Staffing a Success Story

September/October 2005
Volume 15, Issue 5
A Publication of the Gay & Lesbian
Alliance of the Central Coast
Selecting the Next Supreme
Court Justice
LOGO Hits the Airwaves
September/October Events
Waiters’ Dinner
Halloween Dance
Art Reception
Transgender Film
And more...
Staffing a Success Story
Q & A with David Elson
Owner, United Staffing Assosciates
Halloween
Dance
October 29th
Trinity Hall
Phelan Chiropractic
Kathryn M. Phelan, D.C.
Larry W. Smith, D.C.
575 South Fourth St.
Grover Beach, CA 93433
805 473-8895
email: [email protected]
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner daily
1121 Broad St. Downtown SLO
(805) 545-5401
www.bigskycafe.com
“Top notch...a good pick.”
-- L.A. Times
“Imaginative... a cut above.”
-- Zagat Guide
from the prez
Gala News & Reviews
is a publication of the Gay and Lesbian
Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA)
PO Box 3558
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-3558
Copyright © 2005 GALA
San Luis Obispo: (805) 541-4252
Paso Robles: (805) 227-7133
Santa Maria: (805) 739-0505
Web site: www.ccgala.org
Advertising: (805) 709-3018
Email: [email protected]
Editor: Abraham Hyatt
Art Diretor/Advertising: Greg Perry
GALA’S MISSION
Through education, support, recreation,
advocacy, and partnerships, we will
promote the well-being of our GLBT
community.
Dear Friends,
As we bask in the afterglow of the most
successful Pride week ever, the words
“THANK YOU” seem so small when it
comes to recognizing all of those who
worked tirelessly organizing the events of
the week. And a thank you to those who
attended and supported and showed their
Pride in their community.
GALA continues to march forward at an
even stronger pace and in a more positive
direction. At a time when the GLBT community is strongly under attack by those
that wish to take away our rights and deny
our equality, it is necessary to remain strong
and continue to grow together.
As we look forward towards our 10th year,
please continue to show your support. Join
GALA, volunteer, participate and show
your support financially.
Strength lies in numbers, and to this end,
an on-going membership drive will soon be
announced. Join, encourage others to join
and become part of GALA as we reach towards the next decade.
Sincerely,
Bill Tomasini, Pres.
GALA brings people together.
VISION
To have a healthy GLBT community that
is respected, embraced by, and of value to,
the broader Central Coast community.
Permission is granted to reproduce
this newsletter, provided the GALA
copyright is included. The opinions
expressed are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions
of the GALA board of directors.
GALA does not endorse products, services, or political candidates advertised
within this newsletter. The appearance
of articles, ads, announcements, etc.,
does not indicate the sexual orientation of the author or advertiser.
GALA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Stuart Clyde
Pat Harris
Holly Furness
Danny Lange
Ruben Garcia
Shannon Wyndsong
Bill Tomasini
Kerry Deal
David Kilburn
Mike Hughes
Conrad Mendoza
David Perez
Don Reynolds
Tracy Tabin
Gina Whitaker
editor’s note
T
he Pride celebrations are in the past,
but the party’s far from over. There
are a number of events planned in the next
couple of months. Make plans to keep the
momentum strong and attend as many
events as you can. (See the “Gatherings”
section in the back.) It’s important for all
of us to keep up our visibility. (Make sure
your friends and neighbors know that when
they vote on equality issues they DO know
someone that is affected by their decisions.)
GALA continues to work hard for the
community by providing these events and
offering services that enrich our lives and
give us credence. Please take a moment to
ensure your membership is active by looking at your address label on the back of this
issue. If the date after your name is past or
is absent, please call the center or send your
membership renewal in today. If you have
never been a GALA member, please make
a special effort to join now. (See membership fees on page 17.)
Thanks to everyone we heard from who
commented on the new look of the News
and Reviews. We appreciate your props.
The News and Reviews has a huge responsibility to ensure the GLBT community
is well-informed about local, state, and
national issues, as well as being a little entertained. In order to make that happen, we
need to hear from our readership. Let us
know what’s going on in your lives. Who’s
hooking up? Who’s celebrating an anniversary? Who has the community lost? Anything. Write to us at “galanews@yahoo.
com”.
We are large in number and can be powerful in our persuasion. Let us know you are
out there–become involved!
Here’s hoping to see you at the next
event.
~Greg
Next Issue Deadline: October 7, 2005
News & Reviews
3
letters
We want to hear from you! Send your events, announcements and
letters to the News & Reviews at [email protected]
Dear News and Reviews,
I like your new look. Especially the movie
reviews. But where are the artists? The
Central Coast has so many gay and lesbian
painters, sculptors, and poets who do not
have a place to show their work or a place
to see art by like-minded people.
Could you have pages just for artists and
their work? Or maybe a regular feature on
an artist or poet?
And don’t forget one of the best places
for theater in the whole area. PCPA. How
about an article on some of the gay and
lesbian actors in the conservatory?
-Tyler, Santa Maria
[Editor: GALA has been hosting local
artists at the GALA Center since May
and are on the lookout for more artists
to get involved. N&R tries to include
artist information in each issue (see
write-up on Rob Dieb in this issue).]
NORMA J. CAPPELLO
Relocation Specialist
CRS, GRI, SRES
KELLER WILLIAMS
News & Reviews:
R E A L T Y
I’m new to the area and picked up your
publication at Pride in the Mission. I love
this town. I’ve met so many great people
and look forward to making many friends.
C E N T RAL C OAS T
360 James Way, Suite 130
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
I left a copy of your last issue on my desk
at work and returning after a break found
a coworker sitting in my cubicle, flipping
through it. I freaked out a little until she
said that she was so excited Margaret Cho
was coming to town and they she and her
partner where planning on attending.
Thanks for being part of my coming out
at work.
-Anne, San Luis Obispo
[Editor: Glad to help!]
CINDY PETROVICH
REALTOR
email: [email protected]
who’s who on the board
Morro Bay Realty
Western Heritage
Enterprises
By Gina Whitaker
Mike Hughes
M
ike Hughes has lived on the Central
Coast in Atascadero since 1985.
He was active in the earliest incarnations
of both the AIDS Support Network and
GALA, serving on and off their respective
boards over the course of the last 20 years.
