Every year, the San Diego LGBT Community Center’s gala brings together the “toast-of-the town” for a fabulous dinner fundraiser which supports the organization’s programs and services. Part of the event includes the presentation of the annual awards, and the honorees were announced today. See the release below which includes the names and bios of these stellar community members and organizations.

SAN DIEGO LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER WILL PRESENT ITS HIGHEST HONORS AT 36TH ANNUAL GALA CELEBRATION

The Center will celebrate its 36th annual gala on Saturday Oct. 10 at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa. More than 600 of San Diego’s finest  will enjoy cocktails, dinner, live entertainment and a fabulous silent auction, all in support of the more than 40 programs The Center offers. As part of the evening’s festivities, four individuals and an organization will be honored for their generosity, service and commitment to the LGBT and HIV communities. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.thecentersd.kintera.org/gala09.

Jess Jessop Founders Award presented to Terry Cunningham
The Jess Jessop Founders Award is given to those who have made significant and consistent contributions to enhancing the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of San Diego. When Jess Jessop first accepted this award, The Center was honoring his lifetime history of support to the community and the establishment of The Center.

About Terry Cunningham…
Terry Cunningham has been one of San Diego’s legendary and longest-serving community members in the fight against HIV/AIDS. His dedication, commitment and service have spanned almost three decades, from the very earliest days of fear and confusion, through the endless memorials of a long dark decade, through the late 1990’s and the advent of protease inhibitors and life saving drugs, and this year’s terrifying budget collapse in California. Across the last 26 years he has been personally involved at every level of service – from serving as a volunteer on the original AIDS hot line to co-founding the Ciaccio Memorial Clinic, which remains the largest community provider of HIV services in the county. Terry is currently the Chief of the HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services for the County of San Diego and a voice for the vital prevention services we continue to need, as well as compassionate care for those who continue to live with HIV/AIDS. His ongoing leadership and expertise in the field of HIV/AIDS have made him a valued volunteer as far away as China, the former Soviet Union, Zambia and Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. Terry’s unwavering dedication to the cause of this pandemic and his never-ceasing willingness to give of his time, talent and resources make him a giant in the ongoing fight against the AIDS pandemic.

Friend of The Center Award presented to MARYAH
As is true of all civil rights struggles, the San Diego LGBT community struggle toward full equality and equal rights could not have been successful without the courage and loyalty of our non-LGBT friends, family members, neighbors and allies. Their commitment to us and to “doing the right thing” despite the personal and professional costs has been invaluable and cannot go unrecognized. Created in 1993 to honor all of those LGBT and non-LGBT citizens and organizations whose friendship and support have sustained our struggle, The Friend of The Center Award is given annually to an individual or organization that has played a critical role in improving the lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of San Diego.

About MARYAH…
In 2006, a group of San Diego real estate professionals became involved with The Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Project when they saw the urgent need for permanent supportive housing for homeless youth. They banded together with the goal of raising funding, community awareness and support for Sunburst Youth Housing Project, and MARYAH (Metro Area Real Estate Professionals for Young Adult Housing) was born. Since then this dedicated group has held three wildly popular annual events — Spring Soiree, Harvest Howl and the Poker Invitational – which together have raised more than $115,000 to support housing and supportive services for San Diego’s homeless LGBT youth. MARYAH’s board members are Lori Northcutt, Ivan Solis, Jr., Nelson White, Richard Woods, Garold Wampler, Ashley Lunn, Mark Kunce, James Crandall, Christopher Hutchinson, Todd Armstrong, David Muscat, Ken Tablang, Mike Paganelli, Jim Hush and Keith Peterson.

M. Corrine Mackey Award presented to Tryce Czyczynska
Created in 1993 in honor of Center and community volunteer Corrine “Martie” Mackey, this award recognizes one or more female volunteers for outstanding service to The Center and their critical role in delivering its mission in the community.

About Tryce Czyczynska…
As a long-term, dedicated activist, volunteer, writer, spoken word performer and feng shui expert, Tryce Czyczynska is a very familiar face in the San Diego LGBT community. Nearly five years ago she began hosting Coffee and Conversation for Cool Women at The Center, a monthly event at which she interviews some of San Diego and Southern California’s most interesting and dynamic women in front of a live audience. Nearly a decade ago she was instrumental in bringing Dyke March back to San Diego. The longest running female columnist in San Diego, Tryce has written for a handful of LGBT publications and co-hosted the LGBT political radio talk show “The Bridge.” And, as if all that weren’t enough, this year she co-founded “51% – A Woman’s Place is In Politics,” a group with calendared events created to provide all women direct access to policy makers who influence their lives, for which she also co-authors a weekly column on the San Diego News Network website.

Dennis Howard Volunteer Service Award presented to Frank Jones
Named for Center and community volunteer Dennis Howard in 1999, this award honors a man or men whose outstanding commitment and dedication to The Center are above and beyond the call of duty and make the work of The Center possible.

About Frank Jones…
Frank Jones is a retired Marine who has been volunteering for The Center since 2008. Best known for helping to keep Family Matters running smoothly, he started by providing top notch administrative assistance for the program coordinator, but soon he began volunteering for practically every Center program. If you’ve been to a Center event over the last year, it’s very likely that you’ve seen Frank lending a much-needed hand. Frank is so generous with his time here at The Center that he has put in nearly 700 volunteer hours in 2009 alone. He is willing to take on any task and has become a reliable right-hand man, offering hard work, great ideas and friendship for Family Matters, Latino/a Services, AIDS Walk, special events and wherever else they are needed.

Brian S. Mullin Youth Award presented to Hollis Liebe
Named for Brian S. Mullin and bestowed upon a youth or adult in recognition of outstanding commitment and dedication to the well-being of our LGBT and questioning youth, this award celebrates those who share Brian’s vision and activism on behalf of LGBTQ youth.

About Hollis Liebe…
When Hollis Liebe was a student at Granite Hills High School, she served as the arts editor of the student newspaper and the president of the Gay Straight Alliance, but she’s long been active in her community outside the classroom as well. From coordinating the youth lounge and youth expressway for San Diego Pride to volunteering for the Hillcrest Youth Center, she has been generous with her time and talents in many ways. Most recently, she helped to organize a fundraiser at the House of Blues that raised several thousand dollars used to fund free Pride tickets given to LGBT youth. While her outward ambitions are certainly praiseworthy, one of the most striking things about Hollis is her sense of responsibility and the silent contributions she makes without any expected recognition. Hollis is currently attending Cuyamaca Community College with a major in teaching. We can hardly wait to see what she’ll do next.