30,000 WALKERS RAISE MILLIONS AT 25th ANNUAL AIDS WALK LOS ANGELES
California Desk
October 20, 2009
Los Angeles, Calif. – The 25th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles (AWLA) commemorated a quarter-century of activism with massive attendance and strong fundraising results for this year´s event, which was held Sunday in West Hollywood Park.
"Thirty thousand participants, and their tens of thousands of sponsors, demonstrated today as they did 25 years ago, that through good times and bad, the AIDS Walk is still a steadfast source of fundraising and awareness in its decades-long campaign to make AIDS history," said Craig R. Miller, founder and producer of the event. "Today, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to everyone who walked, and to all who sponsored them, for raising $3,146,206 for the life-saving work of AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). Once again, this powerful community has demonstrated its determination to keep moving forward in the fight against HIV."
Since its inception, AWLA has raised more than $66 million for APLA and dozens of other Los Angeles County HIV/AIDS service organizations.
"A crippling $85 million cut to California´s HIV/AIDS budget means that the generosity of our closest friends is as important as it has ever been," said Craig E. Thompson, Executive Director of AIDS Project Los Angeles. "The city that held the first AIDS Walk now faces an unprecedented challenge in delivering vital care and prevention programs to those who need them most. Government has failed us, but the people who took to the streets today have not."
Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks co-founder, APLA board member, and AWLA sponsor, spoke on behalf of APLA.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land spoke about the current HIV/AIDScrisis in Los Angeles and about the importance of the community´s response. In addition, Jeffrey Crowley, President Obama´s Director of the office of National AIDS Policy, spoke about the national AIDS strategy.
Celebrities and notable figures at today´s events included "Desperate Housewives´" Felicity Huffman, Kathryn Joosten, Charlie Carver, and Maiara Walsh; "Weeds´" Mary-Louise Parker; "Battlestar Gallactica´s" Trica Helfer and Katee Sackhoff; "General Hospital´s" Julie Marie Berman, Sonya Eddy, Fiola Hughes, Kent King, Kimberly McCullough, Minae Noji, and Jason Thompson; "Girls Next Door´s" Crystal Harris, Kristina and Karissa Shannon; Aaron Carter ("Dancing with the Stars"); Candis Cayne ("Dirty Sexy Money"); Wilson Cruz ("He´s Just Not That Into You"); Maria Da Silva ("CNN Hero" Award Recipient); Lashinda Demus (Olympian Hurdler and 2009 USA Outdoor Champion); La Toya Jackson; Ricki Lake ("Charm School with Ricki Lake"); Pauley Perrette ("NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigation Service"); Ashley Roberts ("Pussycat Dolls"); Daniela Ruah ("NCIS: Los Angeles");Darryl Stephens ("Noah´s Arc"); Boo Boo Stewart ("The Twilight Saga: Eclipse"). Also, Zelda Rubinstein ("Poltergeist") and George Takei ("Star Trek"), who both attended the first AIDS Walk, were present at today´s milestone event.
Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young ("Jersey Boys") closed the Opening Ceremony with his performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein´s "You´ll Never Walk Alone."
A Post-Walk Reception commemorating 25 years of AIDS Walk was attended by the event´s strongest partners and was held just steps from the finish line at Wolfgang Puck´s at the Pacific Design Center. Hosted by Teri Hatcher ("Desperate Housewives"), guests enjoyed refreshments and an art installation with historical AIDS Walk photographs and memorabilia as top supporters were recognized for their contribution to the AIDS Walk´s success.
Post-Walk Reception attendees included San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Land, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Hatcher, Mr. Stephens, and other celebrities, along with APLA leaders and AIDS Walk Founder and Producer, Craig Miller.
The corporate community continued to show its strong support for the event through team fundraising and corporate sponsorship. This year´s Presenting Sponsor was The Hilton Family of Hotels. Grand Sponsors included Anthem Blue Cross of California, The David Geffen Foundation, Latham & Watkins LLP, KNBC/Telemundo, Paramount Pictures, and Paul Hastings LLP. Principal Sponsors were Macy´s, Marilyn & Jeffrey Katzenberg, Nordstrom, and the Pacific Design Center.
