AIDS Walk 2006

Summer has its last hurrah here in Chicago - not too hot, mind you, just a nicely warm September Saturday morning. I could have been at the pool, but I chose to walk instead.

The day I started back to swimming in August, a former, original Smelt was there to ask the team to support a local organization, Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV). I hadn't heard of it before, but they were doing some things I liked the sound of: education for kids in school, care and support for people in Chicago who are dealing with HIV and AIDS. The local-focus of their programs appealed to me; yes, there's needs to be a cure for HIV/AIDS, but a lot needs doing for the day-to-day reality of those with the disease. I was gratified to hear that by entering a team in the AIDS Walk, they'd receive 75% of the monies they raised. It's long past time that the Smelts renvolved themselves in community efforts like this, and I decided instantly to participate.

Support from my friends has been marvellous. As I write this, they have donated just short of $800, what I see as an astonishingly generous sum. I am grateful to all of them. Whether it's because they support me, or they looked at what BEHIV is doing and thought well of it, they made a sunny day brighter. Corny, but true.

Ah, so the walk. Quite a crowd, and unmissable amongst them was a huge group of Loyola students clad in a colour that Conrad would consider painting the apartment! They had cheers and pep leaders with bullhorns. Quite a spirit they showed. Though I was part of the BEHIV team, I walked the 5 km with two other Smelts, Scott and Dan. Good guys, through and through! We eventually had to get a little beyond the Loyola kids if only to hear our own conversation above the bullhorns.

An hour and a half after the start, we were done. I think I have a light sunburn, very light, but that's fine. I hadn't saved the world, but I did a small something, and I felt in a buoyant mood. I parted company with Dan and Scott near the Art Institute and continued on to meet Conrad on the Institute steps. From there we walked through Millennium Park and on to Macy's for lunch and a bit of shopping. By the time we got home, a nap was in order, and I think it was well-earned!