Cascade AIDS Project's AIDS Walk Portland

Despite the rain, AIDS Walk Portland (AWP) 2010 had more walkers and teams than ever before.  With $370,000 raised to date, and with funds continuing to trickle in, we hope to set records for this year's walk. 

Today, as more Americans than ever before are living with HIV (over 1.1 million), and with one in five not even aware they are infected, AIDS Walk Portland plays a critical role in both raising awareness and funds in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Huge thanks go to Positive Force Northwest, Team Nike and The Standard for turning out the top three teams.  Top individual fund-raisers include Kathyn Vaughan, Jonathan Reitan, and David Behrend; and leading the troops among youth fund-raisers is Alazaar Manning -- a 10-year-old who was able to bring in over $2,000. And a gigantic thanks to everyone who gave through Global Giving.

With over 3,500 registered walkers and an estimated crowd in excess of 10,000, folks took to the streets on October 3rd to join together in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  Some came alone, others with friends and still others with a team of walkers.  

Uniting the metropolitan area in the fight again AIDS, Mayor Adams of Portland and Mayor Leavitt of Vancouver took to the stage together in a sign of solidarity to lead off this year's walk.  The new two-and-a-half mile route, which wound through downtown, China Town, and the Pearl District, was a great success as the walkers filled more than 20 blocks at a time to wind through the city.

This was the 24th year of AIDS Walk Portland.  Over the years, more than $4 million has been raised by AWP.  AIDS Walk Portland is the second largest walk in Oregon and the single largest gathering in Oregon and SW Washington to raise funds and visibility in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  “This was by far the best (AIDS) Walk I have participated in,” said one walker. “For the first time the route and the square both gave views of the grand scale of the event and the sheer number of people involved.” 

Special thanks go out to our top level sponsors: The Standard, Nike, Genentech, Family Care Health Plans, NW Natural and many others. 

If you have not turned in donations, it’s never too late!  Donations can still be made on-line or mailed to CAP’s office at 208 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 800, Portland OR, 97204.

As we wind down from 2010, we hope everyone will mark their calendars now for AIDS Walk Portland 2011, set to take place on October 2, 2011.  Talk the Walk!