Events1
AIDS Community Resources has three main fundraising events that involve and benefit only our agency. The AIDS Hike For Life is held each Spring in the Mohawk Valley. The AIDS Walk/Run is held each summer in Central New York. The First Frost AIDS Walk is held each autumn in The North Country. You can learn more about those Walk/Runs at www.AIDSwalkcny.com In addition, enthusiasm for the Empire State AIDS Ride, in which AIDS Community Resources participates along with other New York State AIDS agencies, is growing. You can learn more about that event through clarge@aidscommunityresources.com
In addition, AIDS Community Resources has many happenings throughout its nine county service area each year, the work of a tremendously successful Special Events Department. If you want to help stage a top-notch fundraising event, come share your time and talents as a volunteer with ACR at one or more of our fundraising events, and you’ll be working with the pros.
Development offers many opportunities to learn, from initial planning stages of an event, through the follow-up stages of thank you notes and thank you parties. Volunteers help ACR by:
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Generating ideas for fundraising
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Distributing advertising materials
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Forming fundraising teams
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Working with Public Relations and Marketing
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Assisting with Corporate Solicitations and donations
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Coordinating set-up and break-down of event displays
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Acting as traffic directors and hosts
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Cleaning up the grounds when the event is done
ACR has a Special Events Committee that helps coordinate fundraising events. We welcome new members. For more information about volunteering with the Development Department, call 1.800.475.2430, or email us at events@aidscommunityresources.com
Heart to Heart Mixed Doubles Tennis Event
On the February weekend closest to Valentine’s Day AIDS Community Resources presents the annual Heart-to-Heart Mixed Doubles Tennis Event. The event offers players a weekend of tennis fun, fundraising and HIV/AIDS awareness.
This is a tennis event, not a tennis tournament because the “T” word can add layers of stress to an otherwise enjoyable activity for beginners and casual players. The Event has 6 adult divisions from Novice to Open, and 3 junior divisions.
The Heart-to-Heart can be serious business for serious players: the United States Tennis Association sanctions the Open division, allowing players from throughout the eastern United States to earn ranking points.
Never played tennis before? All you need to do is come dressed to play. We provide racquets, balls and instruction on the court. ACR helps players in all divisions find a tennis partner.
Event “extras” include door prizes, refreshments, raffles, and a silent auction for sports equipment. Awards are presented to division champions and finalists at the end of the tournament.
For more information or to register call Wil at 800.475-2430 or email events@aidscommunityresources.com
Syracuse Stage
Once each year ACR sells tickets to a dazzling Syracuse Stage performance that benefits AIDS Community Resources. In 2010, Sunday, March the Syracuse Stage production of Lookingglass Alice is dedicated to ACR. 100% of the money raised at this dessert reception and performance stays right here in Central New York.
Your ticket purchase supports ACR and its Q Center, which currently runs Support Groups that serve LGBTQ youth aged 13-22. The center offers tutoring, computer literacy, drop-in counseling, mentoring, and a peer-to-peer hotline.
We are energized every time someone in the community donates a part of their resources to support our efforts. We are encouraged by your commitment and generosity.
Holiday Angels
At AIDS Community Resources we have a “Holiday Angel” program, where members of the community buy gifts for a designated ACR client and their family. The “Angels” are supplied with a client’s first name, and a list of “needs” rather than the typical Christmas “wish” list children and grandchildren fill out. The requests can be heart breaking in their simplicity. A client can ask for long johns and tube socks. Another requests work boots for a new job. A client may need towels and cleaning supplies, or just food.
ACR has more than 400 clients, people diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. Most come to our agency because they lack health insurance; sometimes they have no place to live, or money for medications. Add family members to our client roster, and almost a thousand people rely on ACR Angels for whatever holiday largesse comes their way.
Many schools participate in the program, collecting personal care items to add to the gifts. Church or office groups combine spending power to become Holiday Angels. Our incredibly generous donors sign on year after year, sometimes requesting the same family. If you would like to know more about the Holiday Angel program, call 1.800.475.2430. Or you can email us at events@aidscommunityresources.com
World AIDS Day Observed AIDS Community Resources commemorates World AIDS Day on December 1st. Our service pays tribute to those who care for the infected, and those who educate youth and others to prevent the spread of HIV. The service sounds a warning for the future; every day sees 14,000 new cases of HIV worldwide. Started in 1988, World AIDS Day is about increasing awareness, education, and fighting prejudice. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done. AIDS Community Resources commemorates World AIDS Day on December 1st of every year with a service at Panasci Chapel at Le Moyne College. The service begins at 7:30 a.m. and lasts about thirty minutes. When December 1st occurs on Saturday or Sunday the time of the service may change. Wear the ribbon! The red ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around World AIDS Day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others of the need for their support and commitment.The red ribbon started as a "grass roots" effort, and as a result there is no official red ribbon, and many people make their own. It's easily done - just use some ordinary red ribbon and a safety pin! Or give AIDS Community Resources a call at 800.475.2430 and we’ll see that you get one.