header_n.gif (7845 bytes)

Volume 2, Issue 2, Summer 1999

InStride

The Quarterly Newsletter of AIDS Calgary
IN Side
Stride

A Sense of Community…

Kevin Midbo, Executive Director
[email protected]

We've been thinking and talking about "community" at the agency recently. It's one of those often overused words - the "community" wants or needs this or that; the "community" supports this or that; the organization is "community" based.

Communities are often described in physical terms - living in Inglewood, coming from Medicine Hat. Communities also include groups of people with similarities who may not live in proximity - like the gay community or the feminist community.

What does community mean to AIDS Calgary? I remember the organization back in 1988, when I first volunteered with Care Teams. It very much felt like an island in the middle of a hostile sea. There was so much misunderstanding about AIDS - and many people coming to the agency for help have been rejected by their families, friends, or communities. The gathering of people at AIDS Calgary during those years created a strong sense of community - people infected and affected by HIV linking together with others to create supportive environments and social change in the broader community.

Our sense of community has been challenged recently - by the changing face of HIV, our continual adaptation to changing circumstances, and by changes in staffing, volunteers, and clientele. Our deepening partnership work with other organizations has ended our isolation - we are no longer the island in the middle of a hostile sea. We work to help create supportive environments wherever people living with HIV or people at risk for HIV infection need to go for information or services.

We welcome people into our space and into our programming based on their need for support, education, and information. We also look forward to a deepening relationship with our donors, and corporate partners. The organization has received very substantial support from the Calgary business community, and from individual donors in the past year. We are grateful for that.

As we look forward to our annual general meeting in September, I encourage all supporters of the organization to purchase annual memberships, and join us for a Community Celebration on September 14th. We are working together and creating community all the time. Please feel free to join our ongoing community response to HIV and AIDS.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Fund Development
Calgary Cares Sizzles

Hundreds of guests dressed up for an evening out, dozens of balloons with valuable prizes, exciting silent auction items, delicious food from Calgary's best restaurants, and free drinks throughout the evening contributed to the ambiance at the Jack Singer Concert Hall March 20th for Calgary Cares 1999. The evening culminated in a fascinating and creative fashion show created by local designers called Millennium in Motion.

This year's Calgary Cares fund raiser provided the organization with an opportunity to renew and invigorate the event. With the help of a strong and professional organizing committee, Millennium in Motion has set the standard for Calgary Cares events for years to come. Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who contributed literally thousands of hours of their time to make this event a reality. It could not have been staged without your help.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Calgary Cares committees of previous years, who did so much to lay the foundation and ground work for our current and future successes.

Calgary Cares Sponsors:
MAC
Canadian Airlines
Idea Machine
Merck Frosst
Pharmacia and Upjohn
CFCN CTV
Lite 96 CHFM
The Calgary Sun
Go-Card Postcards
The Event Group
Ticket Master
FFWD
City Scope
Outlooks
NewAd
Screaming Colour
The Event Network

Casino 1999
AIDS Calgary's casino fund raiser is happening on August 8th and 9th at the Elbow River Inn Casino (1919 Macleod Trail, S.E.). Board Members Gerry McConnery, Terry Fraser, and Marjorie Middleton are coordinating the volunteer-led event this year. Please contact Vanessa Friesen, our volunteer program coordinator, if you can help out. The Casino is an important fund raiser for our organization. We appreciate your support!

AIDS Walk 1999
Sunday September 26th is the day Calgarians will walk to show their support for AIDS causes - including AIDS Calgary and our support, community outreach, and information and training programs. Join people like yourself all across Alberta, and across Canada, and help show that we care about people living with HIV and AIDS and the on-going prevention of HIV infection.

Walkers....as the date approaches - set yourself a goal - last year many walkers raised more than $200 each. Use voice mail, e-mail and computer networks to let people know that you're looking for sponsors. Put up notices at school or work. Ask your sponsors to pay in advance and don't forget to pledge yourself! Want to make an even bigger impact? Form a team! Encourage your friends from work, school, gym, club, sports team or place of worship to walk as a team. Donation forms for the AIDS Walk will be available in July - both through the mail and at AIDS Calgary. Watch for the mail out!

