By: Jennifer McMillen Smith, LISW-S, HIV Social Worker at MetroHealth Medical Center and medically reviewed by Ann K. Avery, MD, Infectious Disease Physician at MetroHealth Medical Center
Want to get involved in HIV awareness? April is a great month to do it! Here’s the breakdown of three ways you can get involved in HIV Awareness events in April:
National Youth HIV AIDS Day
When & where: April 10 nationwide
The week of April 10 is the perfect time to tell all your friends what the tea is when it comes to HIV. You can join a local event, post articles to Twitter or Facebook, or get creative and Snap or Instagram all your followers and tell them what it means to be young and living with HIV. Preach, girl preach! No matter what you do, don’t forget to hashtag it (the official hashtag is #NYHAAD).
Here’s the main page for the event.
AIDS Walk Central Ohio
When & where: Saturday, April 15, 2017, at McFerson Commons in downtown Columbus.
This is a seriously fun event! Our Project Coordinator, Josh, went last year and had a blast. It’s the largest HIV/AIDS event in the state and comes with tons of swag, entertainment, and new friends to meet.
And the best part is, other than the food *drules*, you don’t have to walk: You can run, or even ride a bike if you want more speed! The goal of the walk is to raise $338,000 for HIV research and programs that fight the spread of HIV and help support people who are living with it.
Joining the walk is easy! Here’s how it works:
You join a team (or create one) and compete to raise the most cash. Then, on April 15, you gather at McFerson Commons and walk it out for the glory of your team and because, well, it’s just a cool thing to do.
Here’s the schedule:
- 9 a.m.: registration
- 10 a.m.: opening ceremonies
- 10:30 a.m.: 20-mile bike ride starts
- 10:40 a.m.: 5K walk starts
- 10:45 a.m.: 1-mile stroll starts
- 11:30 a.m.: CD102.5 Ice Cream Truck opens for business
The event goes on rain or shine. Here’s the homepage for the Columbus event.
Come join our private, stigma-free, supportive community.
Health management tools with medication & appointment reminders.
Social networking in a community conversation & private chats.
AIDS Walk Greater Toledo
When & where: Saturday, April 29, 2017, at Ottawa Park in Toledo.
This works the same way as the walk in Columbus, with teams fundraising money and an outdoor event to get everyone together. This one is all walking/running; there’s no cycling allowed.
Here’s the schedule:
- 9 a.m.: registration
- 10:30 a.m.: 5K run begins
- 10:45 a.m.: 1M and 5K walks begin
- 11:30 a.m.: Celebration/runners’ medaling ceremony on the stage
Here’s the homepage for the Toledo event.
If you need more facts on fundraising for these Ohio events, there’s a whole page devoted to it.