Diversionary Theatre will celebrate the lives and accomplishments of Sherry Henderson and Barbara Ramsey during its run of Bunbury. Diversionary was notified last December that the Henderson/Ramsey estate had left $100,682 to the theater.

Following the Sunday, June 3, matinee, friends of Henderson and Ramsey will gather at Diversionary for a reception to celebrate the joy the two brought to their lives.

Ramsey was described by friends as having “a passion for life and adventure,” and it was said that “life was a constant amazement” for Henderson. Both women served in the Navy, shared 15 years together and both died of cancer – Henderson in December 2001 and Ramsey in April 2005.

Diversionary Theatre was extremely important to Ramsey in her coming out process, said Deva Claridge, the couple’s friend.

“We are awed by this generous gift,” said Ruth Howell, president of the theater’s board of trustees. “Barbara and Sherry were long-time subscribers, and their gift to Diversionary will give many others the opportunity to continue to celebrate GLBT culture and history through the ongoing productions of the theater.”

Born in Oswego, Ill., Henderson was the third woman to earn the wings of a naval flight surgeon and the first woman to receive the surgeon general’s award in recognition of demonstrated excellence and leadership, cooperation, flight aptitude and scholastic achievement. Henderson also worked for six years as a full-time clinician at Student Health Services at San Diego State University. She loved and was loved by the students and staff, and considered this position the happiest and most fulfilling of all her medical experiences.

A native of Walsh, Colo., Ramsey had a large group of friends that she considered her chosen family, who miss her lust for life, quick wit and loving support. Ramsey served for 20 years with distinction as a Navy nurse, retiring as a commander after various assignments worldwide. After the Navy, she became active in the San Diego community, most recently as a patient advocate on the Sharp health care board to develop a new cancer center. A life-long adventurer, she developed a love of baseball, the mountains, desert, theater, cinema, cycling and hiking. She was a voracious reader and also loved listening to KPBS radio.

In honor of their gift, Diversionary is offering complimentary tickets to active or retired military women for the Sunday, June 3, matinee.

“This gift and others like it allow Diversionary to continue our mission of celebrating GLBT lives through new and classic plays,” said Dan Kirsch, Diversionary’s executive and artistic director. “The funds are board restricted, with the objective of building an operating reserve of six months. Thank you, Barbara and Sherry, for the great start to our goal.”

The Diversionary Theatre is located at 4545 Park Blvd.

For more information about the Henderson-Ramsey reception, call the Diversionary Theatre box office at 619-220-0097.

California Association Equal Rights Professionals (CAERP), a statewide association of equal opportunity, access and human rights professionals, will hold its annual conference at the Sheraton Suites Hotel in San Diego on Wednesday, June 6, to Friday, June 8.

Founded in 1976, CAERP is a leader in California working to eliminate discrimination and promote diversity. Featured keynote speakers at the conference will include the honorable Judge Deborah Sanchez, the first American Indian woman elected to the Los Angeles County Superior Court; Azim Khamisa, nationally acclaimed author and speaker; Sondra Thiederman, accomplished author and speaker on social justice and discrimination issues; and John Hill, chief of staff for Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, County of Los Angeles.

For registration information, visit the CAERP Web site at www.caerp.org or contact CAERP vice president, Dennis A. Tafoya, at 213-974-1080.

Immigration Equality San Diego (IESD) will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church across from UCSD Hospital in Hillcrest on Monday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m.

The group will discuss the many immigration-related bills that have recently been introduced in Congress, including the United American Families Act. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., if passed, would allow citizens and legal residents in same-sex relationships to sponsor their partners for immigration purposes.

IESD will also look at the several other immigration issues currently having an effect on the lives of many GLBT immigrants and their families.

Everyone in the community is welcome to attend the event and become involved in these issues.

IESD meets the first Monday of every month at the Unitarian Universalist Church to discuss the issues that bi-national couples face and pending legislation. The next meeting is Monday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 4190 Front St. in Mission Hills. Parking validation is available.

For more information, e-mail immigrationequalitysandiego@yahoo.com.

The planning committee for the San Diego Dyke March and Pride Ride is now forming. The event will take place during Pride weekend on Sunday, July 22, and will begin and end at The Rubber Rose in North Park.

The day’s festivities will include live music, crafts, speakers, and a community march and ride through North Park to increase dyke/queer visibility.

Many volunteer opportunities are available. For more information or to volunteer, e-mail dykemarchsd@yahoo.com.

The San Diego Men’s Chorus (SDMC) recently announced that Nichelle Nichols, star of the original “Star Trek” television series, will be the special featured guest in the upcoming concert “Sing for the Cure.” The special benefit concert will take place on Saturday, June 9, at the Birch North Park Theatre. Proceeds from the event will benefit the San Diego chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

At the “Sing for the Cure” event, 60 men of the SDMC and the 100 women of the San Diego Chorus will perform music by, for and about women – songs of struggle, songs of survival. The centerpiece of the evening will be selections from the powerful song cycle “Sing for the Cure,” which chronicles, through a variety of music and emotional narration, the journey from diagnosis through survival of breast cancer.

The voices of the combined choral groups will be accompanied by a special orchestra comprised of San Diego County music teachers who are volunteering their time for this cause.

Nichelle Nichols, best known as Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series, will serve as narrator, and Jeff Gelder of KYXY Radio will host the evening.

“We all know someone affected by breast cancer. Like HIV/AIDS, breast cancer knows no race, religion, nationality or socio-economic status. Women we know and love have been touched by this horrible disease, and all of the men of SDMC are thrilled to be teaming-up with the internationally acclaimed San Diego Chorus and television icon Nichelle Nichols to raise money for Komen. This concert is like no other we’ve ever done. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us and for our patrons,” said Jerry R. Foust, SDMC artistic director.

SDMC has been entertaining the San Diego community since 1985 and is the region’s oldest and largest GLBT performing ensemble.

Tickets for this landmark event are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.birchnorthparktheatre.net. There will also be an optional VIP reception catered by Hawthorn’s Restaurant in North Park.

For more information, call 619-239-8836 or visit www.sdmc.org.

The Arc of San Diego will host the second annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction at the Sulpizio Family Arc Center of San Diego on Friday, June 8, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

A local band, Zzajj, will play jazz and rhythm and blues, while attendees have the opportunity to enjoy selections of chardonnay, cabernet and merlot wines and light hors d’oeurvres.

The proceeds from the event will benefit ARC’s services and programs for people with disabilities. The organization was founded in 1951 by a determined group of people who felt they had to “do something” for children with mental retardation. Arc is now one of San Diego’s largest human-service agencies and serves more than 2,500 children and adults with disabilities at its many locations throughout San Diego County.

The Wine Tasting and Silent Auction event sponsors include Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Bread on Market, Wine Vault and Bistro, San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina, Windmill Farms and Mary Jane Bresnahan.

Tickets are $40 and RSVPs are required.

The Sulpizio Family Arc Center of San Diego is located at 3035 G St.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Melanie McCoy at 619-233-8855.

The Center recently launched a special membership campaign that will take place through the end of June.

Dedicated Center donors Dick Jones and Alan Brimble, and Pamela Clifford and Lorrie Webb – along with an anonymous supporter – have pledged to match a total of $15,000 of new membership dollars and increased annual and monthly membership gifts from existing donors received during the month of June.

If you are not yet a member of The Center, now is the perfect time to join because your gift will be doubled. Whether you join at $35 membership level or become a monthly donor for as little as $10 a month, your new membership gift will help support the many vital programs and services The Center has to offer. Visit www.thecentersd.org for more information.