can register, form teams and get an early start on their fund-raising efforts by visiting www.aidswalksd.org.

AIDS Walk San Diego is the largest one-day HIV/AIDS fund-raiser and the largest non-governmental provider of funds for San Diego County HIV/AIDS service organizations.

“We hope that people will begin to form their teams early, and know that their involvement with the 2006 AIDS Walk will help thousands of people in San Diego County,” said Zac Mikles, program manager for AIDS Walk San Diego. “By reaching out to our friends, families, co-workers and neighbors, and asking them to participate in the walk, we can make a tremendous difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS while generating essential support for the service organizations that serve San Diegans affected by HIV/AIDS.”

For more information, contact Mikles at (619) 692-2077 ext. 246 or e-mail info@aidswalksd.org.