Aid for Aids Walk April 2007

posted by Jeremy Brooks

In support of Aid for AIDS Las Vegas, a local charity that supports AIDS victims and families, we participated in a walk to raise funds for AIDS education and support. Amy and Jeremy each raised money as walkers, and we collectively raised $120 (thank you to all who donated!). The four of us walked with Team Penn & Teller, which collectively raised over $32,000 (which Penn & Teller matched, bringing the team total to about $65,000). Not sure how AFAN did overall, but with the number of walkers present, I'm sure it was a good event for them. Although we couldn't find anyone from that organization at the event, and we've never actually attended any meetings, and we don't know anyone from the organization, we were kind of sort of representing the Las Vegas Freethought Society mostly because we like being associated with freethinking organizations and people.

	The walk registration at the foot of the new World Market Center just northwest of downtown.
	The girls trying on their new AFAN shirts...we got there early to get a parking spot, so it was still pretty empty. We hung out and visited the vendor booths who were giving away info on AIDS testing, GLTB equal rights campaigns, espresso, cookies, vita-water....and apparently this is a big event for dog people: there were two dog-centric booths, including a Big Dog jump castle, and probably 500 dogs running around sniffing each others' butts and generally being dogs. The girls didn't like that one bit...
The AIDS quilt on display
	Penn Jillette and his son Zolten hanging out at the Penn & Teller tent during registration. While it was slow I was able to say hi to Penn and get his picture, which was nice as I've been a fan of his for a while (as an outspoken atheist and libertatian as well as a celebrity), although he wasn't very interested in talking...I asked him a couple of questions and he would just kind of mumble and look at the ground. Quite a bit going on that day, obviously, and I'm sure he gets his fill of random strangers trying to make conversation, so it's hard to hold it against him. He looks like he's lost a lot of weight, probably for his new TV show. The Penn and Teller team were very hospitable, and offered us snacks and let us hang out in the tent while the rest of the walkers got registered.
	A group of ...um...kabuki girls, I guess...They were on the route handing out flyers drawing attention to the potential closure of a UMC unit that serves 20,000 AIDS patients a year.
	Prior to the walk starting, several people took the stage to talk about AIDS (stories, statistics, general rallying). One lady asked the crowd to bow their heads in a moment of silence and prayer--I looked over at Penn (again, an outspoken atheist) behind the P&T team tent and he looked furious at this gesture. Later P&T took the stage, Penn thanked everyone for their participation, and slammed the previous speakers for their group prayer. Don't rely on a higher power to find a cure or provide aid for the sick, he growled loudly...change will only come if people come together to find a cure and help each other. He then invited the crowd to join in a Moment of Loudness.
	The walk starts, led by Penn and Zolten...
	Local country/punk band The Clydesdale performing on the side of the road. There were four or five bands performing on the route, which snaked through downtown Vegas.
Guys on stilts..yep, no shortage of those.