AIDS Walk 2008

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

I wanted to take this opportunity to update everyone and to send heartfelt thanks to everyone regarding the AIDS Walk Boston, the 23rd time that the AIDS Action Committee has held this annual event in their 26 years of existence! With over 20,000 walkers and over 600 runners, this year was the highest-attended AIDS Walk Boston ever, raising over $1.2 million dollars!

My teammates and I raised $13,465 this year! In addition to those funds, my team’s employer, Stop and Shop matched our pledges 50% up to the first $10K we raised, so altogether, our total contribution is $18,465. After we completed the 10K walk, we passed out free granola bars from our Stop and Shop table and enjoyed the festivities at the Hatch Shell. The weather was warm and sunny and the spirit of community at the Hatch Shell was great. It was a wonderful day!

We could not have achieved this without the generous and kind support of each and every one of you. Thank you for your donation! We are all very grateful for those who donated so generously!

Every dollar raised goes directly to the vital services of the AIDS Action Committee. To give you an idea of what those services are, this year's AIDS Walk raised more than $1.2 million dollars, funds which allowed AAC to...

* Answer nearly 14,000 calls on our statewide HIV and Hepatitis C hotlines
* Keep 300 HIV-positive people and their families from becoming homeless
* Counsel 500 hard-to-reach people at high-risk for HIV through the Peer Action Program
* Answer more than 1,600 requests for information to our HIV Health Library
* Provide free, confidential services to 2,500 people living with HIV/AIDS
*Advocate for fair and effective AIDS policy at the city, state and federal levels

Although the walk took place back on June 1st, it is still not too late to donate. You can access the online fundraising page by CLICKING HERE.

(The photo above is of me and my teammates after successfully crossing the walk's finish line.)

THE NATURE OF SUCCESS

This inspirational 3-minute movie is about SUCCESS. I invite you to watch it and be inspired to reach your goals. After all, as the movie says, "The most important thing about a goal is having one." And also, to set realistic goals, because "Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard." Please watch and be inspired today!



Today is the last day to make a donation to AIDS Walk Boston - and to win free nutrition counseling from yours truly! Please make a donation TODAY by visiting my online fundraising page by CLICKING HERE. Thank you for your generosity!

Less Than a Week to Go!

Wow, time flies! This year I began fundraising for the annual AIDS Walk Boston back on March 9th and now almost 10 weeks later, the walk is less than a week away. Despite my best efforts, this year has been very tough in soliciting donations. People who've supported me several times in the past, are unable to contribute this year. Alas, the economic situation right now is making it difficult for people to give, I am well aware. During these types of downturns in the economy, charities are also hit hard, because people are just unable to make any more commitments with their money and giving to charity may seem like one more burden they cannot shoulder. This year's tax rebates were meant to stimulate the economy, hoping people would spend the money on various purchases. Most people I know are spending their check on pre-existing bills and mundane expenses (including me!). My budget is stretched to the limit and I know many other people who empathize.

But did you know that donating money to charity also stimulates the economy? And the feeling you get from doing it lasts a lot longer than the fleeting excitement brought about by any "indulgence" purchase. And oftentimes, people don't give because they feel the problem is overwhelming and how can they possibly make a difference? Well, let me tell you.... every little bit helps... every penny counts. Even if you can only contribute $5 or $10 it will mean a lot to someone in need. It makes a big difference!

The AIDS Action Committee has done tremendous work for those living with and affected by AIDS and HIV. They couldn't do their work without the kindness of volunteers and donations made by generous folks like you. For more information about what AAC has accomplished, please visit their website at http://www.aac.org/ To contribute to AIDS Walk Boston by sponsoring me, please CLICK HERE for my online fundraising page. The AIDS Walk is a mere 5 days away; taking place on Sunday morning, June 1st. This is my fifth year participating and I would appreciate donations of any size; they are gratefully accepted and appreciated. Can you help me get closer to my fundraising goal of $1,500?

For those interested, I am offering FREE PRIZES for your donations of $50 or more, including free health counseling for 3 months and a free workshop presented to your office, community group or church. Call or email me for all the details!

Thank you for your consideration!

DONATE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE

Doing Good, Makes You Feel Good

A while back I came across this article, published on MSN.com, written by Ian Hodder. Very thought provoking, for sure!

"Is philanthropy as good as sex? Well, not exactly, though scientists have discovered that the act of donating to charity stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers. What they see is a “glow” in the same brain areas that occur during sex or a good meal. In other words, giving feels good.

Could these warm and fuzzy feelings be the reason for Americans’ generosity? As a country, we shelled out a record $295 billion to charity in 2006, according to the Giving USA Foundation's yearbook. Of that amount, $223 billion, or 75.6 percent, came from individual people. Those numbers are dying for an explanation," says economist Paul J. Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University in California. By investigating the brain and human behavior, scientists are starting to discover why giving is pleasurable. "Economists have always questioned altruism," Zak adds, "but recent studies have found that virtuous behaviors activate reward regions of the brain."

Ever since Charles Darwin, researchers have pondered the roots of altruism. They have observed it in animals both simple (amoebas will give their lives so others in their cluster can live) and advanced (chimpanzees will share a tool regardless of whether they're physically rewarded). Perhaps generosity is a biological urge. Evidence that the "joy of giving" is hardwired into the brain came last spring from National Institutes of Health neuroscientists Jordan Grafman and Jorge Moll. They measured brain activity in subjects who were asked to decide whether to donate money or keep it for themselves. When they chose the altruistic option, activity increased in the midbrain, a region associated with pleasures such as food and sex."

Want to feel good? Then do something good; for someone else! Giving does make us rich. Or as St. Francis of Assisi said "It is in giving, that we receive."

An effortless way to give can be by way of donating to charity, whether it is your time or your money (or both!). Once again this year, I will be participating in AIDS Walk Boston to help raise funds for Boston-based AIDS Action Committee, a local charity that I really believe in and am happy to support. Can you help? I am counting on the generosity and kindness of people like you to sponsor my walk by making a contribution today. You can safely and securely make a donation online, by visiting my online fundraising page. To do so, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Donations of all sizes are welcome and appreciated. Every penny counts!

Thank You!