cellboy

AIDS EMERGENCY FUND/BREAST CANCER EMERGENCY FUND FUNDRAISER
Help us :)
What if you were on a fixed income because you were so ill from fighting an illness like AIDS or breast cancer that you couldn't work? What if an extra $600 meant the difference between getting medical treatment and paying the rent or keeping the lights on? In 1982, a group of people came together to help pay the bills of their sick friends for just those reasons. They didn't want their friends to be worrying about losing their homes instead of focusing on recovering their health. In 2002, AIDS Emergency Fund provided nearly 2700 low-income San Franciscans fighting AIDS with over $1.5 million in emergency grants to pay the rent, phone bill medication co-payments or power bills.

Please sponsor me, on my walk, Leather Walk, by sending your donation to THIS SITE In the comments section just mention Mama's Leather Walk :) Thanks so much!

Leather Walk September 20th
Leather Week September 20- September 27

Festivities begin with Leather Walk and end the week with the Folsom Street Fair

The huge Leather Flag is raised above the Castro.... the beginning of Leather Week.....
Sunday the 20th is the beginning of Leather Week in San Francisco. To jump start the occasion, Mamas Family produces Leather Walk, by which we obtain people to sponsor us in our walk. And anyone can join in the walk. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR LEATHER. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SPONSOR, JUST WALK! The funds raised, are for the Aids Emergency Fund (AEF) and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund (BCEF). The walk begins at Harvey Milk Plaza, in the Castro, with speeches from notables/ personalities,and politicians. Following the speeches, spectators,release, their black, white, blue and red balloons into the hemisphere. The crowd gathers behind the entertainment float (with bumping music, live singing (Donna Sachet of course!),,, and off we go, with banners, flags down Market Street and stop for a beverage at 4-5 familiar watering holes, until we end up at the Eagle. There the crowd participates, in the South of Market Bear Chest Calendar Auction; where Lenny Broberg (woof!) auctions off the BARE CHEST CALENDAR MEN - for your possible dinner date. Woof! More info if you want to sponsor or donate to this important cause

Folsom Street Fair 9/27/09
http://www.folsomstreetevents.org/fair-info.php

LEATHER WALK

While running for a local leather title, I was asked what kind of fundraising event would I like to produce. I came up with a walk, much like the AIDSWalk, where those people walking would collect pledges from friends, family, and coworkers - the beneficiary being the S.F. AIDS Emergency Fund. The big difference with LeatherWalk is that participants dress in leather, full dress leather or just enough to be "street legal". LeatherWalk is also a celebration of pride for the leather community in San Francisco, as LeatherWalk kicks off Leather Pride Week, which culminates the following Sunday with the Folsom Street Fair. LeatherWalk has always had the same primary route: beginning on Castro Street, marching down Market Street and ending up in SOMA at the Eagle Tavern. Rest stops at various bars along the way have been incorporated, allowing the walkers a chance to catch a quick beverage before walking on.

The first year of Leather Walk, 1992, there were about 35 of us, and we stayed primarily on the sidewalk. As it's popularity (and notoriety) grew, so did the number of participants, and so did the amount of donations collected. Last year's LeatherWalk garnered over $22,000, with over 300 people walking. We now take a full lane in the street, legally of course. Through the years, the beneficiary has remained the same, being the AIDS Emergency Fund. In 1999/2000(?), the AEF was establishing a subsidiary, the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund. To help the BCEF get jump-started, walkers were asked to have sponsors donate to either the AEF and/or the BCEF. Now the money collected is split between the two entities.

I produced and directed the LeatherWalk for the first 6 years. Sensing that fresh ideas were needed to keep the LeatherWalk popular and hopefully let it grow, a 3-man committee took over the reins for the 7th LWalk. One of the committee members, Grant Dupont, then produced the event for the next 2 LWalks. When Grant died, a new producer was needed. That's when Sandy "Mama" Reinhardt and her leather "family" stepped up and took control. This year's LWalk will be the 4th produced by Mama and Family. Because Leather Walk has been so successful at raising much-needed donations for the AEF/BCEF, and because of the amount of work involved producing the event, it has been honored on numerous occasions by the S. F. Board of Supervisors as well as the California Assembly by then Assembly member, Carol Migden.

This year's Leather Walk is on Sunday, September 20. Come join us. It's a leisurely 2-mile mostly downhill walk through the streets of San Francisco. And we will welcome you if you are not a member of the leather community. If you want to feel more a part of the group, wear a leather belt or leather shoes. It's for a great cause.

Art Tomaszewski