On Sept. 20, several different communities were united in a sense of true spirit to celebrate Lake County’s first-ever AIDSWALK and make it a rousing success.

A universal theme expressed by many volunteers and other participants was a feeling of doing something good for the larger community and a feeling of joy.

Community Care HIV/AIDS Project Drop In Center feels deep appreciation on behalf of our clients and for all those who are living with this chronic illness.

Special thanks go to Special T’s for contributing 250 T-shirts and their great design services and humanity.

Special thanks go to Four Corners for bailing us out at the last minute and donating a power generator.

Special thanks to Shanti Gallon of the youth drop in center, Lake Center for Support, for helping us make this happen and the great kids who helped us set up and made great signs and danced to get the attention of passersby – and they did.

Special thanks go to Jim M, Tom D and Kim W and all the Community Care HIV/AIDS Project Drop In Center clients who physically moved things and made it all happen.

Elizabeth Weiss and her students and Yuba College helped us make it happen on Saturday.

Corporate sponsors Sutter Hospital, D&M Compassion Center, Dr. Marshall Kubota, Bruno’s Management and Special T’s are just some of the folks who helped financially.

Other community business contributors include Piedmont Lumber, Rite-Aid, Foods Etc, Long’s Drugs, Wal-Mart, Sears, Safeway, Grocery Outlet, Rainbow Ag and LL Farmers Stand.

The Clearlake Oaks Community Methodist Church members were instrumental in volunteer support and providing great music featuring gospel artist Phil McAlpin..

Andy Rosoff and “Lefty” provided fun boogie-down music that really lifted things and had folks dancing. “Lefty” had an additional feature on the blues harp by Kim.

Major participants include Hospice Services, Department of Public Health who tested over a dozen folks and Betty Hudson of CLO Methodist Church provided massage therapy for 20 folks.

Lakeside Clinic, Lucerne Medical Clinic, Planned Parenthood, NA, The Medicine Tray, Any Positive Image/Needle Exchange, Bill and Barbara Christwicz, Stonewall Democratic Club, Denise Rockenstein of Observer and Record-Bee, Elizabeth Larson of www.lakeconews.com, “Rainbow Hour” Community Radio, Jan Molini and “Kim and Diana” were all strong presences in making this such a success.

Many folks walked laps in AIDSWALK and we thank you so much. We also want to acknowledge some who raised considerable amounts in sponsors, as well as using their physical efforts, including Margaret Medeiros who walked for four organizations, Peggy Schroder, Sharon Weeks, Irma Rivera, Michelle Clayton, Jeri Spittler, Anita Gordon and Naomi Hewlett.

Our wonderful speakers added so much acknowledgment and “heart,” so, thank you Dr. Marshall Kubota for the great speech and work that you do and to Supervisor Denise Rushing for making this important to you and us, also.

None of this could have happened without the tireless efforts of my co-workers, Michelle White and her amazing children, Marty Ball, Dennis Fay, Sarah Shem and KC Grigsby – and another heads-up to Anita Gordon!

AIDSWALK brought out the best of humanity that abounds among the citizens of Lake County. Lake County exemplifies the true Spirit that is found in Community.

The writer StarHawk said it best when she wrote:

“Community. Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere, a circle of hands will open to receive us. Eyes will light up as we enter. Voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends, Someplace, where we can be free.”

Thank you, Lake County!

Love and an attitude of gratitude ...

Ken Young is Community Care HIV/AIDS Project Drop In Center program coordinator. He lives in Clearlake Oaks.

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