Friday, April 27, 2007

Sponsor me in the AIDS Marathon!

Last year, you all helped me raise $2,740 in donations when I ran the Chicago Marathon on behalf of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. We went a full $1,300 over my goal, which I found to be both heartwarming and humbling.

This year I’m hoping to hit $3,000. So we have some work ahead of us.

For me, running the AIDS Marathon last year meant the opportunity to train all summer with a fabulous, delightful, altogether selfless group of people; to cross the start line injury-free for the first time in my short marathon-running career; and to share in your generosity as we raised money to combat a disease that is decimating the world population. Which is why I’m doing it all over again.

Which gives you yet another opportunity to sponsor me and generate much-needed (tax-deductible!) funds for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

And for the AIDS Foundation, it means more opportunities to provide direct medical care, food, housing and other vital services for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Despite recent advances in the treatment of AIDS, the epidemic is far from over. More than one million Americans—and 40 million more around the world—are now living with HIV. It’s no longer the gay disease once gleefully dismissed by the religious right; it’s now the LEADING cause of death among adults age 15-59 worldwide—gay or straight, black or white, male or female. The LEADING cause. That’s a lot of people who are not only sick, but potentially homeless, jobless, ostracized, trying to raise children or otherwise in desperate need of what the AIDS Foundation provides.

Our first training run starts tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. And instead of getting up to run with us, it’s way easier for you to whip out your credit card, click this big red link and join me on my fourth marathon adventure from the comfort of your home or office:
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Thank you for your generosity!

(It can take up to five business days for your donations to be acknowledged on my pledge page. But the AIDS Foundation of Chicago has been extremely prompt at mailing acknowledgement letters for tax deductions. Please don’t let this weird little technical problem stop you from donating. You can give any amount you want.)

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