Bay Area Reporter - October 16, 2008

This year's theme is "This Old Bag: The Power of the Purse," and is a celebration of handbags that are available during silent and live auctions. The event features handbags by famous designers and celebrity-donated autographed bags of all kinds. More than 300 handbags in all price ranges will be available. Celebrity bags on display will include those from Leah Garchik, Patti LaBelle, Sharon McNight, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Sharon Osbourne, Roger Rees, and Oprah Winfrey.

Hosts for the evening are Hillary Newsom Callan and Dame Bella Farrow. Tickets are $125 and available online at http://www.thisoldbag.org.

BCEF helps low-income women with breast cancer pay their basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, and medical bills when they are too sick to work or are undergoing treatments. It is a sister organization of the AIDS Emergency Fund. For more information, visit http://www.bcef-sf.org.

Voter registration deadline Monday

Just a reminder that the deadline to register to vote in the November 4 general election is Monday, October 20. People need to re-register if they have moved since the last election. Those who are eligible to vote can download a registration form at the California Secretary of State's office at http://www.sos.ca.gov or get a registration form at the county registrar of voters' office in their county. In San Francisco, the Department of Elections is located in the basement of City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place; in Alameda County, the registrar of voters office is in the basement of the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse at 1225 Fallon Street, at Oak. Registration forms also should be available at most post offices and libraries.

Silicon Valley Walk for AIDS

Organizers are expecting thousands of participants at the 19th annual Walk for AIDS Silicon Valley, which takes place Sunday, October 19 at Discovery Meadow in San Jose. The walk takes place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., while a post-walk celebration and entertainment will be held beginning at noon. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and participants are asked to raise a minimum of $20.

Dane Dugan, executive director of AIDS Coalition Silicon Valley, said the event is the largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser in the South Bay. The agency produces the walk and grants out the proceeds to various HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs.

"The event is not only an incredible fundraiser for HIV/AIDS, but it also acts as a promotional tool to let the community know that this pandemic is not over and there still is no cure," Dugan noted.

Fore more information, visit http://www.aidscoalition.org.

TLC anniversary benefit

The Transgender Law Center will hold its sixth anniversary party and fundraiser Monday, October 20 at AsiaSF, 201 9th Street in San Francisco. There is a VIP reception at 6 p.m., followed by the main event and awards at 7.

This year's theme is "Transitioning California: Equality, Unity, and Justice." The event will honor heroes and trailblazers that are expanding civil rights for the transgender community. Sponsors include the Bob Ross Foundation.

Tickets are $150 (including the VIP reception), $100 (general), and $50 (students and sliding scale). For more information, visit http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org.

CUAV trainings coming up

Community United Against Violence will hold a fall training for volunteers for its crisis line, beginning later this month. The agency is looking for LGBTQ people and their allies who are compassionate and willing to listen to others, and committed to ending racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other oppressions.

Dates for the training sessions are: Thursday, October 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays (November 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers said that full attendance at all training days is required. Upon completion of the 64-hour training, participants will receive California domestic violence peer-counseling certification that is good for one year and renewable with monthly in-services.

For more information, including the training location, contact Javy Songngan Lyu at (415) 777-5500, ext. 314 or e-mail mailto:javy@cuav.org. To download an application, visit http://www.cuav.org.

New HIV+ group in Berkeley

A new group for HIV-positive gay, bisexual, and queer men looking to form romantic relationships will start next month at the Pacific Center in Berkeley. Topics to be addressed include: relationship patterns and how to change them, family relationships, HIV status disclosure, negotiating safe sex, and skill building for developing healthier new relationships.

The group, "Positively Possible," will be facilitated by JL Zbacnik, a marriage family therapist trainee who will be supervised by Judith Weatherly, MFT. It will meet for 10 sessions on Tuesday evenings beginning November 4 and continuing through January 20, from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

Positively Possible is free but space is limited. An interview and registration are required. For more information, call Zbacnik at (510) 548-8283, ext. 537.

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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2008. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

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