This past June I had the amazing opportunity to be part of AIDS/LifeCycle 10. The training season for AIDS/LifeCycle 11 officially kicks off Saturday October 22 and I am so excited to be embarking on this journey again. I had some wonderful supporters who helped me raise in excess of $10,000 to help the LA Gay and Lesbian Center with prevention, treatment, and medical services for people at-risk of getting or living with HIV/AIDS. This year, I am shooting high again with a fundraising goal of $11,000. I know this is not an easy task, but I am confident that together we can do this.
This ride has really helped shape my life in so many ways. Probably the biggest thing to come out of this was full acceptance and willingness to discuss openly that I am an HIV+ man. I understand the risks I face in saying it. There is still a lot of fear and misinformation about HIV, which is exactly why I chose to “come-out.” As with anything else that seems foreign, if we know someone who is … gay, black, Muslim, HIV+, insert “other” here … the less afraid of the unknown we become. AIDS/LifeCycle does this for everyone who experiences it, regardless of how it is you do – a rider, a roadie, a volunteer at opening or closing ceremonies, a roadside cheerleader, one of the kids in Bradley, CA who cook us lunch every year, or a monetary supporter.
I am not only a rider but I am also a supporter. Therefore, in asking you for your support, I put my money where my mouth is. I am asking you to consider a donation in support AIDS/LifeCycle. The money we raise is vital, this year in particular. The other night I was at an ALC event, where we learned that the Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic is servicing about 2,500 people each year that otherwise would not be able to receive care otherwise. The good news is that the clinic is able to be there for those people and it is because of this ride. The bad news is that the clinic is pretty much at capacity. The LA Gay & Lesbian Center has decided to expand the facility, which will give the opportunity to add four new exam room, two new doctors, increased lab capacity, and ability to service hundreds more people who need these truly life-saving services.
Please take a moment and think about a contribution. I want you to consider a contribution perhaps higher than you think you could, perhaps $500. You are thinking that there is no way I can do something like that. What if I told you that you could spread that over 10 months for just $50 a month, would that change your mind? That is cheaper than a dinner and movie for two and it is entirely tax-deductible. Even though you would be paying over ten months, the entire amount is deductible this year if you make the donation before December 31. If $50 a month is not in your budget, perhaps $20 a month is. Regardless of the amount you donate, whether it be $10, $10 a month, $50, $50 a month, or $1,000 and everything in between it all helps and does save lives. I know you may not think that $10 or $20 is a lot, but that is one more HIV test the Center can provide free of charge. Think of how important that is to the person who receives that test and finds out he or she is HIV- and can continue to take steps to remain so or to find out he or she is HIV+ and now take steps to keep both themself and others safe and healthy. You visit my secure donation page at http://www.tofighthiv.org/goto/eric.kenney
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the ride, the Center, the Clinic or anything else. You can reach me by email at alc10@erickenney.com or by phone at 714-224-6004. In addition, if you would like to see where the money goes, I can arrange a tour of the Center and Clinic.
I cannot express how grateful I am for all my supporters. Every person that supports me with a donation, cheers me on, and rides alongside me touches my heart and gives me confidence that together we can end AIDS!
Most Sincerely,
Eric Kenney