San Diego LGBT Pride has named 10 individuals as “volunteers of the year” for the 2006 Pride season, and bestowed special recognition to another volunteer who has worked with the organization for 14 years.

The celebration, which drew 150,000 participants and spectators to the parade in July, and more than 40,000 visitors to the two-day festival, required the assistance of 790 pre-registered volunteers.

Award plaques were presented at an appreciation picnic recently to those volunteers who “worked above and beyond their calls of duty,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of Pride.

The individuals include: Ericka Watson, who worked in setup and breakdown of the event; Greg Towle, assigned to the cantina and lent his support in post cleanup and lifting heavy equipment; Linda Browne, an eight-year volunteer who assisted visitors at the information booth; Demetris Washington, a shuttle driver for the entertainers who also assisted in setup; Bronwen Wade, a first-time volunteer who multitasked in the Pride office and helped crews with signage and barricades; Craig Robertson, who worked as a supervisor in Crew Central as well as assisted in the Pride office with data entry for Pride’s online application site; and Steve Poortenga, who handled festival ticket sales and customer service issues throughout Pride weekend.

Outstanding volunteers who served in the capacity of managing programs and specialty areas are: Ben Cartwright, water sales coordinator; Jeff Redondo, parade coordinator; and Jon Phillips, co-ticket sales coordinator.

Additionally, Patty Zwolinski received special recognition for her many volunteer services to Pride that have spanned over 14 consecutive years.

“Collectively, these individuals represent the hundreds of volunteers who signed up to work for the 2006 event. Without their many hours of support and dedication, the Pride celebration wouldn’t be the success that it was,” deHarte said.

The 15th annual Tree of Life Lighting Ceremony, hosted by Mama’s Kitchen and Village Hillcrest, will take place on Friday, Dec. 1, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The event, held to commemorate World AIDS Day, will be held at the Village Hillcrest Retail Center, located at 3965 Fifth Ave., on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Washington Street.

Tree of Life features addresses by community leaders, a candlelight vigil and an AIDS quilt honoring friends of Mama’s Kitchen who have died from AIDS, as well as holiday tunes sung by the Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego.

Mayor Jerry Sanders, Congressmember Susan Davis, California Senator Christine Kehoe and Councilmember Toni Atkins are scheduled to attend. New this year is an opening presentation by Danza Oceolotl, a Mexican Aztec dance group.

Attendees will have the opportunity to decorate the Tree of Life, hanging ornaments they have personalized with messages honoring relatives, friends or loved ones affected by HIV/AIDS. Ornaments are now available for $15 each or two for $25, with proceeds benefiting Mama’s Kitchen. The decorated trees will be on display throughout December. Ornaments can be purchased online at www.mamaskitchen.org.

World AIDS Day is an international day of remembrance for those who have been affected by AIDS and a day to celebrate the progress made against the epidemic, while bringing into focus the remaining challenges. More than 300 people are expected to attend this free event. Hot beverages and cookies will be provided by Mama’s Kitchen.

For more information, call (619) 233-6262 or visit www.mamaskitchen.org.

Yoganic Studio is seeking volunteers to prepare and distribute food from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Yoganic Studio, located at 4026 30th St. in North Park.

The business is also accepting donations of fresh foods and money to purchase food.

For more information, call Yoganic Studio at (619) 497-1759 or e-mail joshua@ all1mind.org.

The Center will host San Diego’s fifth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday, Nov. 20, at 7:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

In cities across the country, this annual event is organized to commemorate the lives and mourn the losses of those killed due to anti-transgender violence.

This year, participants are invited to gather at The Center for a candlelight march and a remembrance ceremony at The Center. This ceremony features a reading of the names of transgender people who have died due to violence. This year’s guest speakers will be Belinda and Tony Flynn, San Diego parents who have been passionate advocates for their transgender child. Nationally-known transgender activist Monica Helms will be the keynote speaker.

“This event is all about standing up to the violence that too many transgender people experience on a daily basis,” said Connor Maddocks, member of the event planning committee. “This is a day to come together and remember all those we’ve lost to hate-based violence, but also to renew our commitment to the ending the discrimination that is the root cause of that violence.”

The Transgender Day of Remembrance is part a national effort to bring attention to anti-transgender violence. The event was established to honor Rita Hester, whose murder in November of 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” Web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder has yet to be solved.

This event is sponsored by the Transgender Advisory and Services Center, the Imperial Court de San Diego, San Diego LGBT Pride, Project S.T.A.R. and Family Health Centers of San Diego.

For more information, contact Sean Wherley, The Center’s director of public policy, at (619) 692-2077 ext. 212 or at swherley@thecentersd.org.

Family Health Centers of San Diego’s Gay Men’s Health Program (GMHP) is conducting an anonymous survey about crystal methamphetamine use within San Diego’s gay community. The results of the survey will assist the GMHP and other organizations to better serve the community.

Gay men who know someone who has used meth, people in recovery for meth or active users of meth are being sought to take the survey. The survey can be taken at www.gaymenshealth.org/meth.

For more information, call (619) 515-2589 or e-mail victorianod@fhcsd.org.

Recognizing leadership within the San Diego GLBT community, Equality California (EQCA) will honor Delores Jacobs, The Center’s chief executive officer, with the Equality Leadership Award at the 2006 San Diego Equality Reception on Dec. 2. The reception takes place at the W Hotel’s Rooftop Oasis on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The award acknowledges Jacobs’ accomplishments at The Center. An executive with The Center since 2001, Jacobs has helped the organization develop into one of the largest GLBT centers in the nation. With a $3.8 million dollar budget, the organization serves more than 2,000 people each week and is the community meeting place for more than 100 local groups. Jacobs has helped the facility make significant expansions, target San Diego’s most vulnerable and underserved people and enhance youth services. This year, The Center opened a housing project for GLBT and HIV-positive youth.

