Aids Walk-part 2

Our work at the AIDS Walk intersects in a couple of ways with our project. First of all, we were able to help our organization, Positive Impact, represent itself as a benefiting organization at the AIDS Walk. Positive Impact had a booth among the other Benefitting Organizations at the AIDS Walk because it is important for the organization to represent itself at an even that is so important in the HIV/Aids community. By helping the Positive Impact organization on such an important day we were able to contribute to the goals of our project. Also, in a more broad scope, we were able to contribute to our course aims of learning about sexuality. It was good for us to witness the incredible community support and empowerment that the AIDS Walk promotes in generating money for helping stop the AIDS epidemic.
What I enjoyed most about our experience at the AIDS Walk today was being a part of the incredible feeling of energy and positivity that surrounded the entire event. The event occurred in the Beautiful Piedmont Park in the middle of Atlanta and was packed with thousands of people. There was a stage with music and speakers throughout the event and booths representing both event sponsors and AIDS support organizations (like Positive Impact, the group we are working with). Everyone there was there to raise support and awareness for HIV/Aids and they all seemed to be incredibly happy to be there on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. Without a doubt, my favorite part of the experience was simply being around such strong emotion and hopefulness surrounding an event that I wouldn’t have gone to otherwise.
What surprised me most about this event was the size of it. Perhaps I am betraying my ignorance of this incredible happening by saying this, but I expected it to be much smaller and grassroots. The Aids Walk is actually, as I learned today, a huge event in Atlanta with thousands of people present to show their support by running, walking or just being present at the event. I was astonished when we walked through Piedmont Park and first saw the sea of people attending the event. I was also presently surprised to see the diversity of the population present. Every gender, race and age seemed well represented among the crowds of people present to show their support in the fight against HIV/Aids. The presence of live music and speakers contributed to the feeling of professionalism along with the number of sponsors and supporting organizations present. But to top all of that, the walk itself actually closed parts of busy streets in downtown Atlanta! That must take a lot of influence and pull to do in the middle of such a crowded city. It speaks well of the history, size and organization of the event. I admit to being very impressed and surprised by what a massive undertaking it must be.

Aids Walk-Part 1

Today our Service Learning group attended the Atlanta Aids Walk to help our organization, Positive Impact. After finding our way to Piedmont Park we fought through the crowds of people to find the booth area that Positive Impact had among all the other benefitting organizations. When we arrived the Positive Impact members were running behind on setting up the booth. We were quickly drafted into helping the last parts of setting up the booth. We spread out tablecloths and set up posters. From there on we sat in the booth as people circulated through and picked up fliers. We also handed out bottles of water to people preparing to head out on the Aids walk. Before many of the Positive Impact members left to go on the walk, we took several pictures with the whole of the present organization and volunteers. Then most of the people involved in the organization set off on the walk while we stayed behind to man the booth. Once the walk had started and the area had started to empty we began taking down parts of the booth to make it easier for Positive Impact to break down and go home after the walk. We took down the posters and tablecloths and have them to give back when we return on Tuesday.