Greensboro Hosts 2009 Winter Walk for AIDS

Despite 40 degree temperatures and calm winds, weather conditions did not seem to dampen the spirits of those who wanted to come out in support of the Winter Walk for AIDS. Approximately 2,500 people showed up for the Triad Health Project's (THP) 18th-annual Winter Walk for AIDS this Sunday at the War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro. The walk was sponsored by the Greensboro Parks and Recreation, YES! Weekly, CVS/Pharmacy, and THP. Addison Ore, executive director of THP for six years, stated that it was the biggest crowd she had ever seen.

From Bennett College to N.C. A&T and UNCG, students and the community showed up for this cause. As the opening ceremony started, the stadium was full of harmonious fellowship as THP marked World AIDS Day. The opening ceremony included the voices of the UNCG Spartones, and the walk was kicked off by the drum beats of Cakalak Thunder.

The Winter Walk was a 3-mile trek designed to raise funds and awareness to fight HIV/AIDS in the Piedmont. Ore stated that approximately "130 teams registered before the walk began, [and] others have just shown up to support." Those teams were made up of companies, schools, families, organizations, and community groups such as UNCG's Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, NAACP, Black Child Development Institute of Greensboro AmeriCorps, and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, just to name a few, that filled the streets of the Aycock Neighborhood, Fisher Park, and downtown Greensboro.

HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that attacks your immune system and hides in other cells in the body, and eventually can lead to AIDS. AIDS is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is the final stage of the HIV infection. Worldwide, there are 33.4 million people who are battling HIV, while in 2008, there were a total of 2 million deaths related to HIV. This year's World AIDS Day theme was the reality of HIV today. The red ribbon is an awareness symbol for the fight against AIDS, and everyone who participated in the walk was given a sticker with a red ribbon on it, along with balloons and signs.

Kristin Buchner, a UNCG graduate student and AmeriCorps member, said, "I thought the walk was great, and I was surprised to see so many people, but it shows that the community cares. I loved that, even now in our present fast paced society, we can still take time out to join together for a great cause."

Other dates that you can look for in your efforts to support the awareness of HIV/AIDS are: February 7, 2010, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; March 10, 2010, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; March 20, 2010, National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; May 18, 2010 HIV Vaccine Awareness Day; and May 19, 2010, National Asian &Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Ore wanted the public to know that even though the walk has passed, the Triad Health Project is open to and always accepting donations. HIV/AIDS is a continuous battle for those who are affected by it, and these funds help support the efforts of THP. To donate to THP and to find more information, visit http://www.triadhealthproject.com/.