LifeWalk teams near record-breaking totals
Last year LifeWalk participants raised $592,628 for AIDS Arms and other North Texas AIDS service organizations.
This year, on the 25th anniversary of the event, LifeWalk participants want to exceed that goal. So far, teams and individuals have raised $465,814.84, but they still have time left to top last year’s total.
At least one team also wants to break the all-time LifeWalk team fundraising record for a single year of $86,359, set by Guys and Dolls in 2013.
Because fundraisers have until Friday, Oct. 23 to turn in funds, both goals may just get reached.
Seven teams and three individuals have raised $10,000 or more so far. Four of those teams — Team Clover, Guys and Dolls, Green Team and Team Metro — have raised more than $20,000 each.
Surpassing last year’s half-million dollar haul isn’t an impossible feat. Consider the dollars brought by two of the top teams, Guys and Dolls and Green Team. Since 1997, Guys & Dolls has raised $835,000 total. The Green Team has raked in $260,000 in 24 years.
Another team, Team Metro, has raised more than $100,000 in its eight years. Team Metro is a LifeWalk Partner, with funds benefitting the Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund.
The fundraising doesn’t end the day of the walk.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, LifeWalk hosts One Night in Bangkok at the Brick. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, LifeWalk hosts its Celebration Party, where one lucky fundraiser will be rewarded for his or her efforts.
For every thousand dollars they contribute to the total, individuals get their name in a drawing to win a week-long vacation to Maui, courtesy of the Brick.
Terry Bax with the three-year old Team Clover is one of the teams most determined to beat Guys & Dolls’ 2013 haul. They are nearly there.
After factoring in sponsorships, Bax’s three-year old Team Clover has raised $86,018 this year.
This year he wants to raise $100,000, he told the Voice in an April interview.
Every dollar counts when it comes to providing services for people with HIV.
“Twenty-five years of dedicated fundraising and walking by an amazing and supportive community has resulted in crucial medical care and other social services for those HIV-positive in need. Your efforts have made the difference between someone living or dying,” said Tori Hobbs, chief development officer of AIDS Arms.
“If people hadn’t stood up and raised awareness for this long, we’d still have people dying in the streets. Every dollar makes a difference, and no gift is too small,” she said.
The 25th Annual AIDS Arms LifeWalk and festival begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 at Robert E. Lee Park 3333 Turtle Creek Blvd. Registration begins at 11 a.m.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 2, 2015.