People worldwide gathered at ceremonies, vigils and educational events earlier this month to mark the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day.

Locally, several community members from across San Diego County, along with the HIV Prevention Community Planning Board gathered at The San Diego LGBT Community Center Dec. 1 to celebrate the 19th annual Dr. A. Brad Truax Awards.

“It is a special time to thank and celebrate those who work with and live with HIV/AIDS in the communities of San Diego County,” said Terry Cunningham, the Chief of the County of San Diego HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services.

The theme of 2008 was Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise. A total of 23 HIV Community Service Awards were given to community members at the event, which had on display many works of art – past awards lent by previous recipients of the honor.

“They represent many hours, weeks, months and years of dedicated and committed service,” Cunningham said, acknowledging Tim Grummon, Dennis Long, and John Keasler for their time and effort in creating the past awards.

The Regional Task Force on AIDS established the annual Dr. A. Brad Truax Award in 1989 in recognition of Truax’s outstanding contributions to the HIV/AIDS community.

The award serves to honor individuals for outstanding contributions in continuing the struggle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Truax was a flight surgeon in the Navy, who settled in San Diego in the mid-1970s after his tenure with the Navy was completed. He established offices on Keating Street in Point Loma and was a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention. After the outbreak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Truax was one of the first physicians in San Diego to treat people with AIDS. He became an advocate for laws to protect people with HIV/AIDS from discrimination. He also became aware of his own AIDS diagnosis.

Truax was instrumental in establishing the Mayor’s Task Force on AIDS in 1983, which he subsequently chaired. Under his leadership, the Task Force began to coordinate a community-wide response in the fight against the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. This ultimately evolved into the San Diego County Regional Task Force on AIDS, which was in existence through 1995. The Task Force developed the first strategic plan for HIV/AIDS services and, among other things, was instrumental in advocating with the county to establish the Office of AIDS Coordination in 1987.

Truax died from AIDS-related complications in 1988 at the age of 42, his memorial service attended by hundreds of people.

“Brad Truax exemplified community service even while he was sick with the ravages of the virus,” said Dan O’Shea, of the HIV Planning Council and founding member of Being Alive. “His legacy survives today in the HIV Health Services Planning Council and the HIV Prevention Community Planning Board. As well as San Diego County’s continuum of care, treatment and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS and HIV prevention and counseling and testing services.”

It also lives on in the award and annual World AIDS Day ceremonial event named for his dedication and service.

Staff from the HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch recognized 23 individuals for their dedication, efforts and service. Added to this year’s honor were the Outstanding Service Truax Awards in HIV Education, Prevention and Counseling and Testing; HIV Care, Treatment and Support Services; and Planning, Advocacy and Policy Development. Each of these individuals were also nominated for the A. Brad Truax Award, Outstanding Service Truax Awards – the highest recognition – received this year by Sergio Rivera Flores for his contributions in all of the above mentioned categories.

Rivera Flores has worked for years to outreach to the Latino community in San Diego and the South Bay. He has dedicated his time as a volunteer at Coordinated Assistance Services and Advocacy – South Bay (CASA) as a participant in both “Amigos de CASA,” volunteer peer advocacy program, as well as in “Heroes de CASA,” a theater program which performs skits to raise awareness on a variety of health issues including HIV and AIDS. He is also an active member of the HIV Health Services Planning Council.

“Flores has played a crucial role in representing the HIV Latino community in San Diego,” said Rosana Scolari, director of program integration at San Ysidro Health Center. “His volunteer work throughout the greater border region has helped serve countless individuals and has helped many consumers become more involved in the community planning process,” Scolari said, noting Flores is always there to lend a hand and support those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Nora Muñoz, a substance abuse counselor at San Ysidro Health Center as part of Minority AIDS Initiative, received the HIV Education, Prevention and Counseling and Testing Truax Award; Debbie Hamilton, the HIV Programs Manager for Family Health Centers of San Diego, received the HIV Care, Treatment and Support Services Truax Award; and Delores Jacobs, CEO of the San Diego LGBT Center received the Planning, Advocacy and Policy Development Truax Award.

Jacobs who also serves on the Planning Council said she is humbled by the honor.

“It’s a privilege to work with an incredible group of dedicated consumers and service providers who work daily to make a difference in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS,” Jacobs said. “Some of these folks not only live their lives with HIV, but they really take the time out for others struggling,” she said, noting true to the man who the award honors, their activism makes an enormous difference for clients and consumers all over the county.