Mike co-edited the GALA newsletter from
1993 to 1998.
Mike shares this about himself, “I’m a
nurse by profession and a bureaucrat by
trade. I’ve been out and active in the community since I arrived here. I’ve been in a
committed relationship with my husband,
Mark, for 15 years. We were married by
4
Office (805) 773-2024 • 560-2275
FAX 773-2027 • Cell 268-0948
Email [email protected]
www.normajcappello.com
Rev. Troy Perry on the steps of the IRS
Building in Washington, DC in 1994, and
became domestic partners when the law
was first enacted in California in 2000.”
805 Main St, Morro Bay, CA 93442
Direct (805) 772-6590
Cell (805) 748-4855
www.morrobay4sale.com
Currently, Mike serves as GALA’s Secretary and Webmaster of the GALA website. His primary interests in GALA are to
When a good friend’s
keep the newsletter strong and available
not enough...
throughout the area, to have a nice-looking
and well-staffed center for the GLBT comACCESS POINT
munity to use and enjoy, and to maintain an Supportive Counseling & Coaching
Jill Denton, LMFT, CSAT
up-to-date, informative, and user-friendly
Rev. Caroline Hall, MBA
website.
I think I am safe in saying we all agree Mike
does an excellent job in all three areas!
805-534-1101
www.accesspt.com
Celebrating our community for over 25 years
News & Reviews
news
LOGO TV Channel
Available on Central Coast
After three years of planning, MTV’s LOGO,
the highly anticipated LGBT basic-cable
channel, is on the air.
Appropriately enough, San Francisco was
the first city to get the channel this summer,
followed by a slow, 90-day rollout that has
since covered the rest of the nation. The
launch, which cost $30 million, put LOGO
in an estimated 21.5 million homes.
“Our goal is to reach a critical mass of
homes.” Brian Graden, president of Logo,
and president of MTV Networks Entertainment, told reporters.
“Creating a network specifically for the
LGBT community is something we’ve wanted to do for a long, long time,” Tom Freston,
chairman and CEO of MTV Networks, said.
“Despite our nation’s progress on civil rights
and the growing visibility of gay people in
business, society and even in television programming – what has been missing is a fulltime home for this important and influential
audience on television.”
Since its debut, the lineup of stars, programs,
and offerings on LOGO has shifted as the
fledgling channel has found its feet. But
much of its original promises have remained
the same: providing a blend of documentaries, reality television, movies, and original
shows.
Central Coast residents can catch LOGO on
Charter Cable’s digital channel #680 or DirecTV, channel #263.
Editor’s note: The News and Reviews
wants your opinions on this historic event
and how you like the channel. Write us at:
[email protected].
Bylaws Amended
The GALA board of directors, upon the
recommendation of the Bylaws Committee,
has made a number of amendments to the
bylaws. These amendments are the result of
a long process of review and discussion begun two years ago. We hope the document is
clearer and better configured to support the
ongoing mission of GALA. The amended
bylaws are available to view on the GALA
website at www.ccgala.org (click on “About
GALA”). Also available on the website is
a mark-up document which shows all of the
changes.
Curves Appears Straight
If you’re hoping to further the empowering
message Curves exercise studios sends to
women, you may want to read up on the
company’s born-again Christian cofounder
Gary Heavin, who has reportedly asserted
that a woman’s place is in the home.
Heavin, who in 1992 launched the Waco,
Texas-based chain that now has more than
7,000 fitness centers, has donated millions
of dollars to antiabortion groups and denounced the acceptance of gays and lesbians.
At a franchisee training session in Waco
in May, Heavin spoke of his idea of a
woman’s proper role and of his opposition
to homosexuality, said “Anne,” a lesbian
franchise owner who declined to give her
real name. “The unavoidable truth for all
us small-business owners is that the franchise makes money,” she said. “So like
good little children everyone had to shut up
and take it.”
Biggest GALA
Fund raiser of
the Year!
WAITERS’
DINNER
Roaring 20’s Party
Location:
the “Pink Speakeasy”
(Madonna Inn’s Venetian Room)
Dinner by:
Chef Rick
Dance Music by:
the Mighty Croon Dogs
Silent & Live Auctions
$85 per person
October 8th, 2005
6 pm until midnight
The Advocate, July 19, 2005
Anti-gay amendment
GALA Board Election Date Set attempts to qualify for ballot
GALA’s Townhall meeting and election is
set for Tuesday, November 1st. Those interested in running for a position on the board
should contact the GALA Center for additional information.
Backers of a constitutional amendment that
would ban gay marriage in California and rip
away same-sex domestic partner rights have
begun gathering signatures in hopes of getting their proposal on the June 2006 ballot.
Continued next page
News & Reviews
Contact: Pat Harris
[email protected]
For ticket info call: 541-4252
5
news
But before the 598,105 necessary signatures
have been found, the state’s LGBT community
is apparently getting support from a surprising
place: Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
On a national scale, political analysts predict the
amendment, along with similar proposals in 10
other states — Alabama, Indiana, Wisconsin,
South Carolina, Colorado, Arizona, Florida,
In a brief, 100-word analysis of the
amendment that would appear on the
potential ballot, Lockyer pointed out
how, as the Associated Press put it,
“the amendment would reverse the
six-year course the state Legislature
has been on in extending significant
spousal rights to same-sex couples.”
Campaign’s Marriage Project, told the AP. “It
would actually permanently ban the California
Legislature, the courts and the governor’s office
from providing any legal protections to legally
recognized domestic partners.”
GALA Art Reception
Ron Dieb is a recent arrival to
the Central Coast, having moved
here last fall with his partner
Michael McPherson.
Ron retired from teaching in the
Los Angeles area several years
ago and then decided to take a
class in oil painting to further
enhance a lifelong love and appreciation of art that began in
college. He was both surprised
and delighted that he developed
such an immediate love of painting, never imagining that his
newly discovered hobby would
soon occupy so many of his
hours on an almost daily basis
and become the greatest challenge and adventure of his life.
“While noting that the amendment
would ‘provide that only marriage
between one man and one woman is
valid or recognized in California,’”
the AP story read, “[Lockyer] goes
on to state that the measure ‘voids
and restricts registered domestic
partner rights and obligations’ in
areas ranging from inheritance and
adoption to insurance benefits and
hospital visitation.”
