December 1 - World AIDS Day Events

In observance of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2009, EMAN will be participating in day-long regional and state-wide events to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and ask members of the community to join them in a day of support, remembrance and reflection.

Please join the HIV/AIDS community for an event with lawmakers, community leaders, and those affected by HIV in a call to action at the Maine State House. Looming state funding cuts are threatening our critical prevention, education, housing and care programs. We must show lawmakers that HIV/AIDS continues to affect thousands in Maine and cutting these programs will have very serious effects on the health and well-being of all Maine citizens.

Families, communities, states and nations must step up if we are to get ahead of this disease.  In Maine, more people than ever are living with HIV/AIDS and with new diagnoses on the rise and threats of even more funding cuts, we face even greater challenges in prevention, education, care and treatment.

Please join EMAN in recognizing those who have been affected, and unite to put a stop to the havoc it wreaks in our local and global community.  The World AIDS Day events on December 1st include:

10:30am to Noon       
Maine State House, Hall of Flags, Augusta
Panels from the AIDS Quilt and 1,300 individualized postcards of support from Mainers across the state will be on display; each postcard represents one person living with HIV/AIDS in the State of Maine. 

10:00am to 4:00pm   
University of Maine, Student Union, Orono
Panels from the AIDS Quilt will be on display to the public.

5:00pm                       
University of Maine, Totman Room, Student Union, Orono
Discussion and debrief of Medication for Change project where participants have had the chance to experience 24 hours in the life of a person with HIV/AIDS, complete with individual identities and a placebo pill regimen.  Will be followed by a candlelight vigil on the mall.

7:00pm                       
Old Town Methodist Church, 744 Stillwater Avenue, Old Town
Panels from the AIDS Quilt will be on display to the public.

7:00pm
First Universalist Church, 6 Easy Street, Pittsfield
Interfaith World AIDS Day service led by Rev. Margaret Beckman.

Posted by Suze Howe on Monday, November 30th 2009 in EMAN News and National news