AEGiS-BAYW: 21st annual AIDS Walk this Sunday: Annual fundraiser comes at critical time for AIDS Action

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

21st annual AIDS Walk this Sunday: Annual fundraiser comes at critical time for AIDS Action

Bay Windows - June 1, 2006

The 21st annual AIDS Walk, which takes place June 4, comes at a critical time for its sponsor, the AIDS Action Committee. While AIDS Action funds much of its client services and prevention work through a combination of public and private funds, its advocacy work is funded entirely through private dollars, and right now AIDS Action is engaged in a political fight that could prove to be one of the greatest public policy victories in the local fight against the AIDS epidemic in years. The state Senate is poised to vote on a pharmacy access bill that would allow syringes to be sold in pharmacies without a prescription, a change that advocates say would drive down HIV infections among IV drug users and that has been proven effective in other states. Sen. Minority Leader Brian Lees (R-East Longmeadow) has used procedural maneuvering to delay a vote on the bill, but AIDS Action Executive Director Rebecca Haag told Bay Windows that Sen. President Robert Travaglini (D-East Boston) has promised a vote on the measure, and she expects that vote could come as early as June 1. She said the private funding that AIDS Action receives through events like the AIDS Walk allows them to push for legislation like the pharmacy access bill.

"Our biggest objective is passage of the pharmacy access bill, and that's taken a lot of resources and time," said Haag. She said AIDS Action has also been directing its advocacy efforts at the national level to push for the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act, which supplies much of the federal funding for HIV/AIDS work.

In its 21 years the AIDS Walk, and its accompanying 5K run, has become one of the cornerstones of AIDS Action's fundraising, and last year the event raised $1.1 million, exceeding the $1 million raised in 2004. Over its 21-year history the event has brought in more than $30 million dollars for the agency.

"The walk is our largest individual private fundraising endeavor every year, and it supports all aspects of AIDS Action," said Haag.

Beyond advocacy, the walk helps fund all of AIDS Action's programs and services that are not covered by federal, state and local grants. It provides funding for the agency's various prevention programs, from outreach work in schools to programming through the MALE Center, which does prevention work to gay and bi men. The walk also helps fill critical gaps in funding for client services.

This year's walk honors the work of AIDS Action's first executive director, Larry Kessler, who retired from the agency this year after 23 years on the frontlines of the epidemic. Kessler, who helped launch the walk 21 years ago and whose presence has been a fixture at the walk each year, will be participating this year as a walker rather than an organizer, and he'll be joined by Larry's Team, his own walk team that members of the public are invited to join. Already the team has passed its own fundraising goal of $15,000, bringing in just over $16,000 worth of pledges.

Haag also said Kessler will be honored on stage at the event. The event will also feature entertainment and a health fair with booths providing information about health and nutrition. While the walk and run are only a few days away, Haag said it is not too late to get involved, whether as a participant or as a volunteer working to make sure that the event goes smoothly. "It's never too late to sign up. You can go to our website at www.aac.org. You can register, you can sign up to be a volunteer, and you can also show up and just walk and bring whatever money you were able to collect and turn it in there," said Haag.

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For more information about the AIDS Walk visit www.aac.org or call the walk hotline at 617.424.WALK (9225).

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