Lockyer goes even further: The
amendment’s sponsor’s titled their
proposed law “The Voters’ Right
to Protect Marriage Act,” but the
attorney general decided to call it,
“Marriage. Elimination of Domestic
Partnership Rights.”
Despite all that, a spokesperson for
the Attorney General’s office denied
that his boss was involved with any type of
politicking: “The attorney general’s responsibility is to accurately describe what the measure
does,” Nathan Barankin said. “It’s not up to us
to wage the political campaign the proponents
or opponents want to wage, just to tell the voters
the truth.”
Committed to Providing Quality
Tax and Accounting Services
DARLENE D. HAGENOW
Certified Public Accountant
He admits that his love has, in
fact, become something of an
obsession.
Virginia, South Dakota and Tennessee — will
make the ballot.
“This proposal (in California) would strip
away more rights from more families than any
other proposal we have seen in any other state,”
Seth Kilbourn, vice president of Human Right
He has traveled extensively,
spending most of his time in museums and galleries throughout
America and Europe, and he has become a
collector, on an “extremely limited basis”
he admits. Since moving here, he has joined
both the San Luis Obispo Art Association
and the El Camino Art Association, both
Continued on page 8
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Home Office: Bloomington, Illinois 61710
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Susan Rodriguez
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670 Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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6
805 543-4902
1317 Broad Street, Suite A
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Tel (805) 783-7050
Fax (805) 783-7054
www.centralcoast.com/dining
News & Reviews
Wow, what an unbelievable week! 2005 Central Coast Pride Week comprised an array of events including:
a Marriage Equality Forum, Belly Dancing, Art Reception, Drag Show, GLBT Film and reception at Big Sky,
Margaret Cho and reception at Corner View, BBQ/Country Dancing/Uniform Ball, UU Service, Pride in the
Plaza and Afterpride Party at Novo.
It was wonderful to see such a great turnout at so many of the events during the Week. Thank you for being there and for helping to make each event a success! We hope that everyone on the Central Coast was
able to enjoy some of the diverse events that comprised 2005 Central Coast Pride Week.
After being ‘thrown in the fire’ so-to-speak by coordinating last year’s pride events in only six short weeks, I
hoped that things would be different this year. In fact, they were very different. We held our first committee
meeting at the beginning of January, which in large part attributed to our accomplishments this year.
The many individuals on the Pride Committee, who gave tirelessly of themselves in hopes of hosting
events that our greater community would both attend and enjoy, deserve a great deal of gratitude!
Our committee’s goal, which I think we met quite well, was to promote the Pride Mission developed by the
GALA Board which is to:
CELEBRATE - our lives on the Central Coast and our accomplishments as a community;
EDUCATE - the public about our culture, our place in society, and our issues of concern;
DEMONSTRATE - our diversity, our normalcy, our numbers, and how proud we are to be who we are.
Also helping to meet this goal were the numerous volunteers who assisted with so many of the Pride Week
Events. The heaps of praise and numerous thank-you’s GALA received should be conveyed to everyone
who helped make 2005 Central Coast Pride Week such a success.
I would also like to thank the dozens of sponsors and businesses who donated money or in-kind services
to help make GALA’s 2005 Pride Events possible.
Lead sponsors, donating over $1000 in cash or in-kind services included: the City of San Luis Obispo,
Gary Grossman, United Staffing Associates, Pacific Gas & Electric, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Clayton Marsh & George Villanueva, The Cliffs Resort, Green Edge Media, Etna Interactive and SLY 96.
Major sponsors, donating over $500 in cash or in-kind services included: Big Sky Café, the Palm
Theatre, Westridge Laboratories, Novo Restaurant, New Times, Santa Barbara Independent, Seasons
Restaurant and Mission Coast Reality.
As chairperson of GALA’s 2005 Pride Events it was my pleasure to work with everyone involved. I feel
blessed to be a part of such an organization, and our greater community.
By the way, planning for next year’s Pride Activities is already underway. If you’d like to be part of, or have
ideas for 2006 Pride Week, please contact Lorelei at the GALA Center: 541-4252.
Sincerely,
Robert Kinports
2005 Pride Chairperson
News & Reviews
7
news
From “Art Reception” page 6
of which provide opportunities for him to
meet and exchange ideas with other artists
as well as opportunities to show his work.
His first one-man show demonstrates the
various styles he has explored through
landscapes and seascapes and his fascination with color, texture, and composition.
Attend GALA’s art reception for Ron on
Saturday, September 3rd at the GALA Center. And be on the lookout for informatin
on the next show intitled, “Time, Sex, and
Entropy”, by Peet Cocke, starting in November.
Study finds Social Security
privatization puts LGBTs
at risk
A study released by the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force shows that the LGBT
community will be “disproportionately
harmed” by the Bush Administration’s
privatized Social Security plan.
The study, called “Selling us Short” finds
the average LGBT American will have
lower Social Security benefits compared to
heterosexuals when they retire. And since
they are already not eligible for Social Security’s spousal and survivor benefits, the
study says LGBT Americans, are “disproportionately vulnerable” to the cuts found
in President Bush’s plan.
“There is a widespread myth that gay people are economically advantaged compared
to heterosexuals. U.S. Census data and
other national surveys indicate the opposite,” said Sean Cahill, director of the Task
Force’s Policy Institute, which published
the study. “In fact, gay and bisexual men
earn anywhere from 13 percent to 32 percent less than heterosexual men. If we earn
less, we receive a lower Social Security
payment in retirement. Any proposals that
cut retirement benefits will disproportionately hurt gay people.”
According to “Selling Us Short,” LGBT
people of color face an even higher risk:
Citing U.S. Census data, the study reports
8
that black same-sex couples earn $2,000
to $9,000 less a year than black married
couples; for Latino same-sex couples, that
discrepancy ranges from $1,000 to $4,000
less a year compared to married oppositesex couples of the same race.
“Even though LGBT Americans pay in to
the Social Security system at the same rate
as everyone else, our families and children
receive fewer benefits, often in times of
crisis. If Social Security is to be changed,
it should be changed so that all families are
treated fairly,” Mandy Hu, author of the
study, said.
