Marathoners Raise Funds for Metro AIDS Services

Chicago - More than 500 participants of the National AIDS Marathon Training Program crossed the finish line of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 12, celebrating their athletic accomplishment and their achievement in netting more than $525,000 for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago's grantmaking program.

"I am so proud of the amazing support we received from the National AIDS Marathon Training participants," said AIDS Foundation of Chicago Executive Director Mark Ishaug. "Thanks to their commitment, we will be able to provide desperately needed funding to organizations serving thousands of Chicago residents affected by the epidemic."

More than 600 participants fulfilled their fundraising goals, and completed a six-month run/walk training program that culminated in last weekend's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and the upcoming Dublin Marathon, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland on October 27.

Matt Towey of Chicago House and Social Service Agency was one of the more than 32,000 marathoners to receive a medal at the end of the 26.2-mile journey. "My experience with the program and the people in my training group was amazing. As someone who works for an AIDS organization, it was incredibly fulfilling to see so many people who had never donated to an AIDS agency become involved and passionate about the cause."

Billie Poe, a housing advocate with the South Side Help Center also completed the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. "I'm still wearing my marathon medal," she said. "It reminds me of the commitment I made to finish the race and to the people living with HIV. I service clients who depend on the money we raised for housing support, so I understand firsthand why this event is so important."

This year marks the National AIDS Marathon Training Program's debut in Chicago. The program, which was developed by Walk-the-Talk productions in 1998, also features training sites in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $35 million for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

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Established in 1985 to provide central leadership in the fight against the epidemic, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) promotes sound HIV/AIDS public policy, funds HIV/AIDS prevention and care projects, and through its Service Providers Council, helps to coordinate the delivery of essential HIV/AIDS services.