San Diego Pride Announces 2007 Award Recipients

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride has announced this year's award recipients based on their activism and support given to the GLBT community. The honorees will be publicly recognized at the Spirit of Stonewall Community Celebration, scheduled for 3:30 p.m., July 15, at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, as well as at the Pride parade, which starts at 11:00 a.m., on July 21.

In addition to this year's "inspirational couples" being recognized (Cynthia Lawrence and Peggy Heathers, and Jerry Peterson and Bob Smith), plus Grand Marshal Bruce Abrams, the annual awards will be presented in four categories.

Champions of Pride

Robert A. Lehman & Thomas D. Felkner

The Bankers Hill couple co-founded Stonewall Citizens' Patrol in an organized response to the escalating crimes that occurred in the past year against the LGBT community. The men initially met with police officials and local leaders to create the all-volunteer community crime group, and donated the organization's patrol vehicle and staff funding for the first year of its inception. The Patrol currently focuses on raising awareness of crime within the community and educates citizens on protecting themselves and conducting neighborhood patrols during weekend evenings. According to San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne, the Patrol has helped reduce crime in Hillcrest, North Park and University Heights.

During the past year, Lehman and Felkner have also contributed to numerous other causes within the LGBT community, having organized the community's protest against the House of Blues and 4th & B when those venues featured anti-gay singer Buju Banton. Additionally, they continue pressing local and national military leaders to put an end to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and they led the LGBT contingent of gay veterans in this year's San Diego Veteran's Day Parade. The couple is actively involved with Momentum San Diego and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

Felkner was recently nominated by Mayor Jerry Sanders to serve on the city's Human Relations Commission. He also serves on Congressman Bob Filner's LGBT Advisory Board. Lehman serves on District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis' Advisory Board and on Congressman Bob Filner's Veteran's Advisory Board. Both are co-chairmen of the upcoming Nicky Awards and recently celebrated their 14th anniversary as partners.

Stonewall Service Award

San Diego Police Department

Awarded annually to a gay or non-gay organization that has supported the LGBT community over an extended period of time, the San Diego Police Department receives this year's honor for its proactive stand against hate crimes. The department has provided guidance and training sessions to the Stonewall Citizens' Patrol and moved swiftly and successfully to solve the hate crimes that occurred last year outside the Pride festival, with the support of local citizens. Additionally it reintroduced a bike patrol that travels through Mission Hills, Hillcrest and North Park in the afternoon and evening hours.

Chief William M. Lansdowne and department personnel continue to maintain dialogue through the chief's LGBT advisory board for addressing various issues of concern within the community. Additionally, the department has provided training personnel at The Center adept in handling confidentiality issues surrounding domestic violence cases, and it continues sending out officers through its Speakers Bureau to discuss the concerns of small LGBT groups.

Community Service Award

Elaine Graybill

As an event-planner and fundraiser, Graybill organizes opening night parties and raises money for the Diversionary Theatre while serving on the board for the Gay Men's Chorus, of which she helped implement a donor program through its fundraising committee.

A resident of Coronado, she has also raised money for the men and women's softball team sponsored by The Gay & Lesbian Times and became involved this year with the Women's Leadership Circle at The Center, where she has been a volunteer and active with its Marriage Equality projects. Graybill has also volunteered for San Diego LGBT Pride since the early 1990s and remains a supervisor in the festival beer gardens.

Friend of the Year

Mick Rabin

The award is bestowed to those who do not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but rather to an individual or couple who supports the LGBT community over an extended period.

Rabin become involved with Scouting for All after resigning his Eagle Badge from the Boy Scouts of America several years ago in protest of the organization's discrimination practices. A teacher for the San Diego Unified School District, he then became active with the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), of which he serves as treasurer and co-chair of its steering committee. Through GLSEN, he helps plans numerous events in San Diego County that address the subject of sexual diversity at both the grade school and high school levels, while conducting outreach to teachers at local colleges. He is also the editor of GLSEN's newsletter and works to ensure that classrooms are stocked with books and materials pertaining to LGBT topics.

The theme for this year's Pride celebration is: "United for Equality." The festivities include a Spirit of Stonewall celebration at 3:30, July 15 at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park; a mile-long parade down University Avenue in Hillcrest at 11 a.m., July 21; and a two-day festival on July 21-22 featuring multiple performance stages, expanded beer gardens and a host of new attractions.

For more information or volunteer opportunities, visit the Pride web site at www.SanDiegoPride.org, or call 297-7683.

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