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Selling Us Short: How Social Security Privatization Will Affect Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Americans is available at http://
www.thetaskforce.org/library.
Want to write an article for
the News and Reviews?
Contact us at:
[email protected]
PPD • Listed • NYSE
Lynn Bates
REALTOR©
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Each office is
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operated.
Swing • Top 40 • R&B • Hip Hop
Oldies • Classic Rock
GALA’s Annual
‘Family Values”
Picnic
October 16th
Maurine Paonessa
Meetings every
3rd Sunday
805/481-2112
INTEGRITY
Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians
(805) 534-0827
Welcoming Parishes
 St. Barnabas’ ...... Arroyo Grande
 St. Luke’s ........... Atascadero
 St. Paul’s ............ Cambria
 St. Benedict’s ..... Los Osos
 St. Peter’s .......... Morro Bay
 St. Jame’s ........... Paso Robles
 St. Matthew’s ..... San Ardo
 St. Stephen’s ...... San Luis Obispo
News & Reviews
guest commentary
How to Pick the Next Supreme Court Justice
By Kevin Cathcart
Editor’s note: News and Reviews went to
press before a decision on Supreme Court
nominee John Roberts had been made. But
the LGBT community’s battle for fair-minded justices in this country’s highest court
won’t end with his conformation or (unlikely) rejection. That’s why we decided
to run a shortened version of a piece
that Kevin Cathcart, the executive director of Lambda Legal, wrote earlier
this summer. Cathcart is no stranger to
the Supreme Court: In 2003, he and his
organization stood in front of the nine
justices and successfully argued against
Texas’ “Homosexual Conduct Laws.”
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of
Cathcart and Lambda Legal’s clients,
striking down not only Texas’ law, but
similar laws across the nation.
W
ith the retirement announcement
of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
and rumors swirling about Chief Justice
William H. Rehnquist, the long-anticipated
battle over the future of the Supreme Court
is here. We’ve seen the kinds of right-wing
zealots that President Bush has nominated
to lower federal courts. Now that we’ve
come to the granddaddy of them all—the
U.S. Supreme Court—the stakes could not
be higher for the LGBT community and the
nation as a whole.
The Supreme Court must be fair, independent, and a counterpoint to the other
branches of government, which often are
heavily swayed by their political bases and
the politics of the moment. For this reason,
sense of how that person views the broader
concepts of liberty, privacy, and equality—principles that inform most LGBT
and HIV rights cases. Evaluating Supreme
Court nominees on these issues means we
won’t be silenced by stealth candidates
whose future positions on our equality
may be all too predictable and could
set us back decades. So, here are issues
on which you can judge the Supreme
Court nominees.
Privacy and Individual Liberty
Lambda Legal has called on President Bush
to nominate individuals who will stand up
for the rights and freedoms of all Americans, rather than pursue the narrow political agenda of the radical right. Regardless
of who the president nominates, the Senate
must fulfill its sworn duty under the U.S.
Constitution to conduct a thorough, independent review of each nominee, and not
just act as a political rubber stamp for the
Administration’s selections.
News & Reviews
Many of the president’s federal judicial
nominees to date have
not had an explicit
track record on LGBT
or HIV issues, and
the same may be true
of the individuals he
advances to fill Supreme Court vacancies. Fortunately, by
looking at a nominee’s
rulings on issues like
reproductive
rights
and the Americans
With Disabilities Act,
we usually can get a
Good nominee: interprets the U.S.
Constitution as a living document and
recognizes that private, consensual intimacy is safeguarded from government
intrusion by the constitutional protection of “life, liberty, and property.” For
example, the Supreme Court’s decision
in Lawrence v. Texas protected private,
consensual same-sex intimacy and said it
couldn’t be made a crime.
Bad nominee: interprets the federal Constitution narrowly to protect only what
the Constitution explicitly says and what
the founding fathers supposedly would
have protected. For example, the Supreme
Court’s homophobic decision in Bowers v.
Hardwick (overruled by Lawrence) held
that same-sex intimacy could be made a
crime because the country historically had
sodomy laws.
Reproductive Freedom
Good nominee: recognizes that a woman’s
right to choose is protected by the Constitution’s protection of “life, liberty, and
property.” This constitutional principle is
also important for LGBT people because
the right to sexual intimacy is protected by
this very same right to liberty. For example,
when the Supreme Court struck down all
remaining sodomy laws in the Lawrence
case it relied on reproductive freedom
cases like Roe v. Wade as supporting legal
precedent.
Continued on page 16
9
q & a: with david elson
A Temporary Success (In a Good Way)
By Greg Perry
couldn’t go to movies, we couldn’t go
to bowling alleys or the skating rink; I
couldn’t do that until I moved to California and became a sinner [chuckles].
N&R: What made you leave home?
David: Just because of the lifestyle
in California. More opportunities. [In
Waterloo] one time I was shopping in
the mall and got called ‘fag’ and it’s
like, ‘I gotta get out of this town’.
N&R: When did you come out to your
parents?
W
alking into David Elson’s office in Pismo Beach, it’s
apparent that a lot of work gets done here. Sharing the
space with his sister, Susan, and a large glass conference table,
David’s modest desk in no way implies its occupant’s position
at United Staffing Associates—that of owner.
Spending the afternoon with David Elson and his close friend,
Wendi, and discussing his life’s journey—from his upbringing
in Waterloo, Iowa, with three brothers and three sisters, to his
current successes—it all makes sense. He is a man intent on
growing his business and putting in the hours necessary to
achieve his goals, all while making sure that those around him
are looked after, and has little time for putting on airs.
David’s need to do right by his fellow man is evident in his
actions. He’s owned and operated a home for six developmentally disabled persons ranging in ages 18 to 56; he has also
volunteered his time to H.O.P.E., Home of Positive Expectations, in Porterville, a group that provided AIDS patients a
place to stay when hospitals and families turned them away.
And his community service locally is evidenced by his financial support of GALA.
David: When I was twenty-five, living
in Visalia. They were visiting and I was
on the phone with this guy for about
an hour, and they came and asked me,
‘What’s the relationship between you and this guy?’ I told
them ‘We’re just friends,’ and my mother said, ‘Your sisters
say it’s more than that.’ So I said, ‘Oh mother, we’re friends
and lovers,’ making a joke of it. Later that night they came
to me and wanted to take me to therapy...I was like, ‘I don’t
think so.’
