Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Washington Blade - September 25, 2009
Chris Johnson
"It validates to me -- and then it helps me to validate to American society -- that he was a vibrant, young man and was alive and well at one time, and he left a mark, not only in me, his blood sister, but ... other people's lives," she said.
Goldman of Annapolis, Md., said participating in the walk also would help "raise the level of awareness that the HIV virus is still alive and well" and raise funds for the Whitman-Walker Clinic, which is organizing the walk.
As of Wednesday, Goldman said she had raised about $4,300. She has a personal goal of raising $5,000 before Saturday's walk begins.
Goldman is among the approximately 10,000 people expected to participate in the AIDS Walk to highlight the HIV/AIDS epidemic and help raise money for testing and treatment services at the Whitman-Walker Clinic.
Participants in the 5K walk, which begins and ends at Freedom Plaza in D.C., can walk the distance or run in a footrace to show support.
David Mallory, Whitman-Walker's deputy director of community relations, said the AIDS Walk brings greater awareness to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. According to walk organizers, one in 20 D.C. residents has HIV.
"It's about the community coming together to recommit themselves to the fight against HIV and AIDS -- to keep HIV and AIDS at the forefront of people's minds," he said.
The walk also is the clinic's biggest fundraiser of the year, Mallory said, and accounts for about 5 percent of its total operating funds.
"Of course, with this economy, we're seeing more clients, especially clients who may be unemployed or underinsured or uninsured," he said. "The walk provides the revenue that we need to continue to provide the quality, compassionate services that we do."
Mallory said proceeds from the event go to the clinic's HIV/AIDS services, including testing, mental health services and dental care for HIV-positive people.
The AIDS Walk had raised $610,000 as of Wednesday, Mallory said, and the Clinic has a goal of reaching $1 million by Saturday.
Eric Schena, a gay D.C. resident, said he would participate in the AIDS Walk because he first met people with HIV/AIDS after moving to D.C. in 2006.
"I actually had never known anybody with HIV or AIDS until I moved here about three years ago, and so I was taken by surprise by a few people, and it just inspired me to do it," he said.
Schena, 26, said most people that he knows who are living with HIV/AIDS are "relatively young" and between the ages of 22 and 30.
"People being that young, around my age, just made it a lot more real in my eyes," he said. "You heard about it and it's not until you really see it that you realize it exists."
As of Wednesday, Schena said he'd raised about $1,000 for the walk. He planned to continue raising money until the event begins.
Sutton Snook, another gay D.C. resident, said he's participating because his partner, Joseph Pasquarello, died in 2006 of AIDS complications.
"Up until he passed away, I was never active and never really raised money for AIDS or anything like that," Snook said. "I figure if I can raise $1,000 to $1,500 a year -- that's enough to provide a least some health care to at least one person, and maybe that person will live throughout that year."
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