19th Annual AIDS LifeWalk and LifeBark to benefit HIV/AIDS prevention and services in Dallas
Approx. 10,000 people expected to participate in one of North Texas’ top fundraisers for local AIDS services
What: 19th Annual AIDS LifeWalk
Approximately 10,000 corporations, civic, religious and neighborhood groups and individuals are expected to participate in this year’s 5K Fun Run/Walk. Following the walk, a festival in Lee Park will take place featuring live music, concessions with food, beer and wine, vendors, information booths, and a ‘kids area’ complete with a bounce house, balloon clown, face painters and dunking booths. The LifeWalk raffle drawing will conclude the event.
LifeBark is back by popular demand this year. We encourage our canine friends to join the cause and walk with their owners. Registration for pets is $10 and all registered pets will receive a LifeBark bandana. Veterinarians will be on-site.
This year our goal is to raise $400,000. To date LifeWalk has raised and distributed more than $8 million for AIDS services throughout the Dallas community. LifeWalk is a program of AIDS Arms, Inc., the largest AIDS service organization in North Texas.
When: Sunday, October 11, 2009. Registration starts at noon; Walk at 1 p.m.; Festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m.; The Turtle Creek Chorale and The Women’s Chorus of Dallas will perform at 2 p.m.
Where: Lee Park, 3400 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, TX 75219 (Turtle Creek Blvd. @ Lemmon Ave.)
Details: AIDS Arms serves about 2,700 clients each month. 30% of AIDS Arms clients are women. 72% are ethnic minority (55% Black; 16% Hispanic; 1% Other). 45% are gay. Increasingly new cases are being seen in the 13-24 year old age group.
Funds raised will also benefit other AIDS service groups: AIDS Arms, Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund, Legal Hospice of Texas, ASD, Legacy, Resource Center of Dallas, Turtle Creek Chorale and The Women’s Chorus of Dallas.
In Dallas, there are approximately 20,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and more than 1,000 new infections are discovered each year.
Dallas has one of the fastest growing infection rates among young people in the United States, and leads the state of Texas in new HIV infections.
More than one million people in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS, with approximately 56,000 new infections each year.
Website: www.lifewalk.org
###
AIDS Arms representatives will be on hand to provide interviews.
A number of local and statewide elected officials will also attend the event.
Media Contact: Nina Koch
nina@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191
