AIDS/LifeCycle6 Ride, help a good cause!

I'm not sure if you have heard of the AIDS/Lifecycle Ride that takes place annually, but a good friend of mine here at work is doing it. Basically, its a 7 Day ride that starts near San Fran and ends in Los Angeles. He needs to raise $2,500 and I thought that some of you might be interested in maybe supporting him with a small contribution. NO PRESSURE at all, seriously, but as a friend to him I thought I'd post on here to spread the word and to see if anyone might be willing to help him out, and more importantly the cause out.

Here is all the info regarding the event and and a little message from him as well as a link to his homepage.

Hi, everyone. You may or may not know me. I am writing to ask for your support. From June 3-9 this year, I will be riding my bike 545 miles—from San Francisco to Los Angeles—in support of local AIDS charities and services. This event is called AIDS/LifeCycle. Between now and then I will be training—riding up to 150 miles a week—just to prepare for this week-long event. It’s a huge commitment, but I’ve made an even bigger commitment.

In order to do this, I have committed to raising $2,500 for Los Angeles-area AIDS charities and services. This is where I need your help, because I can’t do it alone. Your donations are needed to make this possible. First, take a moment to read about some of the programs and services benefiting from this event.

Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic: Our country’s second-largest provider of HIV-medical services, they offer a full range of primary and specialty medical care to people at all stages of HIV/AIDS. Many of the people who benefit from this clinic are low-income and uninsured and have no other access to care.
Anonymous HIV Testing and Counseling: This is our country’s largest anonymous HIV counseling and testing site. Anyone can be tested anonymously or confidentially, and both oral testing and blood testing is available.
Youth Services: Los Angeles is the number one destination for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth from across the country who have been kicked out of their homes or abused or abandoned because of their sexuality. These kids rank among the highest at risk for contracting HIV. Donations will support a transitional living center, life-skills training, employment counseling, a telephone help line, a youth mentoring program and more. All of these programs are focused on getting them out of at-risk situations.
Pedro Zamora Youth HIV Program: This program provides services to youth both HIV positive and negative, including youth in high schools and colleges, as well as youth living on the streets or in transitional housing. Programs include HIV prevention, testing, and care; weekly HIV testing at the Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic; support and referrals for HIV-positive youth; and support for youth advocacy efforts in the area of HIV/AIDS.

So just how bad is the HIV/AIDS situation? How much is your donation needed? Each day in California approximately 22 people become newly infected with HIV. California ranks second only to New York in cumulative AIDS cases. In California alone there are more than 55,000 people living with AIDS, and another 125,000 living with HIV, many unaware of their infection.

Even those who are living with HIV can have a hard time with the side effects of the drugs they must take to survive. A good riding buddy of mine had to bow out of this year’s AIDS/LifeCycle ride recently, since the drug cocktail he’s taking is not working for him anymore. He must try a new regimen, acclimate to its side effects and hope that he can stay healthy for the foreseeable future.

What I’m asking is very simple. Please make a donation. Write a check or donate online at http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1113 for as much as you can afford. When deciding how much to donate, please keep in mind how far I’m riding my bike for this cause, and just how much your help is needed. Whatever amount is right for you is greatly appreciated. And please be aware that the money you donate is put to immediate use for the people who so desperately need it. Last year approximately 66% of the money raised during the ride went directly back to the beneficiaries—an excellent return considering the scope and logistics of such a large event.

And if you’d like to learn more about the event, please IM me at bikeneal.

Thank you,

Neal Baker

You can also send him emails throughout the event if you'dd like as well.