N&R: So what’s your relationship with them like now?
David: Different. They kind of accept me, but they don’t accept me; they’re kind of proud of me, but not really proud of
me. I’m still single, so they still have hope that I’ll meet some
nice Christian girl.
N&R: Do you have a partner?
David: No.
N&R: Ever?
David: Yeah. For about five years. We had a very bad breakup.
It was the kind where you change the locks on the doors and
put an alarm on the house. I moved here to get away from
him.
N&R: Tell us about your life in Waterloo.
N&R: So are you looking for a partner?
David: I went to a Christian school [General Associatation
of Regular Batistes Churches (GARBC)] from first grade to
graduation. The school we went to was in the church, so we’d
be in church six days a week. Sometimes on Saturday too. We
David: Yes and no. It’s kind of hard right now because I’m
busy all the time. It’s hard to commit to dates and doing this
and that with someone.
10
News & Reviews
cover story
N&R: Let’s talk about the business. You have four locations
now: Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Santa Maria and...
David: We just opened up in Oxnard in December. And as soon
as we find the right location we’re going to open is San Luis.
N&R: How did you get started in the temp agency business?
David: 1992 is when I started working for a temp service in
Porterville. They had found me a job years before with a CPA
firm and they [the CPA firm] kept saying ‘he’s so wonderful’,
so the temp service kept trying to steal me back. So in 1992 I
went to work for them as their controller. I worked for them
for three and a-half years.
N&R: What brought
you to the coast?
David: I think you need to be involved. If you can afford to
help out, wherever you can, I think you should. There are so
many closed-minded people out there, they need to need to
be familiar with what the gay community is all about. They
hear all the bad things. They go to movies and see the partyers,
druggies, whatever, and that’s not the case. Plus, [GALA] is a
good cause.
N&R: Are you out to everyone you meet?
David: I don’t hide it from anybody; I don’t act differently. If
I’m on a job-site I still wear my fancy shoes.
N&R: What do you like about the local gay community?
Some small business owners are afraid
of being “outed” because they’re afraid it
will affect their business—they’re just not
willing to take the chance.
David: I used to work
for another staffing
agency in Bakersfield
and they asked me
to run their office in
Atascadero. Then a
little over a year of running that office, (they were having major
financial problems...they were kind of a little bit shady) it was
either go back and work with my old temp agency in Visalia or
open my own.
My home was in Morro Bay, I knew the area, knew the customer base and applicant base, already had good employees
picked out, plus I started getting a circle of friends. It was perfect timing.
N&R: So were was you first office?
David: It’s different
here. In Bakersfield,
there’s a large gay community and you don’t
see the same people all
the time. Here it’s very
close-knit. A lot of
them are your friends.
It’s more intimate.
N&R: What would you like to see change in the community?
David: Of course it would be nice to have a gay bar.
But really, it’s kind of tough. A lot of the gay population is not
as open-minded as in other communities. There’re a lot of my
friends that don’t go to Pride and I ask them ‘Why don’t you
go’, and they say, well, it’s too big of an event and they just
don’t want to be out there. I tell them they should support the
community, because they are the community.
N&R: A staffing agency in Templeton?
Some small business owners are afraid of being “outed” because they’re afraid it will affect their business—they’re just
not willing to take the chance.
David: The dump we found in Templeton smelled like cat piss.
But everyone in my old office quit and came to work for me. I
had no customers and five employees [laughs].
With me, it’s been easy because I’ve always been myself and
open, so I don’t have to worry about my customers not knowing, because it’s obvious what I am.
N&R: What about the business now? Grow, grow, grow?
N&R: Have you considered moving to a larger city?
David: Yep. Yep, San Luis this year, then we’re looking at the
valley, Visalia, Porterville, Fresno. That’s hopefully next year.
David: Not like a full-time move. But eventually I’d like to
have a place in San Francisco, just to go. But right now we
have a [branch] in Oxnard which is only an hour away from
L.A., so eventually we’ll just keep moving in that direction.
David: Templeton.
N&R: You were a major sponsor of Pride this year. Thank
you.
David: You’re welcome. It was fun.
N&R: Do you consider philanthropy a responsibility or a personal choice?
News & Reviews
N&R: What’s in your personal five year plan.
David: I don’t really think much about the personal.
continued on page 17
11
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Coalition of Welcoming Churches Planned
By Rev. Caroline Hall
T
his year, for the first time, Integrity, the
gay and lesbian Episcopalian organization, was unable to find a member who
could construct and man their booth at Pride
in the Plaza. Some of us had to be at church
(it being Sunday morning), and others were
out of town. So the Unitarian Universalists
Fellowship of San Luis Obispo County was
kind enough to let us share their booth–
leading us to wonder why we had separate
booths in the first place. Why not combine?
water–they just don’t mix–or that religion
and spirituality are irrelevant in a secular
society; however, an increasing number of
GLBT people are finding that spirituality
does enrich life and are finding churches
where they feel at home. But for many who
are looking for a place to worship, it can
be a daunting task. How would you know
which church to try out? And perhaps you
aren’t even interested in church–you just
want someone to talk to. Who do you call?
You don’t need me to tell you that there are
many Christian and other religious organizations who wouldn’t consider being at Pride
unless it was to try to convert us from our
sinful ways; however, there are a number of
churches who are increasingly open to the
GLBT community. For example, the United
Church of Christ just came out in support of
gay marriage, and the Unitarian Universalists are at the forefront of the fight for equal
marriage rights, while the Episcopal Church
is still dealing with the aftermath of ordaining an openly gay bishop.
For some time now, Carmen Fojo has been
providing a regular Open Door meeting at
the San Luis Obispo Mission for those raised
as Catholics and those who are looking for a
group of like-minded people; and for years,
Integrity has held a bi-monthly potluck
open to everyone. In the past we’ve also had
a Metropolitan Community Church, and a
couple of bible study groups.
Many of us still have it in our minds that being gay and being Christian are like oil and
Sitting at our combined booth at Pride in
the Plaza, we decided to combine forces
and are creating a Coalition of Welcoming
Churches. We hope that this coalition will
provide a way for people in the community
who are thinking about faith, and what it
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Contact Terry Comer (ASN) at 781-3660 for more information.
