23rd AIDS Walk Boston Draws Five-Year Record-Setting 20,000+ Participants, Doubles Runners to 600 and Raises $1.2 Million

AIDS Action President and CEO Rebecca Haag Salutes Bette Byrnes, who lost son in 1994, volunteered for AIDS Action and raised more than $250,000 so far

BOSTON, June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today's 23rd AIDS Walk Boston attracted more than 20,000 participants -- the most in five years, exceeding the number of expected walkers and doubling the number of runners over last year, with 600 runners in The Larry Kessler 5K Run -- making AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts (AAC) confident that proceeds will total $1.2 million for the agency's largest annual fundraiser.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080601/CLSU019 )

"People still have time to make donations, either online or by mailing a check," said Rebecca Haag, President and CEO, AAC

"It's not over in the U.S., in Massachusetts or in Boston," she added. "We have added around 1,000 new HIV infections in Massachusetts since the last Walk."

"By walking today, you have left your footprint, and you will have been a part of that," she told Walkers about her wish for people to talk to their friends about how to prevent new HIV infections to stop the spread of the epidemic.

On the most beautiful sunny day so far in 2008, the crowd's spirits were as raised as Rev. Irene Monroe's inspiring invocation, which launched the Walk from the Hatch Shell to close the opening ceremonies. David Brown, WCVB-TV 5's Co-Anchor of the top-rated EyeOpener newscast, served as MC and then was a runner in the record-breaking Larry Kessler 5K Run.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino lauded the prevention, services and policy work of AIDS Action. He reminded Walk participants that their efforts must be re-doubled to help keep AAC and Massachusetts national leaders. "We need to raise money to make a safer world for our younger people, and we must stay focused, now more than ever. so that someday we can have the celebration I dream of right here, on the day that there is an end to this epidemic," said Menino.

Haag made special recognition of Bette Burns, who she called "a truly exceptional individual" and characterized her as personifying inspirational qualities, namely, "loyalty, commitment to family and community, and faithful remembrance." Byrnes began walking in 1991 with her son John, who had just been diagnosed with AIDS. In 1994, John died, and his mother Bette, who returns annually to Boston for the AIDS Walk, has raised more than $250,000 in John's honor and memory.

Macy's Foundation as Presenting Sponsor of AIDS Walk Boston 2008, had the largest Walk team and its 250-member team was larger than Macy's New York AIDS Walk team. Monster is the Walk's Principal Sponsor, stepping up its support level over that of 2007. Additional sponsors of AIDS Walk Boston include EMD Serono, MBTA, Whole Foods Market, Partners HealthCare, TJX Companies, WCVB-TV 5, The Boston Phoenix, Metro Boston, El Planeta and WFNX 101.7.

This year marked the launch of ClubCares, a new initiative driven by area restaurants and clubs to support AIDS Walk Boston. Sponsors include Club Cafe, dbar, Epic, Machine, Milky Way and Ramrod, each which sponsored tailored events at their venues. ClubCares is capped off after the AIDS Walk today with a special post-Walk brunch at Club Cafe, to which the public is invited and which will donate proceeds to AIDS Action Committee.

About The AIDS Action Committee

AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Inc., (AAC), New England's first and largest AIDS organization, is dedicated to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS by preventing new infections and optimizing the health of those already infected. AAC provides free confidential services to men and women already living with HIV/AIDS, as well as conducts extensive educational and prevention outreach to those at risk of infection. AAC runs the only statewide AIDS Hotline (1.800.235.2331), Hepatitis Hotline (1.888.443.4372) and Pharmacy Access Hotline (1.800.988.5209). All Hotlines offer support in Spanish and in English. Free and confidential HIV testing and counseling is available at AAC's downtown Boston location and at its MALE Center in Boston's South End neighborhood. AAC also advocates for effective science-based prevention programs. More information is available at www.aac.org.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080601/CLSU019
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: AIDS Action Committee

CONTACT: Diego Sanchez, +1-617-450-1524, or, +1-617-835-1455,
dsanchez@aac.org, or Paul Twitchell, +1-617-450-1215, ptwichell@aac.org, both
of AIDS Action Committee

Web site: http://www.aac.org/

2008-06-01 17:40:08 0374176 PRNEWSWIRE