The annual
AIDS/LifeCycle bicycling fund-raiser, a 585-mile, weeklong
ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that wrapped up last
weekend, raised more than $8 million for HIV services
at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center and the San
Francisco AIDS Foundation. More than 2,200 people
participated in the event; more than 70,000 made donations
to the beneficiaries.
"In this 25th
year of the fight against AIDS, 2,200 participants took
a week out of their lives to remind the world that AIDS
deserves all our attention," said Mark Cloutier,
executive director of the San Francisco AIDS
Foundation, in a press statement. "There are 150,000
Californians living with HIV, and an expected 2,000 new
infections this year. This money will fund services
for those with HIV and support us in new, innovative
approaches to reduce HIV infections."
The
AIDS/LifeCycle ride set a new record for participation and
money raised, attracting riders from 40 states and
nine countries. The ride culminated with a rally held
in West Los Angeles on June 10, at which Los Angeles
mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke. Several panels from the
AIDS Memorial Quilt were also on display at the
closing ceremony.
For more
information about the fund-raiser, go online to www.aidslifecycle.org.
(The Advocate)