Four Individuals Affected by HIV/AIDS Selected as Community Spokespeople for Chicago's Run & Walk for AIDS Campaign

Chicago, IL, August 6, 2001-Organizers of Chicago's Run & Walk for AIDS will unveil event plans and a unique advertising campaign featuring four local residents affected by AIDS at a kick-off party on Wednesday, August 8, 2001, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hotel Monaco, 225 N. Wabash, Chicago.

Chicago's Run & Walk for AIDS will be held on Sunday, September 23, 2001, in Chicago's lakefront. The proceeds will benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC).

As event spokespeople, the individuals will share their experiences with HIV/AIDS with the community to create awareness of the importance of the Run & Walk. The campaign, themed "The Real Faces of AIDS," personalizes the impact of AIDS in Chicago. It is a bold step in making the disease a reality for everyone.

The four locals, Rae Lewis-Thornton, Edward Negron, Anthony King and Sanford Gaylord, will be featured in all advertising and marketing materials including posters and billboards for the Run & Walk.

"We all know the red ribbon symbolizes AIDS, but placing a face to AIDS makes it real for everyone. This truly personifies the reality of it all," said Mark Ishaug, executive director of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. "Each individual represents how prevalent the disease is in our local communities."

Rae Lewis-Thornton is a nationally recognized motivational speaker who has full-blown AIDS. She has been featured on magazine covers, television documentaries, and news specials discussing the need for HIV prevention and education. Edward Negron is a gay rights activist and HIV/AIDS advocate who has been actively involved in prevention education outreach for Chicago's teens. He stresses the importance of targeting youth not only with messages about safe sex, but also the dangers of substance abuse. Anthony King has been HIV-positive since 1996, and uses the knowledge he's gained from his 18-year career as a registered nurse to lobby the state legislature and advise regional and county planning groups on HIV/AIDS-related issues. Sanford Gaylord has taken his passion for acting and writing and turned it into a way to educate youth on HIV/AIDS prevention. He is a founding member of the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender performance ensemble A Real Read and is also featured in the photo documentary The Faces of AIDS, produced by the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Chicago's Run & Walk for AIDS is owned and organized by the management firm of Chicago Special Event Management (CSEM). The event's proceeds will be used to fund a variety of HIV/AIDS projects and services through AFC's long-established grant making program. Established in 1985, AFC is the largest source of philanthropic support for AIDS programs in the Midwest. It has provided nearly $11 million to support AIDS care, prevention, education and advocacy projects throughout the Chicago area.

The event's honorary chairperson is Mayor Richard M. Daley who is joined by honorary committee members: Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County; Merri Dee, WGN-Television; State Representative Sara Feigenholtz; State Senator Debbie Halvorson; Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan; Congressman Henry Hyde; Congressman Mark Kirk; State Representative Lou Lang; Linda MacLennan, CBS-2; Mike Martino, NorthStar Medical Center; State Senator Christine Radogno; Robin Robinson, WFLD-TV; Allison Rosati, NBC-5; State Representative Jeff Schoenberg; Rev. Ed Townley, Unity in Chicago; Tracy Townsend, CBS-2; and State Representative Arthur L. Turner.

For more information on the Run & Walk, go online at http://www.chicagoevents.com/ or call Chicago Special Events Management at 773-868-3010. For information on HIV/AIDS and the organizations AFC supports, visit www.aidschicago.org or call the AIDS Foundation of Chicago at 312-922-2322.

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