Nearly 2,000 walkers snaked their way around Lake Eola for the 2011 AIDS Walk Orlando on Saturday, April 9, a fundraiser benefiting Hope and Help Center of Central Florida. Maggie King, director of development, said it looks like the event will raise about $170,000, surpassing the goal of $165,000.
â┚¬Å”We still have money that's outstanding and matching gifts,â┚¬Â she said.
The top fundraising team was Team Karma Yoga at $16,700, with Khalil Makdah ringing in as the top individual fundraiser at $8,212. Disney's VoluntEARS had the most walkers, and Kenneth Cole's team was the most spirited.
â┚¬Å”Eighty-eight cents on every dollar we raise goes directly to client services,â┚¬Â said King. â┚¬Å”Our mission is to save lives by treating and preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.â┚¬ÂÂ
She said last year they served more than 5,000 clients.
â┚¬Å”We provide different things for different people depending on their needs, such as insurance, case management and HIV tests. Last year we gave out 2,700 free HIV tests,â┚¬Â she said. â┚¬Å”We do that through the generosity of the community, and we couldn't do it without their support.â┚¬ÂÂ
King said the event went smoothly.
â┚¬Å”From our standpoint, it couldn't have gone any better,â┚¬Â she said. â┚¬Å”It was so well-attended and it always humbles me because we're just a little agency and all those people come out to support us and the clients we serve. It's always very emotional. It always chokes me up.â┚¬ÂÂ
The AIDS Walk is Hope and Help's second largest annual fundraiser.