“We are honored to recognize Dr. Delores Jacobs with the 2006 Equality Leadership Award,” said EQCA executive director Geoff Kors. “Not only is Delores a great leader in San Diego, but she is also an incredible asset to EQCA in Sacramento and throughout the state.”

The W Hotel is located at 421 West B St.

For more information or to RSVP, call Gabriel McGowan by Nov. 28 at (310) 248-3692 ext. 3 or e-mail gabriel@eqca.org.

An Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) group for GLBT seniors 50 and older meets every Thursday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at the SAGE (Seniors Active in a Gay Environment) Center, located at 3138 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest.

This is a new group and is part of the Aging as Ourselves program.

Established in 1980, SAGE is a San Diego-based organization committed to fostering a greater understanding of aging and to meeting the unique needs of seniors. The group is dedicated to providing high quality, life-enriching programs and services without regard for gender, race, color, religion, sexual preference or disability.

For more information, call SAGE executive director Tom Kirkman at (619) 298-9900.

Pamela A. Clifford has joined The Center’s board of directors.

Clifford is the executive vice president and division manager for Wells Fargo’s Wholesale Marketing and Customer Strategies. She has been with the company for 30 years and previously served as an executive vice president in treasury management. Clifford has extensive experience in community service, including work with the elderly, abused children and cancer patients, and has also served on the board for both the Human Rights Campaign and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

“My father was doing volunteer work at age 72 – delivering Meals on Wheels – and this tradition was well ingrained as our opportunity to give back,” Clifford said.

“We are thrilled to welcome Pam Clifford to The Center’s board of directors,” said Todd Gloria, chair of the board. “She brings extensive and impressive management, finance and board level experience to our San Diego LGBT community. We are fortunate to have her join us and look forward to her contributions to our Center as we work together to continue to serve all LGBT San Diegans.”

Clifford is a native of Los Angeles and graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor’s degree in information systems. She lives in La Jolla with her partner, Lorrie Webb.

San Diego Men’s Chorus kicks off the holiday season with their 22nd annual holiday concert “Don We Now…,” on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the Birch North Park Theatre, located at 2891 University Ave.

Under the direction of its artistic director Jerry Foust, the chorus will perform a suite of Harry Connick Jr. standards arranged for the voices of a men’s chorus for the first time. John Rutter’s “Gloria” will be performed and other music in Spanish, Latin, Hebrew, German, American Sign Language and English.

Tickets are $20 to $50.

For more information, call (619) 239-8836 or visit www.e-ticketsnow.com.

The Center will host a special four-week group for those newly diagnosed with HIV, entitled “HIV 101 for the Newly Diagnosed.” The group will begin on Thursday, Nov. 16, and will take place from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Center’s Health Services, located at 2313 El Cajon Blvd.

“HIV 101 for the Newly Diagnosed” is a free group and is open to anyone who has been diagnosed as HIV positive in the past 12 months. This is an opportunity for those newly diagnosed to address various concerns and ask questions about how to best deal an HIV diagnosis.

The group will be moderated by Jeff Larsen of The Center’s Health Services. Among the issues to be addressed include what to do after receiving an HIV diagnosis, disclosure issues, dating and family issues, as well as challenges facing sero-opposite partners.

“The Center’s Health Services is committed to continuing our efforts to provide the best HIV education and support possible for the community,” Larsen said. “As always, we remain deeply concerned about the impact of HIV and the well-being of our community in general. We invite anyone in the community who has received a recent HIV diagnosis to join this new group.”

For more information, call Michelle Morrison at (619) 260-6380 ext. 105 or e-mail mmorrison@thecentersd.org.

Marc Cherry, the creator and executive producer of ABC’s hit show “Desperate Housewives,” will receive the Log Cabin Republican’s Visibility Award at a special dinner and meeting of the Log Cabin Republicans of Los Angeles, scheduled to take place on Monday, Nov. 27, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant, located at 189 The Grove Dr., Z80 in Los Angeles.

Tickets are $35 per person through Nov. 20, and are $40 after that date. For more information, visit www.logcabin.org.

Talking about Tina is a support group for HIV-positive men who use crystal methamphetamine that meets Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the offices of Jewish Family Services, located at 2700 Adams Ave, Suite 101. A healthy meal will be served before the group meets at 6:00 p.m.

Talking about Tina offers a safe and nonjudgmental forum to discuss ambivalence regarding use, relationship and community norms, health issues, sex, and past and present struggles with control regarding drug use.

Group sessions may also include education and skill-building elements, as group members require, regarding strategies to decrease the harm associated with use, trigger identification and relapse prevention, increase positive support and address sexual behavior

The group is led by Jewish Family Service’s HIV Services clinical coordinator, a licensed clinical psychologist, and co-led by one of the organization’s experienced intervention case managers.

For more information, call Sheri Kirshenbaum at (619) 325-0522 ext. 102 or Vicente Mendivil at (619) 325-0522 ext. 107.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, also known as the Augustine Fellowship, is a 12-step, tradition-oriented fellowship supported entirely through the contributions of its members, and is free to all who need it.

To counter the destructive consequences of sex and love addiction, the support group is dedicated to dealing with the addictive behavior, finding a common denominator in obsessive/compulsive patterns that render personal differences and sexual or gender orientation irrelevant.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous is protective of the anonymity of its members, and meetings are normally closed to outsiders and those who are merely curious. However, anyone who fears they may have sex and love addiction is welcome as long as the anonymity of everyone attending each meeting is respected.

Call (619) 685-7211 for more information about the fellowship.