Bay Area Reporter - April 17, 2008
Cynthia Laird

Ted Allen, formerly of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame and currently a judge on Bravo's Top Chef, is a spokesman for the fundraiser, appearing in a video message on the Dining Out for Life site urging people to enjoy a meal at their favorite participating restaurant and to help in the fight against AIDS.

In San Francisco, the Stop AIDS Project is urging community members to dine at one of numerous participating eateries; 25 percent of diners' food bills will go to the agency. (Some restaurants also will donate 25 percent of food and liquor sales.) Last year's event raised over $210,000 for Stop AIDS, and Dining Out has become the agency's largest fundraiser. This is the seventh year that Stop AIDS has participated.

In the East Bay, proceeds from participating restaurants will benefit Vital Life Services. Volunteer coordinator Simona Fino said that the agency's goal this year is to raise $125,000. Last year Vital Life Services raised $108,000 through the event, she said.

Participating restaurants specify what meals are included; some are just for dinner, some include breakfast or lunch. To find a participating restaurant, visit http://www.diningoutforlife.com. Click on the San Francisco link to find restaurants in the city; choose the East Bay link for eateries in that location.

Castro group to hear Walgreens proposal

Members of the Eureka Valley Promotion Association, a Castro residential group, will vet Walgreens' proposal to expand its specialty pharmacy on 18th Street into the vacant Laundromat site next door at a special meeting tonight (Thursday, April 17.)

It is the third neighborhood group that the national retailer has sought support from for its project, which needs a conditional use permit from the city's planning commission. Two weeks ago the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro voted to support the project, whereas Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association members have voiced concerns with allowing the company to increase its presence in the city's LGBT neighborhood.

Walgreens already has a 6,000 square foot store at the corner of 18th and Castro streets, across from the specialty pharmacy. The expansion would turn the small pharmacy branch into a 3,000 square foot space.

The company's plan calls for constructing three private consultation areas so pharmacists can meet with customers one-on-one; hiring a full-time dietician; and building a large community education room that would have its own street entrance.

It faces long odds of winning EVPA's support. A straw poll at its March meeting found only six people out of the 36 in attendance favoring the project.

The meeting tonight will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center on Collingwood Street near 18th.

Oral history seminar

The GLBT Historical Society will hold the first in a series of trainings for the recently relaunched oral history project Saturday, April 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the society, 657 Mission Street, Suite 300 in San Francisco. Society board members Martin Meeker and Nic Weinstein will conduct the seminar. Topics to be covered include project organization, historical research, interviewing techniques, ethics, human subject guidelines, transcription, and recording technology.

The training is free and available to anyone interested in the society's oral history project. The workshop is limited to 10 people. To RSVP or for more information, e-mail Weinstein at mailto:abstractphoto@yahoo.com.

NERT citywide drill

The San Francisco Fire Department's Neighborhood Emergency Response Team will hold its annual citywide drill Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Everett Middle School, 450 Church Street.

NERT organizers are calling on all graduates of the program to participate in the real-time drill. NERT is a disaster preparedness and response training program sponsored by the SFFD that has now trained more than 17,000 people in simple but important ways they can take care of themselves, their families, and their neighbors in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. A report issued Monday by the US Geological Survey and other organizations indicates that it is more than 99 percent likely that a magnitude 6.7 earthquake will strike somewhere in the state within the next 30 years.

People taking part in the drill should bring a helmet, vest, gloves, safety shoes, and appropriate disaster response clothing. Those planning to attend should RSVP with their name, phone number, and e-mail address to mailto:sffdnert@sfgov.org or call (415) 970-2022.

Black gay biz mixer

Bill Doggett, a recipient of the And Castro for All Venture Seed Fund, will host his monthly social for black LGBT business professionals Tuesday, April 22 at 6 p.m. at the Eureka Restaurant-Lounge, 4063 18th Street in San Francisco.

The event is open to corporate, small business, start-ups, nonprofit, and retired professionals as well as those looking to start their own business. The meeting will feature Janet Lees from the Renaissance Center, a business development and incubator organization. Additionally, attendees will each have a few minutes to talk about their businesses.

There will be a no-host bar and a special dining discount for those who choose to have dinner.

For more information, e-mail mailto:bdoggett@earthlink.net.

HIV prevention meetings

The HIV Prevention Section of the San Francisco health department will hold a series of community meetings in various neighborhoods to discuss the city's response to HIV. Dr. Grant Colfax, director of HIV prevention, will ask for community input and feedback on potential future prevention strategies.

The first two meetings are: Wednesday, April 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. at 2278 Market Street (formerly Tower Records); and Wednesday, May 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Central YMCA, second floor, 220 Golden Gate Avenue at Leavenworth.

For more information, call (415) 554-9000.

Pride Power Breakfast

Out and Equal Workplace Advocates' San Francisco Bay Area Regional Council and AAA Northern California's LGBT Pride Group will host a Pride Power Plus Breakfast entitled "Putting Transgender People to Work" Wednesday, April 30 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the California State Automobile Association, 100 Van Ness Avenue, in the Horizon room, 28th floor.

Topics to be discussed include a program linking employers with highly eligible trans employees, why hiring trans people is good for business, tools for selling the business case to your company, and creating a trans-positive workplace. Facilitators include Jamison Green, noted author and educator; and representatives from the city's Transgender Employment Economic Initiative: Ken Stram of the LGBT Community Center, Natalie Stern of Jewish Vocational Services, and Masen Davis of the Transgender Law Center. Guest presenter will be Susan Friedman of Macy's West.

Donations are gladly accepted but not required. Those planning to attend should RSVP by April 24 to http://www.outandequal.org/affiliates/sanfran/.

NCLR hits the Peninsula

In advance of its sold-out annual gala in May, the National Center for Lesbian Rights will hold a "buzz" party Thursday, April 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Vino Locale, 431 Kipling Street in Palo Alto. Executive Director Kate Kendell is expected to be on hand.

For more information visit http://www.nclrights.org.

Vote online for kids drawing contest

The national Family Equality Council (formerly Family Pride) is in the midst of its second annual "Family Drawing" contest and people can view the finalists online and vote until April 23. The contest is held to put a face on LGBT-headed families in communities around the country, and this year's finalists hail from California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas.

People can visit http://www.familyequality.org/contest to view the drawings, the children's descriptions of their pictures, and vote for their favorite. The first place winner will receive a $250 savings bond. Family Equality Council will use the artwork to create a free, downloadable picture book celebrating LGBT families.

NLGJA student scholarship

The Northern California chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association has announced its 2008 Bob Ross Student Scholarship, and applications are now being accepted.

Named after the late founding publisher of the Bay Area Reporter, the scholarship is funded at $2,500 through the Bob Ross Foundation. This year, the scope of the scholarship has been expanded to include students who are from Northern California but may be pursuing their education out of state.

Winners will be informed no later than October 1, and honored at the chapter's fall awards reception.

For an application and guidelines, visit http://www.nlgja.org/chapters/northerncal.htm. Applications must be postmarked no later than June 27.

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Matthew S. Bajko contributed to this report.

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