What is Winter Walk? 

The 20th Annual Winter Walk for AIDS is a three-mile walk that raises vital funding for Triad Health Project's direct client services and prevention education programs. Th­e theme of this year's event is "I Walk...", and it serves as a powerful reminder that HIV/AIDS affects everyone. Each of us has a personal reason for standing up to HIV/AIDS, and this is the year to share our stories.

Why is this year's Winter Walk so important? 

Triad Health Project is remembering several big milestones in the HIV/AIDS epidemic this year.

* 30 years ago, the U.S. classified its first case of AIDS. It is estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., and that more than half a million people in the U.S. have died after developing AIDS.

* 25 years ago, Triad Health Project opened its doors as a nonprofit organization committed to supporting individuals infected with HIV/AIDS, to their loved ones, and to those at risk for HIV/AIDS. In 2010 alone, we served 2,749 people through a combination of direct client services, HIV testing, and HIV prevention education programs.

* 20 years ago, Triad Health Project held the  first Winter Walk for AIDS, a modest candlelight walk that started at Grimsley High School, where friends walked for friends in their community who were dying from the deadly emerging disease.

How Do I Participate?

Register individually or as a team. Teams can be any size and made up of any group of 2 or more people.

Just follow these simple steps:

* Register at www.winterwalkforaids.kintera.org and set a fundraising goal.

*Sponsor yourself - invest in your success!

* Invite people to sponsor you - use the handy tools on the website!

* Bring any offline (cash or check) donations to War Memorial Stadium on December 4th.

THP's Development Intern, Katie Seringer from Elon University, explores the range of emotions and difficulties our clients experience at Higher Ground and how a new client is transitioning into the group.

Many people who come to Higher Ground regularly have been HIV positive for at least 5 years. It is always interesting when a newly diagnosed person living with HIV comes into the Higher Ground community. For a newly diagnosed person, the worries and troubles about living with HIV are endless. A few among the many worries are: Do I tell my family, what medications do I take and will I be able to do the same things as before?

One new client has risen above the worries and meshed right into the community. He often expresses his deep gratitude for a community in which he can come and truly be himself. As he begins his medication regimen, he explains that Higher Ground is vital to his compliance because they offer a support he does not get elsewhere.   We are all just people looking for a sense of belonging and community.  Even though I am not HIV positive, I am happy to have this place as a part of my community, too.