20th Annual AIDSWALK Tucson Invites Walkers to Share ‘Why I Walk’

You may have walked in AIDSWALK in the distant past, when the pandemic was new, and friends and family were losing their lives with alarming frequency. You may have walked more recently because AIDS affected someone close to you and it was fresh in your mind. You may be tempted to think that the threat is over and that your participation in AIDSWALK is no longer needed or is no longer important. But in reality, more than ever, on this 20th Anniversary of AIDSWALK Tucson, your presence is needed. Your energy is needed. Your support is needed. On October 19, AIDSWALK Tucson will take place on The University of Arizona® campus with a 10K Run beginning at 7:00 AM and a 5K Walk kicking off at 8:30 a.m., sponsored by Desert Diamond Casino and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.

This year walkers will have a special opportunity to tell their story about why they walk. SAAF, working with Access Tucson, invites all participants to record on video how HIV/AIDS has touched them, beginning an oral video history project. This project seeks to capture personal stories of how individuals have been affected by HIV/AIDS, and provides a way to remember those who have passed, and celebrate and support those living with HIV/AIDS.

People living with and affected by HIV/AIDS continue to need help with services including food and housing support, medications assistance, dental treatment, support groups and case management. Your participation in events such as AIDSWALK helps to support those programs and services in the community, as well as supporting culturally targeted prevention efforts to at-risk groups. With the weak economy, resources continue to be stretched further and further. Your help is critical to people living with HIV and AIDS or others affected by HIV or AIDS. Please register for AIDSWALK today by going to aidswalktucson.com, or by calling (520) 791-WALK (9255) and requesting an AIDSWALK Registration form. If you can’t make the walk, consider going online and supporting a walker with a donation. It’s everybody’s walk!