MILWAUKEE… Walkers and runners from across Wisconsin gathered in Milwaukee today to celebrate raising $402,542 to support HIV prevention, care and treatment programs throughout Wisconsin at today’s 26th AIDS Walk Wisconsin and 5K Run.
“Today marks another successful AIDS Walk Wisconsin. We are grateful to the thousands of walkers who joined us, the corporate partners who continue to support us and everyone who donated,” said ARCW President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Gifford. “The funds raised today will propel us forward in the fight against AIDS in the year ahead.”
In addition to individual walkers and runners, AIDS Walk Wisconsin presented four unique team competitions that challenged groups to raise funds for HIV services.
The winners of the Raising the Bar Challenge is Team DIX, raising $47,408. The Raising the Bar Challenge is a friendly competition among taverns from across the state. Team DIX has won the competition four years running.
The team from Northwestern Mutual won this year’s Cream City Corporate Challenge, with a fundraising total of $6,269. This challenge is presented in partnership with the Cream City Foundation and is designed to help promote AIDS Walk Wisconsin fundraising and participation among various corporate LGBT resource groups.
West Bend High School SAGA raised $573 to win the AIDS Walk Wisconsin High School Challenge. The winner of the Stylists Against AIDS challenge was Get Dolled Up, raising $1,798.
The top individual fundraiser this year is Eric Hamilton from Milwaukee who raised $27,623. Team DIX was also the team that raised the most funds overall.
Winners of the 5k run were Cody Powers (men) and Molly Soulder (women).
Today, it is estimated that more than 8,200 people are living with HIV in Wisconsin, with almost 20% unaware of their status. Recent studies have estimated that as many as six in ten young people living with HIV are unaware of their HIV status.
Over the past 26 years, more than 125,000 registrants have participated in AIDS Walk Wisconsin and raised more than $12 million. One hundred percent of the pledges raised from AIDS Walk Wisconsin have stayed in Wisconsin to benefit people living with HIV in the state.
AIDS Walk Wisconsin is produced by the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW). ARCW is home to the ARCW Medical Center – Wisconsin’s largest and fastest growing HIV health care system. Through its integrated medical, dental and mental health clinics along with its pharmacy and dedicated social services that include food pantries, a legal program, housing support and social work case management, 3,500 HIV patients in Wisconsin gain the health care and social services they need for long-term survival with HIV disease from ARCW.
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