AIDS Walk set for Saturday

AIDS Community Services of WNY will hold the 14th Annual Kelli McCarthy Memorial AIDS Walk 2007 on Saturday, Sept. 15.

The Walk is being held at the Amherst Pepsi Center, where walkers will arrive and take part in pre-walk festivities, including a free picnic lunch, face painting and a Reiki therapist.

The Walk itself will begin at 11 a.m., following a kick-off performance from the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus.

In 1997, at the age of 29, Kellie McCarthy died from AIDS related complications. The Walk is named in her honor, and honors all the men, women and children currently living with HIV/AIDS and all those who have lost their battle with the disease.

All proceeds from the AIDS Walk benefit the comprehensive medical, supportive, and prevention programs that AIDS Community Services of Western New York provides thousands of people each year.

"This year the AIDS Walk will wind through the picturesque trails of the Pepsi Center, allowing walkers to enjoy nature while helping to make a difference in the lives of Western New Yorkers affected by HIV and AIDS," said ACS President and CEO Ron Silverio. "Most people don't realize that HIV is still a huge problem right here in our own communities," he added. "This event raises money, but more importantly it raises awareness about the severity of the HIV epidemic."

The AIDS Walk is expected to draw over 500 participants.

For more information, call AIDS Community Services of WNY at 847-0212.