Buffalo Rising Online

Apr 25th, 11:21am By Eli George

According to statehealthfacts.org, New York has a high percentage of AIDS cases. Out of the nearly million people living with the virus reported in 2006, New York represents 18% of the total. Out of the number of new AIDS cases reported in 2006, New York represented 14% of all new cases. Those are some scary numbers. That is the reason AIDS Community Services of WNY hold their annual AIDS Walk to raise awareness and to raise money to support the important services they provide.

This year is the 16th annual AIDS Walk and AIDS Community Services hopes to raise $75,000 this year. The walk typically gets around 500 walkers and volunteers out to Delaware Park. According to Brian Klemp, Development Coordinator for AIDS Community Services, “We’re always looking to grow [the number of participants], but as of late it’s been around 500.”

Last year represented a low amount of money raised for the organization. Going on the opinions of the walkers, volunteers, and people within the organization, the walk was moved to the Amherst Pepsi Center in an attempt to provide ample parking, a closed off environment, and safety for those in the suburbs who feel downtown Buffalo is dangerous. Though they still had a good number of participants, it was much less than other years and in the hopes of resurrecting past participation numbers, AIDS Community Services decided to move the event back to Delaware Park.

This year registration begins at 10am. You need to bring your registration form and pledges at that time. Promptly at 11am, the walk kicks off with the traditional flower launch at Hoyt Lake. After the walk ends, there will be a free lunch provided for the walkers and volunteers who made it out. Below is a picture of what a flower launch looks like from a previous AIDS Walk:

The walk will go down Lincoln Parkway, then down Chapedel Place to Delaware Avenue. The walkers will cut down West Ferry Street to Elmwood Avenue, and then head down Bidwell Parkway to go back up Lincoln Parkway and return to Delaware Park. The route is a scenic one and the walk happens rain or shine. As an added bonus to the event, local WKBW-TV Personality John Borsa will be at the AIDS Walk this year as the 2008 Honorary AIDS Walk Chairperson.

This year there is some good prizes to go along with the amount of money a person raises. If you raise $50, you get an Official 2008 AIDS Walk Buffalo t-shirt. $100 gets the shirt and a New Era AIDS Walk baseball cap. $250 receives a $25 Cheesecake Factory gift card, the cap, and the t-shirt and $500 receives the t-shirt, cap, and a $50 gift card to the Gap. The grand prize comes from JetBlue in the form of two roundtrip airline tickets good for travel throughout the continental United States. To keep how the prizes are awarded fair, on the day of the event, any money donated is appreciated, but after 11am, it no longer counts towards your goal.

Since many people walk for a reason (e.g. friends or family with AIDS, to raise awareness, etc.), AIDS Community Services provides a good way to show that support. Klemp says, “You’d be given a sticker…and you can put that on the back of your shirt.” The stickers typically say something like “Walking in memory of” or “Walking in tribute of” and allow the walkers to have another way to show the meaning behind their participation.

The walk does not take place until May 31st, but this post gives people interested in taking part plenty of time to register and raise money. You can register online at aidscommunityservices.com or by calling 847-0340. There is no entry free and the only catch is that walkers over the age of 13 must raise a minimum of $25 to participate in the walk.