It was 1992 when AIDS came into my family’s life. My Uncle Bob was spending his summer at my grandparent’s cottage on Lake Ontario living in a room that faced the lake. As I sat in the middle chair of the living room, he left the cottage for the last time. A couple short days later, surrounded by several family members, he passed away.

My uncle, like so many others, deserves to be remembered and honored. That’s why in the summer of 1993, family and friends joined together for our first AIDS walk. I was 9 year old at the time, and 6 miles in the middle of the summer is no easy feat. Still, there was no stopping us. I remember water breaks and lots of cheering. I thought it was supposed to be a sad event, but all I can remember was the abundance of laughter and smiles. Lots and lots of smiles.

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Fast forward 25 years later. Even though all this time has passed, my family continues to tell stories about my Uncle Bob and raise awareness for this cause. Even now, whenever I hear mention of an AIDS walk, I’m taken back to that first walk I made in 1993. There are initiatives and causes that are important to the two of us, and this is one we’re asking that you take a moment to think about and hopefully, one in which you will participate.

Here are some of our friends who could use your help, as they walk on May 6:

Taylor Griffith (@InTheBuffBlog): Donate here!

Taylor Flynn (@tflynn457) Donate here!

Jessica Trace (@tracingpaper) Donate here!

Details:
Registration is free!
Saturday, May 6th (beginning at 9am) at Hoyt Lake.