Volunteers....this year's walk will once again be managed by Terry Field of the Event Network, and David Howard and Jim Button of The Event Group. They will work with an AIDS Walk committee in the weeks leading up to the event. In addition, we need the support of many volunteers on the day of the AIDS Walk to ensure that it happens! If you are interested in helping with the AIDS Walk, contact our volunteer program coordinator - Vanessa Friesen at 508-2500 or by email [email protected].

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Program Updates
Support
Garth Goertz, Team Leader
[email protected]

Community Kitchen Project
Special Thanks!
Believe it or not...the kitchen is near completion. The cupboards and counter space was generously donated and installed by Classic Kitchens. A special thanks to Yusuf Esmail and all his staff.

A Call to All!
By the time this edition of Instride 'hits the stands', the Community Kitchen Coordinator will be hired and the project will be on its way! If you are interested in volunteering or participating in the Community Kitchen project, let Support Services know.

A Touch...Here and There!
To help make this project run smoothly, we will need to secure some donations to make the kitchen complete. We need tiles for along the counter space, some large pots and pans for the Community Kitchen as well as some small kitchen appliances. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

A Fond Farewell
Deborah Amo has been with AIDS Calgary for over two years now. She began in support as a practicum student and joined the support team after her placement. Deborah has recently completed her Social Work diploma at Mount Royal College and will be relocating to Toronto to seek employment in this field. We wish her the best and thank her for her contributions to the agency and the field of HIV/AIDS.

Prison Project
It is known that the prevalence of individuals living with HIV/AIDS within prison populations is substantially greater than in the population at large. It is also harder for HIV+ individuals within the corrections system to access appropriate services, due to many factors. The aim of the prison project is to help link individuals within prisons with needed resources as well as providing advocacy and education around HIV/AIDS issues.

Roger is working in connection with Safeworks Calgary to provide in services at Calgary Correction Centre for the prison population. Roger also provides one to one support to inmates at the Remand and Spy Hill institutes. We have also begun linking with Elizabeth Fry Society to increase our visibility at Bow River Institute, connecting with the female prison population.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Community Outreach
Sue Cress, Team Leader
[email protected]

Men's Project
Colin Smith will be working full time hours in the Men's Project across the summer. Colin coordinates this partnership initiative between AIDS Calgary and the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Association, and delivers HIV/AIDS prevention messages to men who have sex with men. Colin is looking for volunteers who are interested in marketing the program and assisting him in bar and park outreach. Colin can be contacted at 234-8967.

New Handbook for Speakers Network Volunteers
Cindy Fischer has been working diligently on the development of a new Speakers Network handbook for volunteers. The new version will include updated HIV Risk Reduction Guidelines from the Canadian AIDS Society as well as guidelines on how to deliver workshops to different audiences. For more information or to get your copy call Cindy at 508-2500 ext. 310.

Killing Time Videos Finished
Well it's hard to believe it but it's true. The Killing Time video featuring the alternative band Moist is completed. The video addresses HIV/AIDS through the eyes of street involved youth. Appropriate audiences would include store front youth agencies, young offenders centres and group homes. The video contains some descriptive and coarse language and therefore may not be well suited for all classroom presentations. To order your copy please contact Debb Hurlock at 508-2500 ext 315.

A YouthXChange Change
Marilane Koutis left her position as outreach worker in late April. Like many AIDS Calgary employees Marilane entered AIDS Calgary through a Social Work practicum placement. We would like to thank Marilane for her contribution to HIV/AIDS prevention. Kendra Gage filled the vacant position in the beginning of May. Kendra brings with her a great understanding of the prevention and support needs of high risk youth. Keep an eye out for Kendra and Clay Argon on the streets this summer.

