The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and “Mr., Miss and Ms. Cinco de Mayo” contest will take place on Friday, May 5, at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. The event benefits the Queen Eddie Youth Fund and San Diego Young Positives.

Admission is $10 at the door. A traditional Mexican buffet will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. and will include enchiladas, taquitos, tamales, rice and beans, desserts and more. The show and contest begins at 7:30 p.m., and will feature special guest emcees, entertainment, an auction and a raffle.

Cinco De Mayo 2006 is presented by Carlos Silva and friends in conjunction with the Imperial Court de San Diego and The Center.

For more information, call Silva at (619) 692-9076.

The Center’s fourth annual Women’s Night, themed “Dance of the Seven Veils,” takes place on Saturday, May 6, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at the new NTC Promenade in Point Loma.

The event will feature authentic Mediterranean cuisine, live entertainment and dancing. Local lesbian, bisexual and transgender women will be honored. Proceeds from the event will benefit women’s programming at The Center.

General admission tickets are $125, VIP tickets are $250 and VIP tables are $1,500.

VIP ticket holders enjoy reserved seating, complimentary drink tickets and gambling money. VIP table holders also receive premier table placement, event recognition, complimentary drink tickets, gambling money and champagne at their table.

The NTC Promenade is located at 2875 Dewey St.

For more information, call Sam Wong at (619) 692-2077 ext. 209 or e-mail swong@thecentersd.org.

The Center’s Senior Services will host its first annual senior resource fair, entitled “Life is a Banquet,” on Saturday, May 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St. The free event will feature workshops in both Spanish and English and will include a light lunch at no cost for participants.

“This first-time event aims to bring the LGBT community together for a full day focused on wellness for those 50 and better,” said Claudia Lucero, coordinator of The Center’s Senior Services. “We’re thrilled to provide this opportunity for LGBT men and women to attend a variety of fun and educational workshops on a wide range of topics, including healthy gourmet cooking, music, computers, ballroom dance, art, humor and positive outlook, medical empowerment, coping with loss, substance abuse, legal and financial planning, relationships and intimacy after 50….”

Participants will also be able to access free health screenings provided by Comprehensive Health Centers and other health providers in attendance.

This fair will feature several community booths offering senior wellness-related resources and services for those 50 and older. Community booth space is still available for wellness and resource organizations. The cost is $20 for nonprofits and $50 for private organizations.

For more information on The Center’s Senior Services, the 50 and Better Club and the senior resource fair, or to secure booth space, call Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 or e-mail clucero@thecentersd.org.

Michaelle’s Walk, Fraternity House, Inc.’s annual fund-raising stroll by the sea, is set to take place on Saturday, May 13, at Magee Park, located at 258 Beech Ave. in Carlsbad.

Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and is followed by the coastal walk at 11:00 a.m. The complete walk is less than five miles. Serious runners are welcome, as are those looking for a leisurely stroll with a return shuttle. The walk is followed by a celebratory picnic featuring MC Laura Jane, live music from Dropjoy, a barbecue-style lunch and kids’ activities.

This year, Fraternity House has chosen the theme “Mom Says… Step It Up!” because the walk will take place during Mother’s Day weekend, a good time to “step up” commitment to caring for those with HIV/AIDS, organizers said.

For more information, contact development manager Abby Schwartz at (760) 736-0292 ext. 103 or e-mail alsfraternityhouse@prodigy.net.

Mama’s Kitchen will celebrate Mama’s Day 2006 with more than 65 of San Diego’s top chefs on Friday, May 12.

Each year, local chefs unite, serving guests gourmet food to help support Mama’s mission: providing food and nutrition to people affected by HIV/AIDS throughout San Diego County.

Presented by Sycuan Resort & Casino, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the annual benefit. The evening will feature live entertainment by DJ Tim Altbaum, a silent auction and an Absolut martini bar.

Mama’s Day 2006 begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla. Tickets are $125, with all proceeds benefiting Mama’s Kitchen.

For further information or to purchase tickets, call Jennifer Ames at (619) 233-6262 ext. 104 or visit www.mamaskitchen.org.

The Golden State Gay Rodeo Association’s Greater San Diego Chapter (GSGRA-GSDC) announced Jabby Lowe as the rodeo grand marshal and the Imperial Court de San Diego of the International Court System as the community grand marshal for the 2006 Coors Light San Diego Rodeo, taking place April 28-30 at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds in Lakeside.

Lowe is currently in his fifth term as president of the GSGRA and is a supporter and volunteer for the gay rodeo. From a sixth-generation family of ranchers in Texas, Lowe later moved to the San Francisco Bay area where he has served as president and vice president of the Bay Area Chapter. He discovered gay rodeo when a friend asked him to attend the Los Angeles Rodeo. In addition to being a member of the state board of directors, he is an IGRA-certified scorekeeper.

“Jabby gives a great deal and asks for nothing in return. He has high expectations and is willing to do whatever he can to help people meet and exceed their own potential,” said Steve Wollert, GSGRA-GSDC vice president of rodeo operations. “With that kind of can-do attitude and willingness to help, he has been an outstanding member of the GSGRA team.”

The Imperial Court de San Diego is a social and community service organization bound together in shared structure, policies and goals with the International Court System. Each year, the organization contributes thousands of dollars to local community charities.

For more information on the 2006 Coors Light San Diego Rodeo, call (619) 298-4708 or visit www.sandiegorodeo.com.

The Rev. John Gill has been appointed to guide the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego for as long as 18 months as it goes through a discernment process and seeks a new permanent pastor.

On April 13, the Rev. Gill brought his first sermon message as interim senior pastor. He has 35 years of experience in the denomination, leading churches in Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Houston and St. Petersburg.

Gill will be formally installed as interim pastor at worship services on Sunday, April 23. An ice cream social to meet and greet Gill will take place on Saturday, April 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the University Christian Church Fellowship Hall, located across from the Hillcrest post office. The event is open to the public.

Call (619) 521-2222 ext. 23 for more information.

The Big Sister League of San Diego, Inc. recently launched a new Web site, www.bigsisterleague.org.

The Big Sister League is San Diego’s oldest mentoring program assisting women and at-risk girls. Hoping to better inform the public of their commitment in helping San Diego girls and women, the nonprofit’s new site has a new Web design and a more user-friendly interface. The site explains how the housing program began in 1942 by housing women and children in need. The site also tells the stories of women and girls that have had their lives changed through the mentoring program.

“Our main goals in updating the site are to make it easier to give a charitable donation to one of our great programs and to learn more about our mentoring opportunities,” said Big Sister League executive director Lydia Lewis. “The league depends solely on donations and grants, so it’s key that we get our message out there.”

The league also has a need in their youth mentoring program, specifically for “Big Sisters” – volunteers who mentor at-risk girls. Forms for becoming a Big Sister, as well as the application process, are available online.

“We have additional plans to enhance the site,” said board president Donna Moore. “But our most urgent need was to give the site a facelift and then to keep it fresh by sharing our successes. We’re very pleased with the results.”

For more information on the Big Sister League, visit www.bigsisterleague.org.