Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bay Area Reporter - July 6, 2001
David Fraser
Participants will gather on Sunday, July 15 at Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park for a 10K walk (that's 6.2 miles for the metrically challenged) to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and 38 other AIDS service organizations in the Bay Area.
The walk proceeds, rain or shine. Sign-in begins at 8:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies set for 9:15.
Registration can be done online at www.aidswalk.net or by calling (415) 392-WALK (that's 392-9255). You can also just show up.
Confirmed celebrity participants include openly gay Billy Brochtrup, who plays the gay receptionist on the police drama NYPD Blue.
Singer and actor Wilson Cruz, who was "hugely entertaining last year," will return as well, according to Gustavo Suárez, communications director at SFAF.
Organizers are encouraging people to sign up, reminding them that after 20 years of the epidemic, "we need to fight even harder to end the suffering caused by HIV/AIDS."
Publicity for the event includes a number of poignant messages that hammer home its importance: "The virus inside me never takes a day off; neither can I", and "Since my twin brother died, I walk for us both."
The AIDS Walk is produced by MZA Inc. with organizational assistance by SFAF; beneficiaries are selected by the Horizons Foundation. These include a broad range of groups such as the Larkin Street Youth Center which helps homeless youth; the Huckleberry Youth Program for teens; Maitri, which provides residential care to PWAs; the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center; and Lyon-Martin Women's Health Services, to name just a few.
"Last year we had 25,000 participants and raised $3.8 million," said Suárez.
That was down from 27,000 the previous year, but the weather a year ago was "crummy," Suárez added.
"Right now registration is about the same as last year, so we're hoping for more people and hope to at least match the money raised," Suárez said.
People can self-register even on the day of the walk by showing up at the stage and pledging any amount they can commit to, even $25, said Suárez.
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