I'm going out to fight HIV/AIDS. You can help.
Hi there. In the event any new strangers happen to read this, my name is Rhett Aultman (lj: roadriverrail ). I'm a 30 year-old computer engineer and amateur cyclist. This year, I am preparing for the biggest ride of my life, AIDS/LifeCycle a charity ride spanning 545 miles over 7 days. In a week of riding, I will travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles. This ride benefits a pair of charities, but I am specifically riding on behalf of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
I'd go on and on about AIDS/LifeCycle, but I happened to find this YouTube video that does a better job than I ever could.
There's almost no way for me to express how much an event like this means to me. It may be hard to understand, especially if you're reading this and were born in the age of modern antiviral drugs, but I (and my entire generation) grew up having to know that a new and lethal plague could take us at any time. AIDS has been one of the shaping forces of my lifetime, drawing lines among the American public with a strength similar to major historical events like the end of the Cold War. AIDS completely changed the way that adults could think about their relationships with one another. It made sex education a matter of survival and therefore helped my generation grow up too soon. It gave a medical excuse to marginalize GLBT members of society, reinvigorating homophobia to the point that its aftershocks are felt today. People with HIV are still frequently treated as pariahs.
And no, HIV/AIDS has not been cured. Mitigation treatments are not cures, and they're expensive, creating a massive financial burden for those struggling to survive with this terrible disease.
If I could wind up one of my legs and drop-kick AIDS from the universe, I would. Sadly, I don't have the power to do that. But, I can put my legs to some use. I'm a distance cyclist, and my participation in a major charity ride can do a great deal in terms of raising money and awareness.
You can help me fight AIDS.
I can't think of a single person who thinks AIDS is "no big deal." Nobody likes AIDS, but I think everyone can admit that it's a problem we don't really feel we know how to fight. I know I've been in that camp for much of my life, and AIDS/LifeCycle is giving me an opportunity to kick myself in my inertia and use my body and my passion for cycling to do something truly good for other people.
And this is where you come in, if you'd like to join me in my effort.
Donations: I am trying to raise $5,000 in donations before the big ride. Your generosity can help me to reach this goal. By helping me achieve my fund raising goal, you're becoming part of a larger effort to help prevent the spread of HIV and to help maintain dignity of life for those who suffer from the disease. I will be going out on this massive ride for you, my kind sponsors. Your charitable gift is a reason for me to spend every day training, because I know that I'm representing others. You can find out more about how to donate to my cause here.
Spread the word: Regardless of whether or not you donate, there's something you can do that's quick, easy, and incredibly available to most of us. If you're reading this, you have a LiveJournal. You probably have a Twitter account, too. You likely are on Facebook. You might even have a blog (or multiple blogs). One of the biggest things you can do to help me is to bring other people on board. A simple blog post or Tweet, especially if you encourage others to repost as well, spreads my message far beyond my reach and encourages others to join in.
Aid and comfort: I'm not going to lie. The training isn't the easiest thing in the world. To reach my goals for weekly mileage, I've given up much of my free time to riding. On this earliest phase, I'm riding nearly 30 miles every day, and this is only going to go up. Anything to keep me going for the next six months is like mana from heaven to me. It could be as simple as an email or a tweet. Much like spreading the word, this costs nothing and is amazingly easy to do.
Thank you so much for reading all of this. I rarely feel comfortable asking for things from others, but this is a very important cause. I know no one of us is powerful enough to fight AIDS, but if you want to join me on my journey, I'll promise to do my best for you.
Thank you again.
I'd go on and on about AIDS/LifeCycle, but I happened to find this YouTube video that does a better job than I ever could.
Click to viewThere's almost no way for me to express how much an event like this means to me. It may be hard to understand, especially if you're reading this and were born in the age of modern antiviral drugs, but I (and my entire generation) grew up having to know that a new and lethal plague could take us at any time. AIDS has been one of the shaping forces of my lifetime, drawing lines among the American public with a strength similar to major historical events like the end of the Cold War. AIDS completely changed the way that adults could think about their relationships with one another. It made sex education a matter of survival and therefore helped my generation grow up too soon. It gave a medical excuse to marginalize GLBT members of society, reinvigorating homophobia to the point that its aftershocks are felt today. People with HIV are still frequently treated as pariahs.
And no, HIV/AIDS has not been cured. Mitigation treatments are not cures, and they're expensive, creating a massive financial burden for those struggling to survive with this terrible disease.
If I could wind up one of my legs and drop-kick AIDS from the universe, I would. Sadly, I don't have the power to do that. But, I can put my legs to some use. I'm a distance cyclist, and my participation in a major charity ride can do a great deal in terms of raising money and awareness.
You can help me fight AIDS.
I can't think of a single person who thinks AIDS is "no big deal." Nobody likes AIDS, but I think everyone can admit that it's a problem we don't really feel we know how to fight. I know I've been in that camp for much of my life, and AIDS/LifeCycle is giving me an opportunity to kick myself in my inertia and use my body and my passion for cycling to do something truly good for other people.
And this is where you come in, if you'd like to join me in my effort.
Donations: I am trying to raise $5,000 in donations before the big ride. Your generosity can help me to reach this goal. By helping me achieve my fund raising goal, you're becoming part of a larger effort to help prevent the spread of HIV and to help maintain dignity of life for those who suffer from the disease. I will be going out on this massive ride for you, my kind sponsors. Your charitable gift is a reason for me to spend every day training, because I know that I'm representing others. You can find out more about how to donate to my cause here.
Spread the word: Regardless of whether or not you donate, there's something you can do that's quick, easy, and incredibly available to most of us. If you're reading this, you have a LiveJournal. You probably have a Twitter account, too. You likely are on Facebook. You might even have a blog (or multiple blogs). One of the biggest things you can do to help me is to bring other people on board. A simple blog post or Tweet, especially if you encourage others to repost as well, spreads my message far beyond my reach and encourages others to join in.
Aid and comfort: I'm not going to lie. The training isn't the easiest thing in the world. To reach my goals for weekly mileage, I've given up much of my free time to riding. On this earliest phase, I'm riding nearly 30 miles every day, and this is only going to go up. Anything to keep me going for the next six months is like mana from heaven to me. It could be as simple as an email or a tweet. Much like spreading the word, this costs nothing and is amazingly easy to do.
Thank you so much for reading all of this. I rarely feel comfortable asking for things from others, but this is a very important cause. I know no one of us is powerful enough to fight AIDS, but if you want to join me on my journey, I'll promise to do my best for you.
Thank you again.