News & Reviews
means in their lives, to connect with those
who have found faith communities that support them. We also hope that this coalition
will be a broad-based, interfaith group and
be a forum for a two-way conversation between the GLBT community and churches.
There are faith communities that want to be
fully welcoming and inclusive of our community but are not sure how to go about it.
The churches need to hear what we need,
just as we need to hear where we are welcome and who we can trust.
If you would like to be part of organizing
this Coalition, or if you want to let us know
about a faith community that welcomes and
affirms the GLBT community, we’d love to
hear from you.
As usual, everyone is invited to Open Door
at the Mission in the Sierra Room at 4 p.m.,
on the first Sunday of each month or to any
of the places of worship listed below. For
more information about Open Door contact
Carmen Fojo at: [email protected]. For
information about the Unitarian Universalists Fellowship, contact Gina Whitaker:
[email protected].
• Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, San
Luis Obispo
• Temple Beth Shalom
• Temple Beth David
• Temple Ner Shalom
• Unity Church, San Luis Obispo
• Awakening group in Morro Bay (nondenominational)
• Atascadero Community Church
• Congregational Church, San Luis Obispo
• John XXIII Catholic Community, San
Luis Obispo
• White Heron Buddhist Community
• All the Epsicopal Churches in SLO
County
The Rev. Caroline Hall, long time GALA
member and associate priest at St. Luke’s
Episcopal Church in Atascadero, can be
reached at [email protected] or 5340827.
13
reviews
Hits and Misses in the Video Store
By Mike Hughes
Bear Cub (2004) (Spanish
with subtitles) – Definite Hit
Bernardo is a 9-year-old boy who is sent to
stay with his openly gay Uncle Pedro while
his hippie mother is off on dubious pursuits
abroad. Pedro is an actively sexual member
of the Madrid “bear” scene who thinks he
needs to tone down the homo for his nephew.
Soon, the temporary situation becomes longterm, and Bernardo happily settles in to life
with Pedro and his big, hairy, gay friends.
Then comes Grandma (with her lawyer) who
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14
thinks she’s the only one to give the boy a
proper home. Unafraid to show the complexities of being a gay man and a parent, this
thoughtful comedy offers no easy solutions.
Strongly centered on the wonderful performance by David Castillo as Bernardo, this
warm, but not overly sentimental film is at its
best when it shows us the deep familial bond
between Pedro and the boy.
Cowboys and Angels
(2003) – Hit
Everyone (2004) – Near Miss
Two charming young Irishmen – one straight,
one gay – are roommates in Limerick. The
focus of this movie is definitely on Shane, the
C
L
E
for home or business
SCANDANAVIAN
N
I
N
G
straight boy, who is clueless about adult life
in the big city. Vincent’s queer-eye-for-thestraight-guy advice helps turn a shy, insecure
boy with zero fashion sense into a winner.
Unfortunately, Shane gets in big trouble with
the drug dealer downstairs and almost comes
to ruin. The strength of this modest, amiable
movie is its ability to avoid the obvious in the
relationship between the two charming main
characters despite an improbably happy ending.
481-1048
Leif Johansen
“Everyone” is the story of two gay lovers and the family members they invite on
the day of their commitment ceremony.
This angst-drenched comedy follows the
general meltdown of every relationship in
attendance. The theme seems to be everyone wants to be loved and everyone has
big trouble figuring out how to do it. The
sexuality is up front and honest, and the gay
humor is spot-on. Bitter wisecracks and
plot twists abound. Even though it’s hard
to connect with these unhappy people, and
nothing much is resolved, the good writing and interesting situations will keep you
watching.
News & Reviews
gatherings
T
here are plenty of events happening in
the next couple of months, so no complaining about the lack of things to do out
there.
First up is an Art Reception at the GALA
Center Saturday, September 3rd, from 5:30
p.m. until 7:30 p.m., kicking off local artist Ron Dieb’s first one-man show. Show
your support for our local gay artists by attending. Refreshments will be served.
Also upcoming is a special showing of
the new Sundance Channel documentary
entitled, “TRANS Generation”. A specially edited version, pieced together from
all four episodes, will be shown free of
charge, Saturday, September 17th at the
SLO County Library at 11 a.m. Also present will be Christopher Daley, director of
the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco, who will give a talk directly after the
film. Afterwards, attendees are invited to
Hudson’s Grill at 2 p.m. for socializing.
Next up on the calendar is the ever popular
Waiters’ Dinner. Taking place Saturday,
October 8th at the Madonna Inn, this event
is a huge part of GALA’s fund raising activities and typically brings in more donations than any other event. If you haven’t
attended in the past, make a special effort
to go this year. The “Roaring 20’s” theme
promises to make this year’s event a whole
lot of fun. Look for your invitations in the
mail and check GALA’s website (www.
ccgala.org) or call the center for ticket information.
On Sunday, October 16th, GALA will host
the annual Family Values Picnic. No location has been set yet, but keep checking
GALA’s website or call the center for more
information.
And get ready, because on October 29th the
GALA Halloween Dance once again terrorizes Trinity Hall. This dance is a lot of
fun and always has plenty of surprises. So
start planning those costumes and remember to tell all your friends.
News and Reviews is always happy to plug
events for our sponsors and benefactors,
and our friends at the Corner View Restaurant are sponsoring the upcoming Hit &
Giggle Womens’ Golf Tournament put on
by Women for Community, with proceeds
going to Partnership for the Children, a
non-profit organization which provides
funds for dental services for underserved
children. The event takes place on September 11th at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in
Arroyo Grande and is open to women and
men-in-drag. Check out their website at:
www.hitandgiggle.net for more information.
Corner View will also be hosting a fund
raiser for GALA on Wednesday, September 14th. From 7 p.m. until closing, the bar
will be manned by GALA members and all
tips received will be donated to the Waiters’
Dinner fund. So make plans to attend and
bring as many friends as you can. This will
be a blast.
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And if there’s not enough stuff happening
for you here at home, no need to look far.
1064 Los Osos Valley Rd
(in the Von’s shopping center)
Los Osos, CA 93402
Santa Barbara’s Pride celebration, although delayed this year, will take place
on September 25th at De La Guerra and
State Streets. Check the Gay Santa Barbara
Foundation’s website (www.gaysantabarbara.org) or call (805) 962-1403 for more
information.
