Anthony Barros knows a $125,000 goal for this year’s Sept. 12 AIDS Walk St. Petersburg is lofty. With a down economy and more people struggling to make ends meet, Barros said he’s seen a decline in donations.
“We’re anticipating the same level of participation,” said Barros, the AIDS Walk coordinator. “But we definitely see a difference in the size of donations.”
Barros added that he would be happy if the walk broke $100,000, which it barely did last year.
“We calculate our goal by looking at what we need to sustain what we have now and then we add on to how much we’d like to grow,” Barros said. “What people may not realize is that $100,000 does not cover our expenses.” In fact, that’s a big reason why the AIDS Service of Pinellas holds three large fundraisers each year—the AIDS Walk, Dining Out for Life in the summer and the World AIDS Day Gala in December.
While fundraising is important, the walk is about more than just money, however. In recent years, Barros said that ASAP has reached out to more segments of the community and this year an advertising campaign has specifically targeted the African-American community of St. Petersburg.
“We have billboards that are very eye catching,” Barros said. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from those and we’re seeing people we wouldn’t normally get in our doors.”
The billboards, which feature a tussled bed and a tombstone in place of a headboard, let passersby know that HIV and AIDS can infect heterosexual people as well as gay people.
“We’ve also had amazing help from Watermark, CW44 and Bright House,” Barros said. “I think it’s important to let people know that we don’t pay for any of our advertising. These businesses offer us that space to help us in our mission. I can’t say enough about how helpful they have all been.”
CW44 will have a large presence at this year’s Walk. Bayside anchor Sheli Sanders is the 2009 Grand Marshal and garnered huge applause last year when she took an HIV test on the stage.
“By doing that act it showed that there is no shame at all in taking the test and learning your status,” Barros said. “Sheli amazed all of us and we are thrilled that she’s back with us.”
AIDS Walk St. Petersburg will return to North Straub Park in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Sept. 12 and begins with registration at 8 a.m. Several entertainers will also perform before the walk starts at 10 a.m., including the Double M Band, the St. Petersburg Twirling Project and Talent Quest Florida. The Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps will also perform, but after the walk is completed.
For details or to register for the walk, visit AIDSWalkStPete.org
