AEGiS-LT: 40,000 reasons to walk: 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles to raise funds to help people in county living with HIV. Los Angeles TimesImportant note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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40,000 reasons to walk: 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles to raise funds to help people in county living with HIV.

Los Angeles Times - Friday, October 13, 2000
Jeff Adler

HOLLYWOOD--In 1992, about 18,000 people marched through the streets, raising more than $3 million for AIDS Walk Los Angeles. Seven years later, their numbers increased to 28,000, but by day's end the final tally was only $2.6 million.

Stuck in a nationwide trend that has seen an increase in the number of participants but a dip in the amount of money raised, the organizers of AIDS Walk Los Angeles remain unfazed. As the 16th annual event approaches Sunday, they are, in fact, more committed than ever.

"There was a moment in time when people heard the good news about medications and thought that it was all over," said Lisa Wolter, event manager for AIDS Walk Los Angeles. "Of course . . . no one's been cured of HIV, so we need to keep doing this."

AIDS is a progressive weakening of the immune system that makes a person vulnerable to life-threatening infections. It is caused by infection with HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus.

"This generation hasn't seen their friends whither and die," said Nicole Russo-Okamoto, a spokeswoman for AIDS Project Los Angeles. "They haven't lived through the worst of the tragic years of AIDS, so it's not so in your face anymore."

But for some of the more than 1,400 volunteers for AIDS Walk Los Angeles, every day reminds them of the loved ones they lost and why they must continue to fight on in their absence.

"My friends say how can you do it, and I say how can I not?" said Elaine Abraham, 72, who lost her son, Jeff, to AIDS in 1995. "I want to put an end to this."

With the opening ceremonies scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, the Westside Weekly takes a look at the 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles by the numbers:

* 1: the number of radio deejays in attendance (Ryan Seacrest).

* 3: the number of movie stars on hand to motivate (Gillian Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Connie Stevens).

* 6: the percentage of all AIDS cases in the nation found in Los Angeles County

* 10: the number of kilometers participants must walk through Hollywood and West Hollywood.

* 80: the number of cents per dollar donated to AIDS Walk Los Angeles that will support services for people living with HIV and AIDS.

* 278: the number of AIDS-related deaths reported between January and July in Los Angeles County.

* 2,000: the number of "jeweled" crowns for walkers who raise $1,000 or more.

* 16,000: the approximate number of people living with AIDS in Los Angeles County.

* 28,000: the number of participants expected to actually show up and walk.

* 39,734: the number of registered participants.

* 40,000: the approximate number of people living with HIV in Los Angeles County.

* 49,000: the combined number of donated ice cream sandwiches, ice cream pops, and Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream cups available.

* 57,600: the number of individual bottles of Fiji water that will be available for walkers.

IF YOU GO

* What: 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, a 10K fund-raising walkathon

* When: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

* Where: Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood

* Schedule: 8:30 a.m., sign-in begins and turn in pledges; 9 a.m., entertainment and warmup; 9:30 a.m., opening ceremony; 10 a.m. walk begins; noon, food and entertainment

* Information: (323) 466-9255 or http://www.aidswalk.net/aidswalkla/index.html .


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