Support Needed for HIV AIDS Walk
Saturday, September 14, 2013 @ 7:18 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The Prince George AIDS Walk for Life is being held today at Masich Place Stadium as our community joins 39 others across Canada in raising funds to provide programs and services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
The local fundraising goal this year is $20 thousand, but for some reason the donations have been very slow to trickle in. Sandra Sasaki, who is the Education Manager and AIDS Walk Co-ordinator at Positive Living North, is at a loss as to why that is the case. “I honestly don’t know. I know Prince George is a very generous city and I know that in the past sometimes the money has come in last minute, and I’m hoping that this year we’re just being a last-minute town. But some of the big sponsors that we’ve had in the past were not able to contribute and they didn’t give reasons why, they just chose not to.”
There have been numerous walks, runs, cycling and other fundraising events in the city this year, perhaps more than any other year. They seem to be increasing in numbers as government funding drops and communities are left to raise money for a multitude of very worthwhile causes. Asked whether that might be part of the reason for a lack of donations, Sasaki says “That could be the reason why and maybe you just answered your own question. Now that the advertising is starting to come out and our media release, I am getting a bit more response. Not necessarily money but we’re definitely having more tables and booths wanting to set up.”
However, she says another issue may be at play. “People don’t talk about HIV, about sex, people don’t want to talk about the fact it’s a sexually-transmitted or IV drug use-transmitted, the two primary ways of getting it. People don’t want to talk about that, so unfortunately HIV sometimes gets put on the bottom or not even on the list because there are lots of good causes out there and it’s hard to allocate your money. You may have a family member who is HIV-positive but who may have not spoken to you. It’s not like you have cancer or diabetes or anything else where you come home and you ask for your family’s support. Several members that I have talked to have not told their families or friends, so it’s hard for them to relate if they don’t know their family member is positive.”
Sasaki fully believes a lack of education affects public support for this fundraiser. “Absolutely I do, and people need to be reminded that people that have chosen either street life or drug use, you know other than mainstream lifestyles, have a story behind that. It’s not like somebody wakes up in the morning and says I want to be homeless today, or I want to be an IV drug user today. People need to remember there are hearts and feelings, stories and circumstances behind those faces and that’s the piece that we tend to forget. They are brothers, sisters, they’re aunties, mothers and fathers, just like everyone else. We all are part of a community and we need to remember that they are part of the community of Prince George, too.”
Sasaki says anyone wanting to donate money can do so. A tax receipt is provided for a minimum $20 donation. Donations can be made at www.positivelivingnorth.org for those so choosing. However she says even if you can’t donate, “please come down and show your support because that means just as much to our members who are living with HIV.” And she notes “everyone is at risk for HIV. If you have ever had unprotected sex, you are at risk for HIV. We tend to forget that.”
Registration for today’s walk at Masich Place Stadium goes at 11:30 this morning with the walk beginning at noon.
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