Mercedez-Benz • Volkswagen • Chevrolet-Geo
Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain
are in the swing of things too.
The official “Unofficial Gay Days at Disneyland” is scheduled for September 30th
thru October 2nd. Check out their website
(www.gayday2.com) for all the events and
schedules. And don’t forget to get in line
for the GALA van to MJ’s favorite place.
Call the center for details.
KIMBALL
MOTOR COMPANY
JEFF KIMBALL
(805) 543-5752
1423 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obsipo
Six Flags Magic Mountain also has their
summer gay party happening. This year the
park will be reserved for the gay community
on September 30th, from 7:30 p.m. until 1
a.m. It looks like a great time and would
make a great warm up to a weekend at Disneyland. Check out how to get tickets at:
www.odysseyadventures.com/SixFlagsOdyssey.
News & Reviews
15
gatherings
Ameila’s Friends
7:30 pm, last Friday of the month at
Volumes of Pleasures in Los Osos
Central Coast Men’s Potluck
For info, send an “add-me-to-the-list”
email to: [email protected]
Cuesta Squares
7 pm, Tuesdays. Contact:
[email protected] or
call David, 543-4289
Fusion (Men 18-29 years)
6:30 pm, every Thursday at the Center.
(Movie Night: 6:30 Sundays)
Bryan & Joe: 543-1050
Gala Board Meeting
6:30 pm 1st Tuesday at the Center.
Open to the public
Gay night at Tortilla Flats
9:30 pm, Wednesdays 1051 Nipomo,
SLO, dancing to DJ’d music,
Gay AA Meeting
7:00 pm, Sundays at St. Stephen’s Church.
Pismo & Nipomo, SLO
GLBU
(Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals United at Cal
Poly) www.calpoly.edu/~glbclub
From “Supreme Court” page 9
Bad nominee: interprets the federal Constitution narrowly to protect only what
the Constitution explicitly says and what
the founding fathers supposedly would
have protected. For example, conservative justice Antonin Scalia stated in one
reproductive freedom case that a woman
doesn’t have the right to choose an abortion
because “the Constitution says absolutely
nothing about it.”
Equal Rights Under the Law
Good nominee: gives real meaning to the
Constitution’s guarantee that all persons
are entitled to “equal protection under the
laws.” For example, in Romer v. Evans,
the Supreme Court struck down Colorado’s
16
NOW (National Organization
for Women)
6-8:00 pm, 3rd Tuesday at the Center.
Hospice 544-2266 or 434-1164
Integrity (GLBT Episcopalians)
3rd Sunday. Locations TBS.
Call: 534-0827
LADIES’ SECOND SATURDAY CLUB
5:30 pm, La Mexicana,
7495 El Camino Real, Atascadero
Call Bernie: 460-9163 or email
[email protected]
LESBIAN CHIPS ‘N CHAT
7-9:00 PM, 1st Friday at the Center.
Lezmingle
2nd weekend of the month in Santa Maria.
For location/details call Roxanne: 934-2646.
Open Door
4 pm, Sierra Center of the Old Mission, SLO. Outreach for gay & lesbian community, family and friends.
Contact: [email protected]
PFLAG
(Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays)
6:30 pm, 4th Tuesday at Unitarian Univ.
Church, 232 Foothill, SLO. 438-3889
SINGLES S.O.L. (Slightly
Older Lesbians)
Social group. Call 474-9405
Lesbian and Bisexual Female Support Group
6 pm, Wednesdays at the Community
Counseling Center, 1129 Marsh St. SLO
Call 543-7969 for more information
TRANZ CENTRAL COAST
Transgender support, 3rd Saturday at the
GALA Center, 6:30-9:30 pm.
www.tranzcentralcoast.com
Men’s Dinner Group
7 pm, Wednesdays in Santa Maria.
Check GALA calendar @ www.
ccgala.org for locations.
TGIF Women’s Group
5-7 pm, 3rd Friday at 1865 Bar and Restaurant. Contact Teri Nelson: 473-8018
email: [email protected]
Mothertongue
Feminist Theater Collective, 2 pm, 3rd
Sunday. 528-6827 for more information.
Youth Group (13-23 years)
7 pm, Thursdays, Luwick Community
Center, 864 Santa Rosa St., SLO.
Contact the GALA Center 541-4252
Amendment 2 as a violation of equal protection because it discriminated against gay
people based only on bias.
For example, in 2004 the Supreme Court
correctly held, in Tennessee v. Lane, that
the federal Americans With Disabilities
Act gave disabled people the right to sue
in state courts.
Bad nominee: interprets “equal protection”
very narrowly and allows government discrimination to be justified by weak excuses,
including vague notions of “morality.” For
example, Justice Scalia wrote that Colorado’s Amendment 2 was constitutional
because it reflected voters’ “moral disapproval of homosexual conduct.”
States’ Rights (Federalism)
Good nominee: enforces the Constitution’s
mandate that Congress has the power to
pass laws addressing important national
interests like protecting civil rights and that
this power isn’t trumped by states’ rights.
Bad nominee: interprets the Constitution
as giving so much power to the states that
Congress is denied the power to enact effective civil rights laws for the country. For
example, in Tennessee v. Lane Justice Scalia said that the Americans With Disabilities
Act didn’t give people with disabilities the
right to go to state court because that would
violate “states’ rights.”
Separation of Church and State
Good nominee: recognizes that the Constitution gives all Americans the right to
News & Reviews
choose their religion (if any), that the government cannot promote or fund activities
that endorse religious beliefs, and that those
beliefs can’t be used to exempt individuals
from the responsibility of complying with
antidiscrimination laws.
prohibiting discrimination against unmarried couples, and that there is no constitutional prohibition on government funding
to religious agencies that refuse to hire gay
people.
business.
Bad nominee: believes that the Constitution allows the government to use tax
money to fund religious organizations that
discriminate against people of other faiths
and LGBT citizens, and that individuals
can invoke their personal religious beliefs
to disregard gay rights and other civil rights
laws. For example, some judges have ruled
that landlords have a constitutional right to
invoke their religious beliefs to ignore laws
From “David Elson” page 17
N&R: Do you think your success has hindered your ability to meet people?
