Bay Area Reporter - November 24, 2005
Alexandra L. Woodruff

National AIDS Memorial Grove

"Embracing Life" is the theme of the 2005 National AIDS Memorial Grove 12th annual service for World AIDS Day. The event is free and open to the public.

AIDS activist Sean Strub is the program's keynote speaker. Strub founded Poz magazine in 1994, a groundbreaking publication that's designed for those living with AIDS as well as HIV/AIDS advocates and activists.

The grove has invited students from San Francisco's Community Day School to read aloud the names of the 80 people who were recently inscribed in the Circle of Friends. A tape recording of the 800 people listed in the circle will play at low volume throughout the memorial.

The names ceremony is new to the memorial this year, said Gina Gatta, secretary of the board of the National AIDS Memorial Grove.

"It's a great opportunity to memorialize friends or also, if you're alive, to be part of it," said Gatta.

Cindy "Gert" McMullin, who has long been involved with the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, will receive the eighth annual Grove Award for HIV/AIDS Community Service.

McMullin has helped sew more than 50,000 panels of the quilt that memorializes people who have died of AIDS.

"This town owes her a lot for taking care of this quilt because it did come from here," said Gatta.

McMullin said she has been nominated for this award in the past and was surprised she was chosen this time around.

"I've won some other awards and they didn't mean quite as much to me as this one does," said McMullin, who serves as the production manager for the quilt and continues to help people with the technical aspects of creating a panel. McMullin moved to Atlanta when the quilt was relocated there several years ago.

She will be returning to San Francisco and bringing about 30 panels to display at the December 1 event.

"It's where my heart is and it's really special that I get to go there," she said of her visit to San Francisco.

Soloist Vincent Mason, a Glide Memorial United Methodist Church chorus member, will also perform along with the School of the Arts Chorus.

The event will be held at the grove, the only federally designated AIDS memorial in the United States.

The program runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The grove is located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at the intersection of Bowling Green Drive and Middle Drive East.

For more information: (415) 750-8340 or www.aidsmemorial.org.

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UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco AIDS Research Institute will host two different events on World AIDS day.

The institute will present speakers during the day to talk about the latest advances in medicine for HIV and AIDS. The tentative program includes speakers discussing a vaccine, prevention strategies, and policy research. The keynote speaker, Dr. Helene Gayle, will present "Global HIV Prevention û Challenges and Opportunities." Gayle is the director of the HIV, TB and Reproductive Health program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is a former official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The symposium is free and takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. in the UCSF Sciences Building, Cole Hall, 513 Parnassus Street.

The institute also will present a concert, "An Evening of Remembrance and Hope," that will feature a performance by jazz musician Spencer Day. He will perform with about 50 members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

"It's a solemn concert for an evening of remembrance for those who have AIDS and hope to find a vaccine and cure for AIDS," said Kathleen Lorenzo, an administrative assistant at the AIDS Research Institute.

After the concert, guests can enjoy an art exhibit, "Rattlesnake in a Moving Car: Life With HIV," by artist Rob Anderson.

"It's just a nice time to pause once and sort of reflect on the impact that AIDS has had on us," said Randy Shields, development director of the AIDS Research Institute.

Ticket prices for the concert are $25-$100, with proceeds benefiting the institute. The event takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at UCSF Mission Bay Community Center, 1675 Owens Street (off 16th between 3rd and 7th Streets).

For more information about either UCSF event call Kathleen Lorenzo at (415) 597-4650 or visit www.ari.ucsf.edu.

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'Simply Red'

The National AIDS Fund and Kimpton Hotels are seeing red this World AIDS Day. Twelve hotels across the United States are hosting "Red Ribbon Campaign" parties to raise money for the fund.

The two organizations have partnered for three years, but this is the first time they will coordinate this fundraising event.

"We just thought it would have more impact and raise the awareness that much more," said Vanessa Bortnick, director of public relations at the Kimpton Hotels.

Shirley Temples (with alcohol), pomegranate martinis, and red wine will be served with red-themed food from the Ozumo restaurant. Rare tuna, salmon, and Kobe beef are on the menu. Guests can buy red scented candles and a CD compilation for a suggested donation to the fund.

The National AIDS Fund is a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit that works to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a major health and social problem. It also provides grants to AIDS service organizations across the country.

The event takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Harbor Court Hotel, 165 Steuart Street, San Francisco. Admission is free. For more information: www.aidsfund.org or www.kimptonhotels.com; click on the red ribbon.

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Commonwealth Club

The San Francisco-based Commonwealth Club's LGBT member-led forum will hold a discussion on the latest developments in HIV research for World AIDS Day. Representatives from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles, and Metropolitan Community Church-San Francisco, will discuss the treatment, detection, education, and available services for those living with HIV/AIDS.

The evening begins with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by the program at 5:30. The event takes place at the Commonwealth Club's office, 595 Market Street, second floor. Cost is $8 for members, $15 for non-members. For tickets and more information, visit www.commonwealthclub.org, and click on the member-led forum link at the bottom of the homepage.

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Marin County

A portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at San Rafael High School beginning at noon. County residents and churches are invited to ring bells at noon for one minute as part of a worldwide coordinated effort. A special candlelight vigil and presentation will be held on the campus at 6:30 p.m. and the public is invited.

The day's events are being coordinated by the Marin AIDS Project and the Marin County Health and Human Services HIV testing program. San Rafael High School is located at 185 Mission Avenue. For more information, call the Marin AIDS Project at (415) 457-2487.

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