For several years, the Desert Museum’s docent corps has been conducting bat interpretations at two bridges along the Rillito River, one located at River & Campbell and the other at Pantano River Park. These interpretations have helped promote bat awareness and conservation. The interpretations have been well received by the community and attendance at the events has grown significantly over the years.

Unfortunately with increased interest and numbers of attendees, the interpretive sessions have exceeded the safety capacity at these sites, thus they have been discontinued.

For those who would like to learn more about bats, members of the community are encouraged to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum during Cool Summer Nights to see live bats and learn about these often misunderstood creatures.

Additionally, on Saturday, August 30, the Desert Museum will host a special evening all about bats — Go Batty for the Museum's Birthday! Festivities embrace everything that infuses the Museum with its unique approach to learning and loving the Sonoran Desert region. “From a complimentary photography class, to "bat talks" from experts, to listening to bats communicate with bat detectors, to bat-themed birthday cakes, this night will be a fabulous fiesta of fun,” states Director of Marketing, Rosemary Prawdzik. All of the special bat activities are free with Museum admission. For more information, go to: desertmuseum.org. 

The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) is participating in the 20th Annual HIV Testing Day, a nationwide campaign urging people to get tested to learn if they are infected with the HIV virus.

Testing will be available at the SAAF main office as well as at other locations throughout Tucson (see listing below). HIV testing is free and confidential. The testing procedure is a HIV rapid test that produces results in 15 minutes. SAAF is partnering with Walgreens, the Tucson Indian Center, and Wingspan in this community-wide call for HIV testing.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States. The CDC recommends that all Americans, ages 13–64, be routinely tested for HIV as part of their regular health care practice. In Pima County, more than 1,000 people are believed to be infected and unaware of it. The only sure way to know if you are HIV-infected is to be tested.

Kris was an amazingly compassionate and dynamic friend, neighbor, and community member. Her loss is truly devastating, but we can't get through it alone. Let's begin the healing together.

Tucson’s favorite bartender, Tiger, was in a fairly serious car accident earlier this week. Broken bones in his neck have resulted in surgery but his doctors say he’s doing well and should be released Monday. However, with a long road of physical therapy ahead, they have no idea when he will return to his beloved Tap Room. There is a get well card at the hotel’s front desk in the lobby and we are asking for all of you - his friends, patrons and bar buddies to come down and sign it to show your love and support for the most fantastic man we know. The card will be available to sign through Sunday until 2pm. So please come down and put your well-wishes to pen for our dear Tiger.

Every day should be Arizona Gives Day.

The good people of Grand Canyon State will have the opportunity to take part in a 24-hour statewide initiative to raise money for non-profit organizations that are in need of your support. The responsibility is becoming greater with the increasing budget cuts and dwindling support from government.

From AZ Gives:

What cause are you passionate about? We’ve united hundreds of nonprofits across Arizona. Select the nonprofit of your choice and donate confidently knowing that your donation goes directly to that nonprofit (not into a general fund). Remember, a better tomorrow begins with a better today. Donate here on Arizona Gives Day and help create immediate and enduring change throughout the state.

There are more than 150 non-profit organizations in Pima County alone. Luckily, Pima County is full of generous donors.

Last year's local participation surpassed the rest of the region on several levels, according to AZ Gives:

• 2,521 donations from donors located in Pima County* (25% of all donations from donors located in Arizona)

• Donors located in Pima County* gave $155,401

• Per capita giving: 16 cents per resident of Pima County (Tucson residents gave at 26 cents per resident of Tucson)

• 135 Pima County nonprofits received donations

• They received $186,924 in total donations (26% of state total) from 2,891 donors

• The average size of a donation made to a Pima County nonprofit was $65

Here are 170 local charities that you can help right now, after the break.

The application deadline for the 12th annual PFLAG scholarships in partnership with the LGBT-Straight Alliance Fund of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is Monday, March 31.

From Tucson PFLAG:

This year again, at least six $1,000 scholarships will be awarded through the PFLAG scholarship application process. These include the following:

Five Joint PFLAG/Alliance Fund $1,000 Gene Moore Memorial Scholarships,
(in memory of PFLAG's past president)
One $1,000 Mark and Art Woodland Memorial Scholarship
(in memory of the son and husband of Elaine Woodland)

For 2014 our scholarship program is again supported in part by funds from the LGBT—Straight Alliance Fund, a fund held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. PFLAG Tucson has been awarded a $2,500 matching grant, allowing us to award five joint $1,000 scholarships in the name Gene Moore, our past president, to LGBT persons from southern Arizona to attend an institution of higher education. We will also award one $1,000 scholarship in the name of Mark and Art Woodland, the son and husband of long-time PFLAG member Elaine. Mark passed away in 2010 and Art in 2011. The application deadline is March 31, 2014.

Scholarship requirements are as follows:
•Must be a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person from southern Arizona, and
•Must be accepted to an institution of higher education for the period for which the scholarship is requested.

A complete application packet shall consist of:
1.The application (personal information page). You may download this here: Word document or pdf document (to save to your hard disk, right-click a link and choose "Save target as");
2. An essay detailing the applicant’s plan for higher education, activities within the community, and why PFLAG Tucson and the Alliance Fund should award a scholarship to them;
3.Two letters of recommendation (one must be from someone other than a family member); and,
4.A copy of the student’s admission acceptance letter (if the applicant is a current student, then a copy of the most recent grade report).

The essay should be typed, double-spaced, no longer than two one-sided pages or one front-to-back page, and detailed enough to describe the applicant and his/her situation to the committee. Any information that is provided will be used only to select the most worthy candidates and will be kept in the strictest confidence. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or call us at (520) 360-3795.

All information must be submitted to the following address in one envelope and postmarked by March 31, 2014:

PFLAG Tucson Scholarship Application
P O Box 36264
Tucson AZ 85740-6264

The applications for the PFLAG Tucson Scholarships are reviewed by the Board of Directors, or by a committee established by the Board. Applications will be judged on an individual basis using only the information provided by the applicant. All applicants will be notified by mail of the committee’s decisions by April 30, 2014.

The board of directors of PFLAG Tucson and their families are excluded from receiving or applying for this scholarship.