{"id":247717,"date":"2014-09-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-09-12T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/on-the-move-after-25-years\/"},"modified":"2014-09-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-09-12T07:00:00","slug":"on-the-move-after-25-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/on-the-move-after-25-years\/","title":{"rendered":"On the move after 25 years"},"content":{"rendered":"

AIDS Walk celebrates a milestone and moves to Hillcrest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeremy Ogul | Contributing Editor<\/p>\n

With a new date, a new route, a new 5K \u201cfun run\u201d and a new Friday night vigil, this year\u2019s AIDS Walk San Diego could be the biggest yet.<\/p>\n

More than 8,000 walkers, runners, volunteers and supporters turned out for last year\u2019s event in Balboa Park, raising nearly $400,000 for 18 San Diego-area HIV\/AIDS service organizations, according to event director Ian Johnson.<\/p>\n

\"AIDS<\/a>
AIDS Walk 2013 was the last to take place in Balboa Park. This year\u2019s fundraiser begins and ends at the Hillcrest Pride Flag. (Courtesy San Diego LGBT Center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year, on Sept. 27, the routes begin and end on Normal Street in Hillcrest. Both the 5K and 10K travel along University Avenue, Park Boulevard, El Prado, over the Cabrillo Bridge and up Sixth Avenue back to University.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re hoping to get a lot more community support by moving it up into Hillcrest and having it on a Saturday instead of Sunday,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cHopefully it will bring out our neighbors that will want to get involved and see what\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

While a certified 10K race and 5K walk have long been part of the event, organizers this year added a new casual 5K fun run with a \u201cHeroes and Villains\u201d theme. Costumes are encouraged, and strollers, walkers, in-line skates, skateboards and scooters are welcome.<\/p>\n

Also new this year is a Friday night candlelight vigil to commemorate friends and family lost to AIDS. The vigil will be held on Normal Street at University Avenue under the Pride Flag and monument at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n

The money generated by AIDS Walk is a vital revenue source for non-profit organizations such as Christie\u2019s Place, which provides support to more than 1,200 women, children and families impacted by HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt helps to literally keep our lights on and our doors open here at Christie\u2019s Place,\u201d said Liz Brosnan, the organization\u2019s executive director. \u201cAIDS Walk is really sort of woven into the fabric of who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shannon Hansen, Christie\u2019s Place program manager and leader of the Christie\u2019s Place AIDS Walk team, said the fundraising aspect of the event is just one part of what makes it important.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for people who are affected by HIV\/AIDS to see that San Diego cares about them and that people want to help them,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cI think that\u2019s a really powerful message.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The 25th annual AIDS Walk is expected to draw thousands to the streets of Hillcrest.
(Courtesy San Diego LGBT Center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other beneficiaries last year were Being Alive, Community HousingWorks, Family Health Centers, Fraternity House, Mama\u2019s Kitchen, North County Health Services, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, Operation Samahan, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, San Diego Youth Services, San Ysidro Health Center, Stepping Stone, Strength for the Journey, the arcHIVe Project, Townspeople, UC San Diego and the Vista Community Clinic.<\/p>\n

No other one-day event raises more money for HIV\/AIDS organizations in San Diego County, but it\u2019s not just about the money. As treatments and prognoses have improved, the sense of urgency over HIV\/AIDS has faded. It\u2019s important for people to remember that the problem has not disappeared, Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Approximately 15,368 people have been diagnosed with AIDS in San Diego County since 1981, according to public health data as of June 30. About half of those \u2014 7,515 people \u2014 are alive now. Another 5,466 in the county are living with HIV that has not progressed to AIDS.<\/p>\n

In 2010, health officials estimated that an additional 3,171 individuals in the county were HIV-positive and unaware of their status.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have come a long way, but don\u2019t be fooled. People are still passing away,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Though AIDS Walk celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, its history goes back further to the mid-1980s, when a group of activists \u2014 including Susan Jester, Nicole Murray Ramirez, David Coppini, Ken Martin and Chris Shaw \u2014 began organizing the first walk. From 1986 through 1988, the event was known as \u201cWalk for Life,\u201d because the word AIDS was too highly charged. In 1989, it became AIDS Walk.<\/p>\n

The event is supported by a number of sponsors, including the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, which provided a $25,000 sponsorship. Sempra Energy and the Gay & Lesbian Fund for San Diego each provided a $10,000 sponsorship. The following sponsors provided $5,000: AHF Pharmacy, CareFusion, Flagship Cruises, Geico, Jimbo\u2019s, Revivals, Rich\u2019s, Verizon and Wet personal lubricant.<\/p>\n

After the races on Sept. 27, several Hillcrest restaurants \u2014 including Harvey Milk\u2019s American Diner, Martinis Above Fourth, Uptown Tavern and East Coast Pizza \u2014 will donate at least 25 percent of their proceeds to the event.<\/p>\n

Registration is still open for individuals and teams, and organizers are still looking for volunteers. For more information, visit aidswalksd.org<\/a> or contact Ian Johnson at aidswalk@thecentersd.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mark your calendar for these upcoming community events organized to raise money for AIDS Walk San Diego.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fierce Fling | Sunday, Sept. 14<\/strong>
\n2 p.m.
\nClaire de Lune\u2019s Sunset Temple
\n3911 Kansas St., North Park<\/p>\n

Olive Onemore and Tiffany Tanqueray host \u201cFierce Fling,\u201d an annual AIDS Walk fundraiser featuring outlandish drag performances, men in swimsuits and other special guests. A $10 donation is suggested, and don\u2019t forget to tip your drag queen.<\/p>\n

HRC SD Social | Tuesday, Sept. 16<\/strong>
\n7 to 9 p.m.
\nHarvey Milk\u2019s American Diner
\n535 University Ave., Hillcrest<\/p>\n

HRC San Diego\u2019s monthly networking social will double as a fundraiser kickoff for AIDS Walk. Those who donate at this event will be entered for a chance to win fun and fantastic prizes.<\/p>\n

YPC Feud | Saturday, Sept. 20<\/strong>
\n2 p.m.
\nPel\u00edculas
\n1017 University Ave., Hillcrest<\/p>\n

Survey says: the Young Professionals Council will host their own Family Feud-style game show event \u2014 YPC Feud \u2014 to raise money for AIDS Walk. Entry is free, the bar will offer drink specials and participants can enter an opportunity drawing.<\/p>\n

Zumbathon | Saturday, Sept. 20<\/strong>
\n10 to 11:30 a.m.
\nSouthwest High School
\n1685 Hollister St., Nestor<\/p>\n

Zumbathon madness is back for a second year, and organizers encourage participants to wear their favorite Disney outfit and dance the morning away. Tickets are available for $15 ($10 for Lulu Fitness members). All proceeds will be donated to AIDS Walk.<\/p>\n

Zumba | Saturday, Sept. 20<\/strong>
\n1 to 3 p.m.
\nParty Fitness Studio
\n4659 Mission Gorge Pl., Grant Hill<\/p>\n

The Family Health Centers team will host a high-energy fitness fundraiser featuring U-Jam and Zumba workouts. A $10 donation is suggested.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AIDS Walk celebrates a milestone and moves to Hillcrest Jeremy Ogul | Contributing Editor With a new date, a new route, a new 5K \u201cfun run\u201d and a new Friday night vigil, this year\u2019s AIDS Walk San Diego could be the biggest yet.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":247718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"On the move after 25 years","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,11551,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-247717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-news","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=247717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/247718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=247717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=247717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=247717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}