23rd AIDS Walk Boston Draws Five-Year Record-Setting 20,000+ Participants, Doubles Runners to 600 and Raises $1.2 Million

AIDS Action President and CEO Rebecca Haag Salutes Bette Byrnes, who lost
son in 1994, volunteered for AIDS Action and raised more than 50,000 so
far

BOSTON, June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today's 23rd AIDS Walk Boston
attracted more than 20,000 participants -- the most in five years,
exceeding the number of expected walkers and doubling the number of runners
over last year, with 600 runners in The Larry Kessler 5K Run -- making AIDS
Action Committee of Massachusetts (AAC) confident that proceeds will total
$1.2 million for the agency's largest annual fundraiser.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080601/CLSU019 )

"People still have time to make donations, either online or by mailing
a check," said Rebecca Haag, President and CEO, AAC

"It's not over in the U.S., in Massachusetts or in Boston," she added.
"We have added around 1,000 new HIV infections in Massachusetts since the
last Walk."

"By walking today, you have left your footprint, and you will have been
a part of that," she told Walkers about her wish for people to talk to
their friends about how to prevent new HIV infections to stop the spread of
the epidemic.

On the most beautiful sunny day so far in 2008, the crowd's spirits
were as raised as Rev. Irene Monroe's inspiring invocation, which launched
the Walk from the Hatch Shell to close the opening ceremonies. David Brown,
WCVB-TV 5's Co-Anchor of the top-rated EyeOpener newscast, served as MC and
then was a runner in the record-breaking Larry Kessler 5K Run.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino lauded the prevention, services and
policy work of AIDS Action. He reminded Walk participants that their
efforts must be re-doubled to help keep AAC and Massachusetts national
leaders. "We need to raise money to make a safer world for our younger
people, and we must stay focused, now more than ever. so that someday we
can have the celebration I dream of right here, on the day that there is an
end to this epidemic," said Menino.

Haag made special recognition of Bette Burns, who she called "a truly
exceptional individual" and characterized her as personifying inspirational
qualities, namely, "loyalty, commitment to family and community, and
faithful remembrance." Byrnes began walking in 1991 with her son John, who
had just been diagnosed with AIDS. In 1994, John died, and his mother
Bette, who returns annually to Boston for the AIDS Walk, has raised more
than 50,000 in John's honor and memory.

Macy's Foundation as Presenting Sponsor of AIDS Walk Boston 2008, had
the largest Walk team and its 250-member team was larger than Macy's New
York AIDS Walk team. Monster is the Walk's Principal Sponsor, stepping up
its support level over that of 2007. Additional sponsors of AIDS Walk
Boston include EMD Serono, MBTA, Whole Foods Market, Partners HealthCare,
TJX Companies, WCVB-TV 5, The Boston Phoenix, Metro Boston, El Planeta and
WFNX 101.7.

This year marked the launch of ClubCares, a new initiative driven by
area restaurants and clubs to support AIDS Walk Boston. Sponsors include
Club Cafe, dbar, Epic, Machine, Milky Way and Ramrod, each which sponsored
tailored events at their venues. ClubCares is capped off after the AIDS
Walk today with a special post-Walk brunch at Club Cafe, to which the
public is invited and which will donate proceeds to AIDS Action Committee.

About The AIDS Action Committee

AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Inc., (AAC), New England's
first and largest AIDS organization, is dedicated to stopping the spread of
HIV/AIDS by preventing new infections and optimizing the health of those
already infected. AAC provides free confidential services to men and women
already living with HIV/AIDS, as well as conducts extensive educational and
prevention outreach to those at risk of infection. AAC runs the only
statewide AIDS Hotline (1.800.235.2331), Hepatitis Hotline (1.888.443.4372)
and Pharmacy Access Hotline (1.800.988.5209). All Hotlines offer support in
Spanish and in English. Free and confidential HIV testing and counseling is
available at AAC's downtown Boston location and at its MALE Center in
Boston's South End neighborhood. AAC also advocates for effective
science-based prevention programs. More information is available at
http://www.aac.org.





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Via: Healthcare