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------------------------------- DID YOU KNOW? ------------------------------- In November, APLA will recognize its 20th anniversary of the Necessities of Life Program (NOLP), their vital food pantry program. Originally conceived as a food voucher program, today NOLP has evolved into the nation’s largest food pantry specifically for people with HIV/AIDS, offering free food and nutrition counseling to over 1,800 people living with HIV/AIDS across Los Angeles County. ------------------------------- PROGRESS UPDATE ------------------------------- This week was a rather special week. Aside from running 20 miles, we were all asked to wear red. APLA wanted to create a red ribbon out of their runners, and boy, did we become exactly that! Think about it, the fastest group easily had to take two hours to run 20 miles, and my group clocked in a little over five hours. So with all of us involved, we became a ribbon that stretched for miles. How I would have loved watching us from above as we made our way through Griffith Park yesterday morning! While the organizers explained to us that the purpose of wearing red was to reconnect us to our reasons for running, they also wrote: “APLA was founded in the spirit of friendship over twenty years ago. You became part of that continuum by gathering to run each week and raising money to fight a disease that continues to elude us, but continues to bring us together. You are changing people's lives. I know you've heard it before, and you will continue to hear it as we get closer and closer to marathon day. Never forget that you are making a difference. Never forget the incredible courage and strength you have displayed. Never forget that you are a hero. Have an amazing run. Take it one step at a time. And remember...I will be there supporting you every step of the way.” At first, when I read that I thought “how sweet” and started rummaging through my closet for something red. As I looked, I thought of Uncle Ronnie. I thought of my friend, Stannie, and her family still feeling his loss today. I thought of myself back in January holding the flyer in my hands thinking maybe I should do this. I thought of all the people I’ve known in my life that have struggled with their health. All these thoughts brought me to a knitted red shawl. I folded it over once until became a long ribbon and tied it around my waist. Then, as we ran, every time I saw a fellow runner in red, those words of encouragement came back to me. Granted, it’s usual for us to cheer each other on, but something about the red made the words stick, take longer to evaporate or something. That’s when it hit me… Every week, I receive and give this level of enthusiasm. And even crazier is that we’re all sincere about it, too. Stop and think about the last time, in full cheerleader mode, did said to a friend, “Woo-hoo, you’re awesome!” Or possibly hearing from a relative, “Way to go!” The folks at APLA love calling people “hero”. Try calling yourself a hero without laughing or without wearing a costume (you know who you are). It really has an amazing effect. I notice it the most when I’m with the group, and with all of us wearing red, it’s impossible to ignore, because during the five hours or so that we run together, the conversation is always going and always fun. Complaints are hardly ever heard. We seem to never focus either on our frustrations from the week or the pain we might experience during our run. Our attention seems to be simply elsewhere. And that’s just it, every week, when I connect to this feeling of support and good cheer, my focus shifts to what’s right in this world and what’s good about us. The part of me that’s scared or nervous is soothed, and I become again filled with joy and with hope. And slowly over the months, without me even noticing, a red ribbon has stretched its way out of me and gently weaved its way around everything in my life. Perhaps we need to start calling each other heroes more often. ------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------- AIDSWALK – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15TH In 1985, the world’s first AIDS Walk was held here in Los Angeles. That July, 4,500 participants raised $673,000 for AIDS Project Los Angeles, a newly formed organization trying to respond the emerging crisis of AIDS. Since that time, AIDS Walk has grown to be Southern California’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser and an essential source of revenue for services and programs at AIDS Project Los Angeles. Last year, for instance, 27,000 people joined together to raise $3.2 million to fight HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles. This year, APLA and 17 other AIDS service organizations will benefit from the Walk. Your gifts and support truly stretch across the county, supporting programs for men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Volunteers are another essential component of the Walk. Last year, more than 3,500 volunteers contributed over 50,000 hours to AIDS Walk Los Angeles. In the 25th year of the AIDS epidemic, we need your support to beat all records and bring care, treatment and support to people with HIV/AIDS and those whose circumstances put them at risk for HIV. You can register as an individual walker, fundraise as part of a team or sponsor a walker. Registering and donating can be done easily by going online to www.aidswalk.net. AIDS Walk Los Angeles is Sunday, October 15. Source: Optimist Summer 2006 SHOP 26.2 Honolulu Marathoner and AIDS