San Diego’s Different Strokes Swim Team (DSST) president Rob Bowsher presented identical checks for $1,512.80 to representatives from Stepping Stone’s Positive Support Services and Family Health Centers of San Diego on April 2.

“Every year, the team holds a charity swim in memory of one of our founders, Bart Hopple, who died of AIDS. We donate the proceeds to two or more HIV/AIDS service organizations in the community,” Bowsher said. “This year, the board selected programs at Stepping Stone and at Family Health Centers for support.”

Present to accept the check for Stepping Stone were John Kua, director of Positive Support Services, and outreach specialist Scott Irwin.

“This donation comes at a critical time, when funding cuts from our public contracts have been especially severe,” Kua said.

DSST donated an identical amount to Momentum, a safer-sex outreach program of Family Health Centers targeted toward younger gay men.

The total amount of $3,025.60 represents pledges collected by approximately 20 swimmers for their participation in the 2006 Bart Hopple Memorial Swim, which took place in late January.