AIDS Walk South Dallas sees growth in 4th year; AOC hopes Tarrant County’s 22nd annual walk will replace other lost funding
MADE FOR WALKING | Participants in last year’s AIDS Walk South Dallas, also hosted by St. Philip’s School, walked down Pennsylvania Avenue toward Fair Park. (David Taffet/ Dallas Voice)
With the closure of Lone Star Ride and $160,000 in cuts from Ryan White funding this year, AIDS Outreach Center Executive Director Shannon Hilgart is counting on a strong community showing for the 22nd annual Tarrant County AIDS Walk.
The same day, AIDS Walk South Dallas, which named AIDS Interfaith Network as its sole beneficiary this year, expects to see healthy growth in its fourth year.
Both walks take place March 22.
Promotions before and after the event ensured the success of the Dallas walk. Sponsor Walgreens collected $8,000 at several stores, including those in Oak Lawn by asking customers for a $1 donation at the register. Not satisfied with that total, the company is holding a charity basketball game for employees later in the month. Proceeds will benefit the walk.
In February, The Original Cupcakery held a champagne jazz event to introduce its official South Dallas AIDS Walk cupcake that will be available through March 22.
“We’re still looking for sponsors and vendors, and you can never have enough walkers,” walk organizer Auntjuan Wiley said. “But we’re maxed out on volunteers.”
A caterer signed on this week to provide the walkers with food.
St. Philip’s School and Community Center at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. hosts the walk. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the walk steps off at 10 a.m. So far more than 140 walkers have signed up. Wiley expects a record turnout for the event because more than half the walkers usually don’t register until the day of the walk. Online registration is available at AIDSWalkSouthDallas.com for a $25 fee. Dallas County Health Director Zach Thompson will present the walk with a resolution on behalf of the county.
In Tarrant County, walkers will gather at Trinity Park Pavilion.
“Since the first acknowledgement of the pandemic of AIDS and subsequent advancement in medication which increases life-expectancy as well as quality of life, the attention to this disease has faded,” Hilgart said. “Many people have no idea that this chronic disease has not been cured.”
Because of the funding cuts to its dental and medical case management programs, as well as the loss of Lone Star Ride, Hilgart said success of the walk is critical this year.
To increase participation, Hilgart said they’ve used more mailings, flyers and store window posters to encourage group participation, especially church groups and corporations. They added a number of committee members who were able to get more community participation.
So far, about 180 walkers have registered, and Hilgart expects that number to double on the day of the event. The prize for the top individual fundraising walker is two tickets on American Airlines.
Radio personality Ana de Hara is master of ceremonies.
Online registration is available at AOC.org under the events tab. Adults are $30, students and nonprofit employees are $20 and pets $10. Onsite registration begins at 8 a.m. Runners take off at 9:30 a.m. and walkers at 9:45 a.m.
Trinity Park Pavilion is at 2300 W. 7th St., Fort Worth.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 14, 2014.