Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
San Francisco Chronicle - Saturday, July 14, 2007
Sabin Russell, Chronicle Staff Writer
Opening ceremonies begin at 9:45 a.m. in Sharon Meadow, and guest speakers include the four actors who play the Four Seasons in the hit musical "Jersey Boys," which has been playing in an extended run at the Curran Theatre.
Thirty-five cast members and crew have so far raised $25,000 for the AIDS Walk, and they'll all be taking the 6-mile stroll through Golden Gate Park before running off for a 2 p.m. matinee performance. The musical troupe is just one of hundreds of teams from businesses large and small, and thousands of individuals, who will be taking a hike for a good cause.
"San Francisco has been very good to us, and this is a way of giving something back,'' said Larry Baker, production stage manager for the show.
The 10-kilometer, 6.2-mile walk winds its way through the park from Sharon Meadow to the golf course near Ocean Beach and then returns to the meadow. Most walkers can complete it in two to three hours.
The AIDS Walk is one of the oldest and most consistent fundraisers, with walkers contributing a total of $55 million since the first event in Golden Gate Park in 1987.
That year, 6,000 participants raised $667,000 for eight local AIDS organizations. This year, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, sponsor of the event, expects to share the proceeds with 42 nonprofit organizations providing HIV/AIDS services throughout the Bay Area.
This year, the program organizers will also provide booths for free HIV testing and counseling. They will be offering an oral HIV antibody test that produces results in 20 minutes. It is part of a campaign to stress the importance of knowing your HIV status -- whether you are infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation also sponsors the AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile, weeklong bicycle trek down the California coast to Los Angeles, which last month raised a record $11 million.
Online resources
More AIDS Walk information is available at:
links.sfgate.com/ZKW
E-mail Sabin Russell at srussell@sfchronicle.com.
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