Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life Vancouver 2014

Oct 08, 2014

The masses gathered at Sunset Beach on the morning of September 21st to participate in this year’s Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life.

The Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CAAN) was present with a table of resources and treats and also entered a team that joined in on the 6.75 kilometre walk. As part of our Workplan, CAAN began prep for this event in early August. Reaching out to sponsors, designing team t-shirts and promoting the event through our various social media platforms were just some of the ways we got involved with the cause.

It was important for us to take this task on and show that while overall HIV diagnoses are down, there is still no cure. Many people throughout British Columbia cannot afford to maintain the healthy lifestyle that goes along with being HIV positive, and that is why collecting donations is so important. With every $105.00 donated, three people will receive the support they need to maintain a healthy status – which covers basic necessities like access to filtered water and proper vitamins.

With the help of the George family, whom CAAN has a great working relationship with over the years, and other community members from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation located in North Vancouver, our organization contributed over $2,000.00 to the walk’s total of $200,000.00. This amount qualified us for the Diamond donor status and we were thrilled with the amount we were able to raise. Our information booth at the walk also allowed us to enjoy the beautiful 25 degree weather and network with other organizations and taste some of the best food trucks the city has to offer.

The entertainment at the beach park also made for an enjoyable day, boasting performances from local drag talent, Symone Says and Conni Smudge, and a finale provided by Trinity K Bonet of RuPaul’s Drag Race season six. Trinity was very outspoken about her HIV positive status during her time on the show and her Beyoncé tribute was another great way to bring an element of fun to the cause. Thank you again to the Tsleil-Waututh Band members for their involvement, to all our generous donors who contributed financially, and to Positive Living BC for hosting such a wonderful event.

We are looking forward to next year’s AIDS Walk for Life and hope we can surpass our total once again.

NT4