Ride the Pride Tide
Ride the Pride Tide will be the theme AIDS Calgary staff and volunteers promote this gay pride. Look for our crew carrying rainbow coloured waves at the pride parade and dance. If you are interested in helping out please call Cindy Fischer at 508-2055 ext 310.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Information + Training
Debb Hurlock, Team Leader
[email protected]

Volunteer Management Program
Volunteers are instrumental to the successful operation of programs and services at AIDS Calgary. To ensure that volunteer opportunities continue to be meaningful for volunteers we are currently fine-tuning the Volunteer Management Program.

We are adapting the structure to be more effective and efficient in all aspects of volunteer management from recruitment to placement of volunteers. The process of becoming a volunteer at AIDS Calgary will be a valuable experience, efficient for both volunteers and AIDS Calgary. The fine-tuning will be done in small yet significant steps. For our long-term volunteers this means improved training and continuous learning opportunities which will be valuable both personally and professionally.

Training Programs
Over the next two years AIDS Calgary will be developing and implementing a comprehensive training program for volunteers, staff, clients and allied professionals.

The training will include a set of on-going workshops related to HIV, developed by the Community Trainers. The workshops will be facilitated by the Community Trainers along with other partner organizations. Our goal is to have a standardized training program that will provide staff and volunteers with continuous professional development and learning opportunities. Additionally, it is our goal to train allied professionals in areas of HIV that will enable them to provide supportive and effective services for people infected and impacted by HIV.

The workshops are currently in the research and development phase. A calendar will be available in August outlining the dates of all training related workshops and information sessions coordinated through AIDS Calgary. The Training Program is a two year initiative which I am very excited about.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Volunteer Info

Hello Volunteers!!
Vanessa Friesen, Volunteer Program Coordinator
[email protected]

For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm the new volunteer program coordinator at AIDS Calgary Awareness Association. I began this position in the first week of April and my experience here so far has been terrific!!

Volunteer Programs
While we are still adjusting to the new location, unpacking boxes, finishing renovations, it seems that we are almost settled. Several volunteers have been asking me about the Spa and the Friday Lunch Program. Unfortunately the new location does not have enough space for the Spa and health regulations will not allow the Friday Lunch to continue. If you were volunteering in either of these programs and would still like to volunteer please call me and we can talk about other volunteer opportunities within the agency.

The Support Team has been working on creating a Community Kitchen. The goal of the Community Kitchen is to help people with HIV/AIDS maintain good physical health by supplying healthy, nutritious meals. Volunteers will assist with grocery shopping, food preparation and cooking. Volunteers are also needed in support for Care Teams. Volunteers are matched with people living with HIV/AIDS to provide emotional, practical support and assist with transportation needs.

We also have three different opportunities in Community Outreach for volunteers to get involved with. The Men's Project requires male volunteers to provide information to men having sex with men about safer sex that enables them to make healthy choices. Volunteers should be comfortable with outreach activities in parks, bars etc. Speakers Network requires volunteers to give presentations about HIV/AIDS in schools and other organizations. Volunteers should be comfortable public speaking or willing to learn. YouthXChange requires volunteers to provide prevention services to high risk street involved youth. Volunteers should be comfortable with outreach activities at group homes, raves and young offenders centres.

The Information and Training Team is always looking for volunteers to work in the Information and Reception Area. Information and Reception Volunteers answer phones and perform other administrative tasks as required. We also require casual volunteers for Fund Development. Volunteers are asked throughout the year to help with planning and organizing annual Fundraising events. The Information and Training Program is still relatively new so in the future we are hoping to get volunteers more involved in workshops and training. I will keep you posted.

If you are interested in any of the above volunteer opportunities, whether you would like to switch from another area within the volunteer program or you are a new volunteer please call me at 508-2500 ext. 311.

Thank you for you interest in the volunteer program at AIDS Calgary Awareness Association. We value our volunteers and the work they do throughout the year. Without volunteers we would not be able to offer the wide range of programs and services that we do in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

I hope to see all of the volunteers at the Community Celebration on September 14th!!

