The Walk!
This entry was posted on 12/18/2006 12:13 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
The 2nd Annual Walk of Grace was held in downtown Jackson on October 14, 2006, to raise money for Grace House, an HIV/AIDS transitional living facility located in Jackson, MS.
“Grace House is striving to become a community resource for the entire HIV/AIDS community and focus on prevention efforts for the entire metro Jackson area. We hope this walk will allow us to expand our services as well as supplement general operational costs at our facility,” said Trey Mangum, executive director of Grace House.
The 3-mile walk begins at Smith Park and will wind through downtown Jackson giving participants a scenic look at some of the town’s most prominent sites and historical buildings, such as the Capitol and the Farish Street Entertainment District. Each participant is asked to raise funds through pledges.
“An HIV/AIDS walk of this scope is something the area has needed for a long time and we’re glad to make this a reality,” Mangum said. “HIV/AIDS education still needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds and that this is a prevalent, chronic illness still viewed with stigma and discrimination.”
In addition, the walk served as a memorial to those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS and supports those who currently live with the virus. Participants will be given an opportunity to write initials, names or other identifying information on red and white balloons to carry with them via ribbons on the route. We also focus on HIV/AIDS education and prevention and subsequently offer free rapid (30-minute) HIV antibodies testing.
This year’s event raised over $10,000 for Grace House! Special thanks to Ken South and Barbie Basset, 2006’s Grand Marshals!
T-shirts for the 2006 Walk of Grace are still available for purchase for $10 a pieace. Just contact 601-353-1038 for details.
