Rushing to help kids
San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and his fiance Elizabeth Patterson will collect donations for the children’s charity ARTS (A Reason To Survive).
Through Dec. 20, new, unwrapped toys, art supplies and monetary donations can be dropped off at Elizabeth’s Closet, 1261 Prospect St. Gates and Patterson will match all contributions, and will also offer customers a 15-percent discount on any purchases made at the time of a donation.
Elizabeth’s Closet is a high-fashion clothing store that specializes in stylish threads for big men like Gates, who scored a TD against Denver last Sunday.

UCSD professor will lead clinical trials
Dr. Constance Benson, M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), was recently tapped by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) to help lead the institute’s newly reconstructed HIV/AIDS clinical trial networks.
Benson will lead the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) for the NIAID and focus on searching for safe and effective treatments and prevention strategies, including new HIV medications and HIV vaccines.
Benson has earned an international reputation as an accomplished HIV/AIDS researcher.
Her work includes more than 20 years studying HIV and AIDS, as well as being active in the ACTG since 1987. She came to UCSD in 2004, where she leads the UCSD Medical Center’s Antiviral Research Center.
The NIAID is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and supports the world’s largest portfolio of clinical HIV/AIDS research.
For more information, see www.ucsd.edu.

Sea Lodge makes transition, changes name
After 36 years, the Sea Lodge Hotel in La Jolla, positioned on 2 acres of beachfront property in the La Jolla Shores community, has begun to undergo some improvements to make the resort more inviting to both locals and tourists.
Along with structural, architectural and landscaping upgrades, the hotel will officially change its name to La Jolla Shores Hotel as of Jan. 1, 2007.
“They just felt that La Jolla Shores designated the property and gives it a much fresher feel,” said Elizabeth Ranta, marketing director for La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club (LJBTC) Inc., which owns and operates the resort. “It defines our location ” basically, the location on the ocean and in the La Jolla Shores community. We are so involved in that community, as well.”
LJBTC owns several shorefront properties, including the Sea Lodge/La Jolla Shores Hotel and the famed Marine Room restaurant.
The hotel’s onsite restaurant, The Shores, was renovated earlier this year and a new menu has been put in place. Future projects will include exterior building improvements, interior décor and guest room enhancements.
A name change also serves as a way for the hotel to be more consumer friendly, said John Campbell, La Jolla Shores general manager.
“We aren’t necessarily trying to increase sales ” we are just trying to make the consumer more aware of our product,” Campbell said. “We want our name to reflect what we offer.”
The Sea Lodge/La Jolla Shores Hotel is located at 8110 Camino del Oro and can be reached by calling (858) 459-8271.
For more information, visit www.ljshoreshotel.com.