The 23rd annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Sunday, Oct. 21 set fund-raising and attendance records, surpassing last year’s fund-raising total. AIDS Walk founder and producer Craig R. Miller announced that “more than 30,000 walkers and volunteers helped to raise more than $3.9 million” for AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and other AIDS service organizations throughout Los Angeles County.

“The people of Los Angeles, including leading members of the entertainment community, once again showed their strong support for AIDS Project Los Angeles,” Miller said. “Together, we took to the streets to support people living with HIV/AIDS, and to fund the critical HIV-prevention programs needed to stop new infections.”

“The phenomenal success of AIDS Walk sends a clear message we stand together committed to eradicating HIV in Los Angeles County and around the world,” said Craig E. Thompson, executive director of APLA. “AIDS Walk inspires us to find innovative ways to break the cycle of new infections, and provides much-needed resources to face the challenges of another year fighting HIV and AIDS.”

As the Santa Ana winds overnight gave way to a beautiful, warm L.A. morning, Jenifer Lewis (Sister Act, Who’s Your Caddy?) kicked off the Opening Ceremony with a spirited and soulful performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray. Mayor John Duran welcomed the crowd to the city of West Hollywood, and DreamWorks co-founder and APLA board member Jeffrey Katzenberg reflected on his 14 years as an AIDS Walk sponsor. “Grey’s Anatomy” star T.R. Knight urged young people to fight complacency and talk about HIV “whether they are gay or straight [or] somewhere in between.” Old and new Hollywood met when Oscar winner Shirley Jones introduced Tony winner and Dreamgirls co-star Anika Noni Rose, who closed the ceremony and kicked-off the Walk with a haunting performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the AIDS Walk theme song. Jones performed the song in the 1956 movie version of Carousel.

Besides Knight, other celebrities who appeared included: Michelle Bonilla (“ER”), Andrea Bowen (“Desperate Housewives”), Kelly Carlson (“Nip/Tuck”), Michelle Clunie (“Queer as Folk,” “Dante’s Cove”), Wilson Cruz (“Noah’s Arc”), Faith Ford (“Carpoolers”), Thea Gill (“Queer as Folk, Dante’s Cove”), Scott Grimes (“ER”), Deirdre Hall (“Days of Our Lives”), Holly Madison (“Girls Next Door”), Kimberly McCullough (“General Hospital”), Ana Ortiz (“Ugly Betty”), Sara Ramirez (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Jai Rodriguez (“Queer Eye”), Hal Sparks (“Queer As Folk”), Darryl Stephens (“Noah’s Arc”), and Jason Thompson (“General Hospital”).

AIDS Walk Los Angeles benefits APLA and 21 other HIV/AIDS organizations throughout Los Angeles County. More than 60,000 people are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County, with as many as one-quarter unaware they are infected.

The event receives significant support from the corporate community in the form of team fund-raising and sponsorships. This year’s sponsors included Presenting Sponsor Hilton Family of Hotels and Grand Sponsors Marilyn & Jeffrey Katzenberg; Latham & Watkins, LLP; NBC4/ Telemundo; Paramount; Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett, LLP; and United Airlines. Principal Sponsors are Blue Cross of California; Manilow Fund for Health & Hope; Nordstrom; and Pacific Design Center. New sponsors this year included Sign-In Sponsor Wachovia, Awards Tent Sponsor Sunrider and finish line host Los Angeles Times.

AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach. For more information, visit www.apla.org. In addition to APLA, the AIDS Walk benefits other Los Angeles area AIDS service organizations through the Community Coalition Initiative (CCI).

AIDS Walk Los Angeles was founded in 1985 by Craig R. Miller and his organization of activists, MZA Events. Miller is the originator of the AIDS Walk fund-raising model and has raised more than $300 million for leading AIDS charities nationwide. Miller and MZA have produced this landmark event every summer for the past 23 years.

[Source: AIDS Project Los Angeles]