N&R: You really are devoted to the
work.
David: It’s my scapegoat. Whenever I
have, like, a bad day, or I’m depressed...
about being single or missing the fairy
tale: the spouse, the two kids, the white
picket fence...I just throw it all into the
Eventually I’d like to settle down, adopt a
kid or two, but I don’t want to do it on my
own, I don’t think. But in five years, if I’m
still single, I may decide [his phone rings...
is shut off] ...to do it on my own.
David: No. I think once people meet me
they realize that I’m just down-to-earth and
real.
GALA MEMBERSHIP FORM
Mail to GALA, P.O. Box 3558, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
GALA
MEMBER
Membership dues are one of the most important ways GALA generates the
funds it needs to keep the Center open and to publish and mail the News and
Reviews for free. Won’t you please show your pride in our community and
your support for GALA? Join or renew your membership today! In addition
to the knowledge that you are supporting GALA, there are other benefits of
membership like reduced admission to dances and events and a free listing in
the directory! PLEASE JOIN TODAY!
1st person’s name
2nd person’s name
Gender
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(eve)
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(eve)
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Please contact me about volunteering or sharing
my professional skills
Please list my name in the directory
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PLUS, I/we would like to give an additional gift:
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$100
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$750
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$1000
other
All contributions and dues are tax deductible!
News & Reviews
17
a view from the hill
Diversity is perversity?
By Richard Kinz
A
few weeks ago, coming out of a local
deli after having lunch, I noticed one
of those “see through” signs that take up
the entire rear window of a pickup. You
know, the kind that normally shows some
stylized version of the Stars and Stripes or
other “patriotic” symbols. But this one really grabbed my eye. It blared, “DIVERSITY IS PERVERSITY” in huge letters.
Nothing more.
Often being a little on the paranoid side, I
immediately supposed that the pickup owner was a gay hater. There are a few around,
although throughout the 15 years we’ve
been up here in Atascadero, we’ve never
encountered anything negative about us, or
gays in general, that I recall. Unless you
count Otis Page. People aren’t dumb, they
can read my letters and hear me on Dave
Congalton’s Show. I’ve had compliments
about those, but never anything negative.
Anyway, back to the subject.
I got to thinking more about that phrase. So
I picked up my trusty old [1976] Webster’s.
It defines diversity: the condition of being
different, with diverse defined as differing
from one another; unlike. OK, we GLBTs
fit that very well. Now for perversity or
perverse: turned away from what is right or
good, corrupt, incorrect or improper. Applied to gays, it sounds like that came right
from the mouth of Jerry Falwell doesn’t it.
But “perverse” could apply to many things.
The fundamentalist denominations that
SOUND ON SOUND
consider themselves to be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, etc., proclaim that their way
is the right and good and only way, and
all others are wrong and even akin to the
devil speaking. So they are saying that the
diversity of religious thought and activity
not of their liking is perverse. Humanism,
or freethinking cultures and people, are
an absolute no-no. Those religions can’t
have people thinking for themselves – they
might get smart and have nothing to do
with them.
There are diverse ethnicities. Very diverse,
every one wonderful and beautiful in their
culture, yet assimilating into our culture
as well. However, we know that there are
white supremacists that state point blank
that all other races are to be put down and
discriminated against – if not worse – and it
is their God-given right to rule, period, and
all others must follow, or else. No room for
any diversity.
There is diversity in politics, in available
cars, in colors of our clothes and homes, in
books and schools. There is diversity everywhere, yet there are folks who are hell
bent on limiting it in many facets of our
society.
We are seeing that, now that gays are finally getting recognition in the form of having rights and humanness like others, we
are being targeted more and more by those
who consider themselves above us. We are
second-class citizens to them. We are in
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the same boat as other minorities have been
over the ages, and in many ways still are.
As perverse people in their eyes, we are
to be shoved into the closet with the door
slammed shut. As Matt Foreman of the
NGLTF so forcefully stated in the last issue
of News & Reviews, this is discrimination,
and all discrimination is immoral, plain and
simple.
Diversity in all forms is to be celebrated and
honored, not flipped off as being something
to be denied and put down. When discrimination rears its ugly head, it’s up to each
of us to expose it as utterly immoral. Not
only expose it as immoral, but also counter
each and every instance of discrimination
– whether against gays or any group – with
truth. Counter with facts, not Biblical phoniness or other cobbled up “justifications.”
It is human nature for each and every one
of us to be free and independent thinking
beings, not to be enslaved to what others
think is “best” for us. This isn’t to say that
each of us is free to run rampant over every
one and every thing around us. Of course
not. And that is the enigma about diversity and humanism – the fine line between
absolute freedom and necessary restraints
based on decency and respect towards others. That’s where problems can arise in the
process of our existence.
One thing for certain, however: Diversity
is certainly NOT perversity!
Want a good book?
How ‘bout a gift?
And friendly people
to help you?
Volumes of Pleasure
Book and Gift Shop
Meditation & Relaxing Music
1016 Los Osos Valley Rd
Los Osos, CA 93402
528-5565
News & Reviews
GALA
Members
A GALA Event
WAITERS’
DINNER
Roaring 20’s Party
Location: The “Pink Speakeasy”
(Madonna Inn’s Venetian Room)
HOSPICE PARTNERS
- A PLAN FOR LIVING -
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with
a life-limiting illness, turn to Hospice Partners
for your end-of-life needs.
(805) 782-8608
Dinner by Chef Rick’s
Dance Music by the Mighty Croon Dogs
Silent & Live Auctions
$85 per person
October 8th, 2005
6 pm until midnight
Contact: Pat Harris
[email protected]
For ticket info call: 541-4252
A not-for-profit, State-licensed, Medicare &
Medi-Cal certified Hospice agency.
GALA
PO Box 3558
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
Artwork by: Ron Dieb
On display at the GALA Center
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
San Luis Obispo, CA
PERMIT No. 29
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Pride in all we do.
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Celebrate Your Individuality at SERENGETI WEST
Diamonds/Gems
Fine Jewelry
Platinum/Gold/Silver
Fine Watches
Custom Design
Repairs
Two Plat/Goldsmiths
on the Premises