Thanks!

Volunteer In Profile:
Coral Bush
Volunteer Information & Reception

For our volunteer in profile we need not look any further than our front door...
Coral Bush has been a volunteer with AIDS Calgary since April 1998. She has been instrumental to the volunteer information and reception program over the past year and half, she is very committed and we can always count on her. Not only does she faithfully and regularly volunteer as a receptionist she also assists with other administrative tasks in the Information and Training area. Coral always has a smile for each person who comes into reception.

On behalf of AIDS Calgary we are grateful for Coral's contributions and the feeling that we can always count on her!!

Upcoming Volunteer Workshops

LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
This workshop looks at the psycho-social aspects of living with HIV/AIDS in today's society. Included in this presentation are true stories from persons living with HIV/AIDS. A frank and eye opening presentation.
Thursday, June 24 7:00 - 9:00 pm

SAFER SEX & HIV/AIDS
Workshop offering information on basic HIV prevention and transmission; discussion of HIV progression from initial infection to AIDS diagnoses as well as new drug treatments. Also included is information on safer sex practices for men and women based upon the Canadian AIDS Society's Guidelines. Risk factors and harm reduction principals to be discussed.
Tuesday, June 29 7:00 PM - 9:00 pm

CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES
A workshop designed to provide the opportunity for discussions around homophobia, racism, sexism and all other ism's in our present day society. The focus is on providing a safe environment for persons living with and affected by HIV infection and AIDS.
Wednesday, June 28  6:30 - 9:00 pm

GENERAL VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
Providing information about the agency and its programs. Focuses on the volunteer system and the responsibilities of individual volunteers.
Tuesday, June 22 6:30 - 9:00 pm

There will be no workshops in July and August, and Training workshops will begin again in September. Fall Workshop dates will be included in the next newsletter.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Community Celebration!
Mark down September 14th on your calendar: Volunteers, Agency members, Staff, Clients, Funding Partners and Community Partners are all invited to join in the Community Celebration on September 14th. The Annual General Meeting will also be held on the evening. More information regarding time and place will be in the next newsletter or please contact the agency.

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Go Surfing!
Check out these web sites…

AIDS Committee of Toronto
www.actoronto.org

CDC National Prevention Information Network
www.cdcnpin.org

AIDS Medicine and Miracles
ares.csd.net/~amm

HIV Positive.Com
www.hivpositive.com/index.html

The Body
www.thebody.com/index.shtml

Youthco
www.youthco.org

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Welcome New Staff
We have a few new additions to AIDS Calgary, we look forward to their contributions to AIDS Calgary and we already enjoy the energy they have brought to the agency:

Jay Fiddler
Community Trainer

Lana Northcott
Community Trainer

Kendra Gage
Youth Outreach Worker

Azam Kanani
Program Assistant
(summer student position)

Dijana Popovic
Program Assistant
(summer student position)

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

HIV Watch

"Some predict India's HIV infection rate will soon double from its current level of 5 million, reaching levels seen in Africa. In fact, according to a March 3 article in Times of India Online, the small, rural Indian state of Himachal has about 12,000 HIV-infected people. This means Himachal alone has roughly the same number of HIV infections as have been reported in all of Vietnam. In the state of Manipur, in northeastern India, the HIV rate is 176 cases per 1,000 individuals, for an infection rate of nearly one out of five people." AIDS Alert International, May 1999

HIV Watch
Youth and HIV/AIDS

  • 85% of youth live in developing countries, and this is where over nine-tenths of the epidemic is concentrated.
    According to the United Nations 1998 World AIDS Campaign:

  • Of the 30 million people living with HIV/AIDS today, at least a third are young people aged 10 - 24.

  • Everyday, 7000 young people world-wide acquire the virus. This means that around 2.6 million new infections occur per year among young people.

