2300 CYCLISTS raise $11 million to fight AIDS
4 June 2007
Photos by Bill Wilson
Sentinel Photographer
Copyright © 2007 San Francisco Sentinel
By Allen White
Eleven million dollars or, if you choose, $11,000,000.00.
This is the total raised by participants in AIDS/LifeCycle 6. It is a huge amount of money and one of the largest amounts ever raised from one single event to fight AIDS and HIV infection.
Sunday morning, over 2,300 cyclists and nearly 450 “roadie” volunteers departed the Cow Palace for Los Angeles. Their numbers stretching almost two miles may have been as important as the money they raised.
Lorri L. Jean Chief Executive Officer of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center starting on a 545 mile journey that raised 11 million dollars for the LA Center and the SFAF.
The cyclists, ranging in age from 18 to 78 began gathering in the halls of the Cow Palace before dawn. As each rider arrived and stored their personal luggage, Geneva Avenue looked remarkably similar to the boarding area of a bustling airport.
First riders follow a police escort out of the Cow Palalce parking lot
At opening ceremonies, San Francisco AIDS Foundation Executive Director, Mark Cloutier, was joined by ride organizers to announce the money raised and the number of participants. He emphasized the importance of the money raised to save lives. SF Treasurer Jose Cisneros appeared overcome by the huge number of participants.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty noted $9 million has been cut from AIDS funding by the Federal government. Dufty said Mayor Gavin Newsom would be in Washington this week working with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reverse these cuts. Should they fail, the impact on AIDS services in San Francisco will be substantial.
Speaker Pelosi’s aide Dan Bernal, a true hero.
As the riders began moving down Geneva Avenue and San Jose Avenue they passed through Brotherhood Way and began their first day’s journey. Each rider was given a red headband for the first leg of their journey. The helmet covers will be stitched together to form a red ribbon which will greet the riders when they arrive in Los Angeles in seven days.
Proper headgear required. Style and class count.
At the 52 mile mark they stopped for lunch. The menu was turkey avocado with havarti on a croissant. Vegetarians received a California vegetable on multi-grain bread with pepper jack and havarti. They also received orzo feta salad, an apple, a pear and an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Riders end their first day at Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz. Dinner includes Caesar salad, spaghetti chicken parmesan meatballs, garlic bread and cheesecake.
Maria Trinh and Lenore Shefman were ready to go.
In addition to being a momentous physical challenge for the riders, AIDS/LifeCycle is a major logistical feat. Each day, crews of hundreds of volunteers set up and break down a “city on wheels” of tents, mobile kitchens, bathroom and shower facilities and support gear. These volunteers perform myriad other duties, including posting directional signs, staffing rest sites, serving meals, repairing bikes and providing first aid.
Organizers note they will use 1,024 portable toilets, 1,400 sleeping tents and 18,000 packages of what they describe as “butt balm.” They also have planned for 420 gallons of coffee, 660 gallons of milk, 16,800 gallons of water and 44,600 eggs.
Standing amongst the thousands of cyclists during opening ceremonies at the Cow Palace , money certainly didn’t seem the priority. For seven days, over 2,300 will journey together down the coast of California . As they are together, they each make a personal statement. AIDS/LifeCycle 6 is a magnificent exercise in personal empowerment.
Michael Fantasia, a person living with HIV from San Francisco said, “This is humanity at its very best. I have never felt such pride, not only in myself, but in the other riders, roadies and volunteers.”
Tyrone Strickland, a senior manager at Oracle Corporation noted, “It is important that we find ways to improve life for people living with AIDS and do whatever we can to reduce the hatred and discrimination associated with HIV infection.”
It is estimated that 151,000 Californians are living with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are unaware of their infection. In California , HIV/AIDS has had a particularly severe effect on the gay community, with more than 74 percent of all cases occurring among gay and bisexual men of all races and ethnicities, compared with 58 percent of AIDS cases nationally.
Communities of color, including gay and bisexual men, have been disproportionately affected as well. In 2005, for example, African Americans represented12 percent of the U.S. population, yet they accounted for half of the AIDS diagnoses; Latinos represented14 percent of the U.S. population while accounting for nearly 20 percent of AIDS diagnoses.
Beginning Monday, June 4, additional photos along the route can be found at experience.aidslifecycle.org.
Allen White is a San Francisco writer.
BILL WILSON
Sentinel Photographer
Bill Wilson is a veteran freelance photographer whose work is published by San Francisco and East Bay media. Bill embraced photography at the age of eight. In recent years, his photos capture historic record of the San Francisco LGBT community in the Bay Area Reporter (BAR). Bill has contributed to the Sentinel for the past two years.
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