Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life set for Sunday.
Torontonians took part in the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life last year. The walk scheduled for this Sunday.
Staff file photo/NICK PERRY
The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) has long provided support services for those living with HIV/AIDS and much-needed education and outreach to those at risk.
On Sunday, Sept. 25, the community will give back to the organization as thousands of walkers take to the streets for the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life Toronto.
The annual event will bring participants through a course along downtown Toronto streets, with a community festival-style event both before and after the walk.
For participants such as Randy Filby, the walk is a chance to offer thanks to the downtown Toronto-based ACT for the support he has received there and a way to give back to the organization.
Diagnosed with HIV in the early 1980s, Filby has benefited from a long-term survivors support group.
"It was a chance to learn the experiences, share joys and hear about medical complications people have had while living with HIV," he said. "It was a really good service for me and I know (ACT) does a lot of other great work and has a lot of really good people there."
Filby started fundraising early on, starting by asking for pledges when he did the CN Tower Edge Walk. He raised nearly $6,000 for that initiative alone and has since started up an AIDS Walk team dubbed Conquer Fear, Conquer HIV that aims to bring in $10,000 through this weekend's walk.
Fellow participant and AIDS Walk co-chair Hamal Docter will be taking part in the walk for the fifth time. He has been doing advocacy work for HIV/AIDS-related education and organizations for 16 years, long before he himself was diagnosed nine years ago.
"It was a real shock to me," he said of his diagnosis. "I felt a great deal of guilt coming from a generation that was supposed to know better."
He said funds raised by the AIDS Walk will help far more than those living with HIV/AIDS.
While ACT does a great deal of support work for those already diagnosed, much of its work is on the education side of things. ACT aims to dispel myths about HIV/AIDS by teaching people - young people in particular - there is no cure and reminding them of the importance of safe sex practices.
"For every friend I have that has tested positive, there are so many who continue to test negative, thanks in part to the work of ACT," he said.
As ACT's largest fundraiser, AIDS Walk funding will go toward a variety of initiatives, though Docter said the organization has not determined exactly which programs and initiatives will benefit most.
"It goes wherever funding's needed," he said.
Docter added the City of Toronto budget cuts necessitate leaving things open, citing the possibility of a cut to preventative health funding as an example.
"We leave it general so it can go toward prevention, health promotion, education or ensuring there are facilitators there for support groups," he said.
AIDS Walk for Life Toronto Chair Jim Stone said this year's event aims to raise at least $500,000 for ACT, an increase of roughly $80,000 over last year's total.
He said the AIDS Walk offers both joyful moments and an opportunity for reflection at the AIDS Memorial in Cawthra Square.
"It's mostly a walk of celebration," he said. "Where have we come from, where are we going and how do we work together to get there."
The event will begin with registration and pre-walk activities starting at 11 a.m. at the corner of Church and Carlton streets, with opening ceremonies taking place at 1:30 p.m.
At 2 p.m. the walkers will start their five-kilometre trek down Church street, west along Queen Street, north up Yonge Street, east along Charles Street, south down Jarvis Street, through Cawthra Square and back down Church to Wood Street.
An after-party will take place in the parking lot at Wood and Church streets with prizes, live entertainment by DJ Sumation and Jully Black and more.
For more information on the event, visit www.aidswalkforlifetoronto.ca