Annual walk to raise money for HIV/AIDS extends event because of pandemic - Greensboro News & Record
Around 600 racers and walkers participated the 2015 Winter Walk for AIDS and Ron Johnson 5K Run. Because of COVID-19, this year's event has moved to five area parks. The challenge is to walk at one or any number of them during the week of Nov. 14-21.
Drs. Kees Van Dam (a physician) and Minh Pham (a clinical pharmacist), local infectious disease specialists, are hoping to raise $10,000 with a faux battle royale as part of the Ron Johnson Red Ribbon Week 5K Run/Walk.
GREENSBORO — One of the "battle royales" in this year's Ron Johnson Red Ribbon 5K Run/Walk includes Drs. Kees Van Dam and Minh Pham, local infectious disease specialists hoping to raise $10,000.
Featured face to face on a "No Retreat, No Surrender" poster on the teams page, each is hoping to land a knock-out punch — only not to the other, according to the promo on the poster (a spoof on a 1986 movie by martial artist/actor Jean-Claude Van Damme):
"Today they fight to a winning battle with their patients (over HIV), tomorrow they hope to land out a knock-out punch to stigma and to end the epidemic."
"This local organization uses all of the proceeds from our fundraisers to help HIV patients in Guilford County," Pham wrote in an email to fire up supporters. "Therefore, every dime that is raised will stay HERE."
Triad Health Project's annual fundraising competition, which also commemorates World AIDS Day, is usually held rain or shine on the athletic field at UNCG, to educate the public about HIV/AIDS and to raise money for the Triad Health Project, the area's longtime HIV/AIDS service and support organization. It has been renamed the Ron Johnson Red Ribbon Week.
Because of COVID-19, this year's event has moved to five area parks. The challenge is to walk at one or any number of them during the week of Nov. 14-21. Some people might decide they want to instead walk in their neighborhood or even their own yards or the parks the week before, said the nonprofit's associate director, Adriana Adams.
Registration is fully virtual.
The walk, in its 28th year, is one of the grassroots organization's two biggest fundraisers of the year and organizers have a $250,000 goal.
Participants register and create a team, with some people skipping, hopping or jump roping their way to the end.
The competition is starting to form and there's an online leader board.
"We couldn't just not do it this year," Adams said.
Long history of help
Old photos from the decades-old event show walkers in shirts customized with markers and matching tutus, and others carrying signs that honor those who died from the virus at a time when there were fewer treatment options.
Ron Johnson was there from the beginning and has raised more than $800,000 over the years by letting friends, family and even clients know he was collecting pledges.
"One of my clients was joking with me," said Johnson, an estate planning attorney and one of the founders of the nonprofit group. "They said, 'It's cheaper to pay your bill than to support your causes.' "
It was his client, Aileen Oldham, the late founder of Leon's Beauty School and a chain of hair salons, who got a friendly competition started with Johnson. She took the first Winter Walk on with a passion. Oldham had been an early public supporter of the organization from when files were stored under the bed of one of the founders.
"We couldn't even afford paper clips at the time," Johnson said.
With Oldham's staff behind her, she had previously sponsored a Cut-A-Thon that raised $7,000 — the most substantial sum the group had raised to date, Johnson said.
She was also the top fundraiser for the Winter Walks in 1992 and 1993. Johnson was the second-highest fundraiser in 1993. Oldham challenged him to beat her at fundraising next time, knowing THP would be the real winner. She died before the third Winter Walk. Johnson has walked in her honor — and been the top fundraiser — every year since and now the walk bears his name.
He continues to take part in the run/walk, calling it not only a significant fundraising event but an important educational event. And every year he wants someone to beat him.
"This has been an extremely rough year for the organization but the work really must be done," Johnson said.
This year, Johnson's longtime partner is scheduled for a blood marrow transplant during the event, which includes small socially-distanced events at Gateway Gardens, Keeley Park, Country Park, Bog Garden and Rolling Roads Park for personal walks. Taking part in those events are not mandatory for participants but anyone registering and visiting all five parks that week are placed in a drawing for a $1,000 prize.
Johnson plans to finish the last of his 5K at Keeley Park this weekend, like some others have already done.
"It wasn't an option for me," Johnson said.
Getting creative
Even as most in-person large scale events began canceling earlier this year because of COVID-19, Adams began looking at her options.
Registration could go virtual, she reasoned. All summer people like Mayor Nancy Vaughan, representatives from other organizations serving similar clientele and local school teachers had come on the agency's podcast.
"It became really clear that we weren’t coming out of this pandemic any time soon," Adams said. "We also knew people would want something to do outdoors in the fall."
She was in her living room working out on a Saturday when the idea struck her: partner with Greensboro Parks and Recreation to also spotlight what the city offers locally.
Together, they thought of ways people could safely use the parks to get in their own personal walk/run.
They've dubbed it "Fall in Love" and are offering special shirts that can be won or purchased, that are adorned with hearts and "Love Guilford."
And there's a theme song, "Just Love" from volunteer William Nesmith.
Team effort
For the first time, Triad Health Project's education and resource center, Higher Ground, also has a team.
A sponsor looking for a way to get involved paid the entry fee.
One of the team members has been selling chicken dinner plates to raise money. Others, philanthropists themselves, have donations.
Then there are the strangers who have come across their page and donated just to support them.
"It’s a beautiful thing," Adams said.
The THP staff and board have an in-agency battle, with the board leading by a few hundred dollars.
And then there are the others, including the infectious disease specialists — good friends who creatively spar every year — who put their faces on posters from popular martial arts actor Jean-Claude Van Damme movies and make it all about HIV.
They also sponsor dueling, competitive Dining with Friends fundraisers and try for support but also a smile. One year, Pham ran the 5K in a raincoat with "It's Raining Minh" (a play off the popular 1980s song "It's Raining Men") on the back.
The two — Pham, a clinical pharmacist and Van Dam, a medical doctor — also tag team other doctors, pharmacists and hospital administrators to take part in 5K runs.
Along the way, the two have bonded in a way that helps their own patients.
"One thing that Minh has taught me personally as a friend and as a provider is the importance of getting to really know the people we call our patients — their stories their hopes and dreams, and not just asking them if they are taking their meds or reviewing their viral loads," said Van Dam, also director of research at the Regional Center for Infectious Disease at Cone Health.
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