San Diego LGBT Pride Accepting 2008 Pride Award Nominations

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride is accepting nominations from the community for its annual Spirit of Stonewall awards, which honors individuals and organizations that have made significant, positive impacts on San Diego's LGBT community. The awards will be presented at a reception at the W Hotel downtown on July 14 as part of this year's Pride celebration, scheduled for July 18-20.

"Those submitting nominations are encouraged to consider volunteers, employees, donors or organizations that support the LGBT community through their tireless work or actions," said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego Pride. "During this Pride season, we are striving to recognize those unsung heroes who may not necessarily be well-known, but who have touched the lives of many."

The Pride organization has presented 175 awards over the last seventeen years. Each year the community is asked to participate in the awards process by submitting nominations. This year in addition to a hard copy form, nominations will be accepted online at www.SanDiegoPride.org by clicking on "Stonewall Nominations" from the home page.

The award categories are:

• Champion(s) of Pride - An individual or couple who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the LGBT community over an extended period of years, or who have made an exceptional contribution over the past year.
• Friend(s) of the Year -- An individual or couple who does not identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but who has stalwartly supported the LGBT community over an extended period of years or the past year.
• Stonewall Service Award - A group or organization, which may or may not identify as specifically LGBT, but which has greatly supported the community over an extended period of years and/or has made an exceptional contribution in the past year.
• Community Service - An individual (or couple) recognized as an "up-and-coming" leader within the community, or whose contributions to the community over the past year carried significant impact.

Nomination forms are available on the Pride web site (www.SanDiegoPride.org) and at the Pride office, located at 1807 Robinson St., Suite 106, San Diego, 92103. The deadline for turning in nominations is February 11. For more information, call (619) 297-7683.

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