Marathon Site Assistant Leslie Simmons has created the "Run Leslie Run! CafePress Shop" with products featuring a custom logo of a red ribbon and "26.2". The sales profits go to her AIDS Marathon fundraising. Products include t-shirts, baseball caps, sweatshirts, a BBQ apron and a journal - great for writing about your training process. Some of the items are available in bulk, including cards, buttons & magnets that are great for thank you gifts. Visit www.cafepress.com/runleslierun to shop! APLA CORNER Last week, politicians here at home and in Washington dealt major blows to HIV/AIDS bills. Here in California, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed an APLA-sponsored bill that would have allowed non-profit organizations like us to distribute condoms to inmates in California prisons. Studies suggest that HIV rates among California prisoners are eight to 10 times higher than in the general population. In Washington, the Senate adjourned for mid-term elections without reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act, the federal government's $2.1 billion response to AIDS on which every U.S. state and major city relies for vital funding. Your work as an AIDS marathoner during this difficult time is crucial - thank you! For more information about reaction to these setbacks, please visit the News page of www.APLA.org SEEING RED Can a tank top change the world? It seems unlikely, but that’s the question Gap is posing in The New Yorker issue out Monday as part of its new advertising campaign for the Gap (Product) Red collection. In addition to this ad, the magazine has another 10 pages devoted to Gap’s limited-edition collection of clothing and accessories to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Louis Cona, vice president and publisher, said the magazine worked with Gap and its creative agency, Laird+Partners, for six months on the print campaign. “Trey Laird [president of Laird+Partners] made use of our space in a very creative way,” Cona said. “The ads are embedded in different unit sizes. It was a very clever way to get the message across.” Gap has been an “off-and-on” advertiser for The New Yorker, but Banana Republic — which is owned by Gap — is one of the magazine’s largest advertisers. Cona and Erica Archambault, spokeswoman at Gap, declined to provide cost details for the campaign. In addition to The New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle and O The Oprah Magazine will include Red ads in their November books. And, for the first time in 15 years, Annie Leibovitz signed on to shoot a Gap campaign and she picked a good time to do it, as Christy Turlington, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Garner, Steven Spielberg and Chris Rock were among the celebrities that participated. Many of the images include a tag line incorporating the word “red,” such as inspired, admired and uncensored. Outdoor ads also will be placed in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Gap has a five-year partnership with Red and it will introduce new pieces to the collection at future dates. Red also is working with Converse, Georgio Armani and Motorola…. — Amy Wicks and Irin Carmon, WWD.com newsletter Visit http://www.joinred.com for more details. ----------------------------------------- RUNNER OF THE WEEK ----------------------------------------- GERMAN "UM, YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY" SILVA I think all the German Silva AIDS Marathoners out there are going to like this one: German Silva is best known for his much-photographed 1994 New York City Marathon where he took a wrong turn with less than a half mile remaining. While shouts from the crowd led him back on course, he burst into first place, beating countryman Benjamin Paredes by two seconds. Silva returned to the Big Apple the next year to win the marathon again. German Silva and Tegla Loroupe both won back-to-back New York Marathons in '94 and '95. That fact, along with their charisma, have earned them legendary status. Race Director Allan Steinfeld once introduced the pair as "two wonderful kids who lit up New York and electrified the world." Other claims to fame: Silva recorded his best personal marathon time of 2:09:18 in London in 1994, claimed fourth at Boston in 1997, and placed sixth in the Summer Olympic Games Marathon in Atlanta. ----------------------------------------- LINKS ----------------------------------------- Visit my blog – http://runnerla4119.blogspot.com Find out more about APLA – http://www.apla.org/ Make an online donation – http://www.aidsmarathon.com/participant.asp?runner=LA-4119&Year=2006&EventCode=FL06 And if you have a good, durable suitcase with wheels you are planning to donate, please consider passing it on to me :) Visit my Amazon Marketplace shop – http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/at-a-glance.html/002-2564014-4522461?seller=A1FZSVIGYMYZ50&marketplaceSeller=1 Download the flyer and spread the word – http://www.geocities.com/jrossini@sbcglobal.net/RossiniAIDSFlyer.pdf Visit me at MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/oldladyrossini ------------------------------------------------------ CONTACT ME / SUBSCRIPTION INFO ------------------------------------------------------ Jennifer Rossini runnerla4119@sbcglobal.net http://runnerla4119.blogspot.com |
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| << October03, 2006 - Rossini the Runner - JUST KEEP RUNNING |
October17, 2006 - Rossini the Runner - THE TOP 10 >> |
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