HIV Watch

In Canada, the proportion of individuals living with HIV/AIDS within prison populations is thought to be larger than in the population at large:

  • in December 1998, 157 inmates out of a total population of 14,000 inmates in Corrections Services Canada institutions had been diagnosed as HIV-positive;

  • of these 157, 10 had developed AIDS.

HIV Watch

"Since 1994, research shows the rate of mother-to-child transmission plunged as low as three to five per cent (from 25%) when women took the drug AZT during pregnancy, labour and delivery-and when the drug is given to the newborn during the first six weeks of life"
The Gala Occasion, June 1999, Volume 7, No.8

HIV Watch

The number of Aboriginals who are diagnosed with HIV is increasing at an alarming rate.

  • As of December, 1997, a cumulative total of 15 528 AIDS cases were reported to the bureau of HIV/AIDS, STD and TB and of these, 255 were reported as Aboriginal. Over time the proportion of cases attributed to Aboriginal persons has risen from 2% before 1989 to more than 10% in 1996-97.

  • Despite making up only 4% of the general population, Aboriginal AIDS cases represented from 1.5 to 2.6 % of the total AIDS cases between 1989-92, rising to 4.4 % by 1996. "Some leaders fear the proportion could reach 12% in the next decade" (Globe and Mail, Dec 1, 1997: C4.)

  • Aboriginals now account for 17% of all new cases of HIV infection. "In Saskatchewan, 47.6% of new HIV cases were Aboriginal in 1997, compared with 10.5% in 1993" (Calgary Herald, Jan. 17, 1999.)

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Talking Yellow Pages
521-5222

AIDS Calgary maintains a thorough and well-used information site through the Telus Talking Yellow Pages. For a range of information about HIV/AIDS, call 521-5222, and enter codes as follows:
Are HIV & AIDS the same thing? 4680
The Most Important Thing You Need to Know 4688
What Are the Symptoms? 4682
How Do I Get a Test? 4683
Everything You Need to Know About Condoms 4684
All About Safer Sex    4685
Women & HIV 4686
Youth & HIV 4687

Other Ways to Reach Us…

Visit the agency's website at:
www.aidscalgary.org
Or email us at:
[email protected]

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

Board of Directors
John Bonnycastle, Chair
Stephen Bateman, Vice Chair
John Holt, Treasurer
Gary Holland, Secretary
Sharry Burns
Terry Fraser
Jennifer Hebert
Brian Mahoney
Gerry McConnery
Marjorie Middleton
Jean Slick
Dr. Philip Van der Merwe

divider.GIF (1062 bytes)

by the way…
InStride is published quarterly by AIDS Calgary. The newsletter is mailed free of charge to association members. InStride is also available at AIDS Calgary, the Southern Alberta Clinic, and Beswick House.

For more information, comments about, or contributions to InStride, contact Debb Hurlock at AIDS Calgary, 508-2500.

AIDS Calgary is a member of the Canadian AIDS Society, the Alberta Community Council on HIV, and Calgary’s HIV/AIDS Strategies (HAS) Coalition. The agency receives funding from Alberta Health, Health Canada, The United Way, and City of Calgary FCSS. 

divider.gif (1243 bytes)

[News, Features & FAQ's] [Events & Fund Development]
[Staff, Programs & Stuff] [Web Links & Articles]
[Site Map] [Staff Resources] [Home]

Questions? Send email to [email protected].

AIDS Calgary Awareness Association
Suite 200, 1509 Centre St. South
Calgary, AB T2G 2E6
Tel: (403) 508-2500, Fax: (403) 263-7358
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.aidscalgary.org

aclogosm.gif (2652 bytes)

divider.gif (1243 bytes)

Copyright � 1998-2000 AIDS Calgary Awareness Association

Created & maintained by Humantec Consulting. About this web site.
Humantec Logo

Comments about this site can be sent to Colleen Lauinger: [email protected]
Thanks to Shane H, our first Web volunteer, for getting us started.