HIV & AIDS fl flflfl Who Cares About HIV and AIDS‘? Vermont CARES! BY DAWN M. CROWE ave you ever experi- enced losing someone H you love? Have you ever experienced discrimination be- ' cause of your sex, skin color, eth- nicity or sexual orientation? Have you ever wished someone was there to support you during these times? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you know why hundreds of peo- -ple gathered at the steps of Bur- ‘ lington City Hall on September 30 to panicipate in the Annual Vermont CARES (Committee for AIDS Resources, Education & Services) AHDS Walk. Vermont CARES is a local organization whose mission is to “improve the quality of life,‘ cre- ate compassionate communities, . and prevent the spread of HIV by working with people affected by HIV/AIDS as a catalyst for social and individual change,” says the organization’s Web site. Many of those who came out to the AIDS Walk were there because HIV/AIDS has touched ; their lives in some way. Val and Cilla have taken part in the walk for the last five years. Cilla carried a sign that read, ‘‘I love someone who has AIDS,” and Val shared how important Vermont CARES is in helping those who are infected with the virus. They both candidly talked about the continual need for funding and the support that Vermont CARES provides to a diverse community in Bur- lington and beyond. Despite their smiles as they walked and talked, one could sense the burden in their hearts that goes out to those affected in one way or another by HIV and AIDS. The money raised during the annual AIDS Walk helps Vermont CARES offer a variety of services at no cost to those ' who participate in the program. Some of the accomplishments Over the last year include help- 143 people living with HIV by providing over $16,000 in direct financial assistance to get clients to medical appointments, thera- pists, or help to access medi- cation. Vermont CARES also provided more than $48,000 in food vouchers, fuel assistance, rent offset, and utility bill aid. Miss Lucy Be1le,LeMay, this year’s top individual fund- -'O’ vcrdrr“ ml:>c_la_ P‘ PHOTO: bA'w_N M..cRow raiser, has been involved’ with the AIDS Walk for the last five years, she said. She is one of the many who has been greatly impacted by the AIDS virus, as she has lost many friends since the 805 because of the virus. With the help of LeMay and the many others participating in the walk, more than $8,000 was raised during this event.- Peter Jacobson, executive director of Vermont CARES, said this money will help to provide several new services; including a new rapid testing program that provides results in twenty min- utes, and a new anti-stigma cam- paign_ that will help educate peo- ple about AIDS, in the hopes of reducing the negative attitudes surrounding HIV and AIDS. Many people still only associ- ate HIV and AIDS with gay men I and drug users. Fortunately, peo- ple are beginning to understand that this disease is not discrimi- natory. Particularly encouraging was the large turnout of students from the University of Vermont, as dorms and othercampus or- ganizations joined in the cause. Several fraternities and sorori- ties ‘made significant contribu- tions to the event and helped to create an extremely successful fundraiser. Students helped to bring attention to those walking by. carrying signs, someof which read, “Think Positive. Stay Negative” and “Silence = Death. Action = Life.” One student walking with the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity from UVIVI made a powerful statement with his sign that said, “I am the face of HIV.” AIDS Walks are the national philanthropy of the Omicron Lamda Pi sorority, which was attended by several members - of the UVM chapter. Accord- ing to (Harriet Williams, the National President of Omicron Lamda Pi, the group usually goes to New York. City to walk, but because they had such a large group here in Burling- ton, they decided to pool their resources and support the 10- cal Vermont CARES agency. , In doing so, they raised more than $560 as an organization. While the walk was a suc— . cess, it is important to remem- ber that Vermont CARES serves people across the entire state of Vermont on a budget of only about $694,000 a year. As the agency provides flee HIV test- ing, free education, free medical and job assistance, along with a variety other highly needed resources, this amount is not nearly enough. If you didn’t have the opportunity to par- ticipate in the AIDS Walk, it’s not too late to help. To make a donation of time or money, please call Vermont CARES at (802) 863-2437, toll-free at (800) 649-2437 or visit their Web . site at www.vtcares.org.V Dawn M. Crowe is a student at UVM. She moverj from New Hampshire several years ago to be closer to her ' partner and now considers Vermont to be'her home. NOVEMBER 2006 I out in the mountains I In-2. I Woman-Stirred Radio @ Premier GLBTQ Radio Show Thursdays, 4-6pm Hosted by Merry Gangemi Music & Interviews with GLBTQ writers, poets, musicians and artists WGDR 91. 1 FM Goddard College Stream it live at www.wgdr.org