"Thirty thousand participants, and their tens of thousands of sponsors, demonstrated today as they did 25 years ago, that through good times and bad, the AIDS Walk is still a steadfast source of fundraising and awareness in its decades-long campaign to make AIDS history," said Craig R. Miller, founder and producer of the event. "Today, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to everyone who walked, and to all who sponsored them, for raising $3,146,206 for the life-saving work of AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). Once again, this powerful community has demonstrated its determination to keep moving forward in the fight against HIV."
Since its inception, AWLA has raised more than $66 million for APLA and dozens of other Los Angeles County HIV/AIDS service organizations.
"A crippling $85 million cut to California´s HIV/AIDS budget means that the generosity of our closest friends is as important as it has ever been," said Craig E. Thompson, Executive Director of AIDS Project Los Angeles. "The city that held the first AIDS Walk now faces an unprecedented challenge in delivering vital care and prevention programs to those who need them most. Government has failed us, but the people who took to the streets today have not."
Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks co-founder, APLA board member, and AWLA sponsor, spoke on behalf of APLA.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land spoke about the current HIV/AIDScrisis in Los Angeles and about the importance of the community´s response. In addition, Jeffrey Crowley, President Obama´s Director of the office of National AIDS Policy, spoke about the national AIDS strategy.
Celebrities and notable figures at today´s events included "Desperate Housewives´" Felicity Huffman, Kathryn Joosten, Charlie Carver, and Maiara Walsh; "Weeds´" Mary-Louise Parker; "Battlestar Gallactica´s" Trica Helfer and Katee Sackhoff; "General Hospital´s" Julie Marie Berman, Sonya Eddy, Fiola Hughes, Kent King, Kimberly McCullough, Minae Noji, and Jason Thompson; "Girls Next Door´s" Crystal Harris, Kristina and Karissa Shannon; Aaron Carter ("Dancing with the Stars"); Candis Cayne ("Dirty Sexy Money"); Wilson Cruz ("He´s Just Not That Into You"); Maria Da Silva ("CNN Hero" Award Recipient); Lashinda Demus (Olympian Hurdler and 2009 USA Outdoor Champion); La Toya Jackson; Ricki Lake ("Charm School with Ricki Lake"); Pauley Perrette ("NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigation Service"); Ashley Roberts ("Pussycat Dolls"); Daniela Ruah ("NCIS: Los Angeles");Darryl Stephens ("Noah´s Arc"); Boo Boo Stewart ("The Twilight Saga: Eclipse"). Also, Zelda Rubinstein ("Poltergeist") and George Takei ("Star Trek"), who both attended the first AIDS Walk, were present at today´s milestone event.
Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young ("Jersey Boys") closed the Opening Ceremony with his performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein´s "You´ll Never Walk Alone."
A Post-Walk Reception commemorating 25 years of AIDS Walk was attended by the event´s strongest partners and was held just steps from the finish line at Wolfgang Puck´s at the Pacific Design Center. Hosted by Teri Hatcher ("Desperate Housewives"), guests enjoyed refreshments and an art installation with historical AIDS Walk photographs and memorabilia as top supporters were recognized for their contribution to the AIDS Walk´s success.
Post-Walk Reception attendees included San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Land, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Hatcher, Mr. Stephens, and other celebrities, along with APLA leaders and AIDS Walk Founder and Producer, Craig Miller.
The corporate community continued to show its strong support for the event through team fundraising and corporate sponsorship. This year´s Presenting Sponsor was The Hilton Family of Hotels. Grand Sponsors included Anthem Blue Cross of California, The David Geffen Foundation, Latham & Watkins LLP, KNBC/Telemundo, Paramount Pictures, and Paul Hastings LLP. Principal Sponsors were Macy´s, Marilyn & Jeffrey Katzenberg, Nordstrom, and the Pacific Design Center.
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