SAN FRANCISCO―The 29th annual AIDS Walk San Francisco will take place on Sunday, July 19, at Golden Gate Park.
The 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) walk is the largest AIDS fundraising event in Northern California. An estimated 20,000 people are expected to participate in the event this weekend which has already surpassed the fundraising and walker registration levels of last year.
The Executive Director of the event’s lead beneficiary, Project Inform, said in a press release that the “funds raised for the Walk will directly benefit thousands of Bay Area residents living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS and bring us ever closer to ending this epidemic.” Last year’s event raised in excess of $2.2 million for Bay Area AIDS service organizations.
Not just individuals participate in the Walk; several hundred corporate and community teams are expected to participate as well. Forty-three HIV/AIDS service providers across the Bay Area will benefit from funds raised during the Walk. Some of the most notable beneficiaries are Project Inform, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, National AIDS Memorial Grove and Project Open Hand. Project Inform and Project Open Hand are also the two top donation raising teams in the event to date.
Team Cannabis, another team walking in Sunday’s event, has its sights set on tackling multiple goals during the Walk. The team, who raised more than $35,000 last year for HIV/AIDS, hopes to also raise awareness for medical cannabis “as a compassionate treatment for suffering patients” with HIV/AIDS.
AIDS Walk San Francisco’s website provides the option for people to donate remotely. Their online donations have already exceeded $1.7 million and that number is still rising. Several notable guests will be attending the events opening ceremony including celebrities, state officials and local news anchors.
The festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. with an aerobic warm-up lead by Oakland based dance troupe Culture Shock. The walk itself begins at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by a post-walk concert at 12:30 p.m.
Individuals and teams who wish to sign-up for the event or donate can visit aidswalk.net.
