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Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2000

InStride

The Quarterly Newsletter of AIDS Calgary
IN Side
Stride

Mission Possible: Reinventing the Agency Mission Statement

By Kevin Midbo, Executive Director

Hello, and welcome to the first Instride of the new year! After the festivities of Christmas and New Years, we are back to work - busier than ever it seems. As we move forward into the new decade, we continue to adapt and change as needed to ensure that we remain responsive to the HIV epidemic, and the people it affects.

One of the things that the agency’s staff and board of directors are currently looking at is the agency’s mission statement. We want to reassess our mission given the many changes that have occurred both in the organization, and in the external environments that affect the work we do.

This reassessment has largely been prompted by the changes that have occurred in the nature of HIV and AIDS – particularly the fact that treatments are enabling some people living with HIV/AIDS to live longer and more productively and the fact that HIV is affecting more diverse communities now than at any previous time.

As an agency, we have spent time and consideration addressing these changes in HIV/AIDS and we have adapted our programming accordingly. We think it is time to look at our mission statement to ensure that it accurately reflects these changes.

The current mission statement, as you may know already, is to "promote life enhancing choices and supportive environments for persons living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS." While this mission still lies at the heart of what we do at AIDS Calgary, it may not address the full range of the services we offer, particularly our HIV awareness and prevention education programming.

It is very important that the mission statement accurately reflect the services and the philosophy of the agency. For many people the mission statement is the first impression of the services and programs that we provide. The mission statement provides an overarching philosophy that serves to guide the agency as a whole – from the Board of Directors, to staff, to volunteers. The mission statement as a philosophy ensures that all members of the agency are working in unison towards a common goal.

The Board of Directors has begun the process of revisiting the mission statement. An important part of this will be community input. We will consult with our partners, members, clients etc. in the community to ensure that the mission statement is an accurate portrayal of our work.

We welcome your input -- if you would like to contribute your thoughts to the development of the mission statement please contact Stephen Entwisle, our Communications Coordinator, and he will assist you. We will keep you posted as to our progress in future issues of InStride. Have a wonderful spring!

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Information + Training
Amy Alexander, Team Leader

New Community Trainer
We are thrilled to be able to welcome Jo Wood to the position of Community Trainer. Jo’s diverse career includes that of providing education to intravenous drug users and teaching harm-reduction strategies to adults and adolescents within the Alberta Justice System. She has also planned, facilitated and evaluated workshops to Public Health Nursing students at the University of Calgary. Jo has completed her Master’s in Nursing at the University of Calgary and has worked as a Public Health Nurse with SafeWorks Needle Exchange.

Briefing Documents On the Web
Over the last few months our Information Specialist, Lesley Roe has been furiously producing a number of exceptional Briefing Documents. Be sure to check out the following documents at HIV/AIDS and Disability Benefits, HIV/AIDS and Women, HIV/AIDS and Older Persons, and HIV/AIDS and Immigrant and Minority Populations. Lesley is currently conducting research around loss and grief issues and HIV/AIDS, and HIV/AIDS and alternative treatments.

If you have any topics around HIV/AIDS that you would like to have examined in a briefing document, please give Leslie a call at 508 2500.

Training for 2000
We are offering four professional development workshops over the next few months. Please call Eileen (403) 508-2500 to register for any of the following free workshops:

Making the Connection: HIV, Resistance, and Risk
Wednesday, February 23, 2000; 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Saturday, February 26, 2000; 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

It’s All Relative: The Impact of HIV Infection on Families
Thursday, March 16, 2000; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday, March 18, 2000; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Creating Supportive Environments: Working with HIV
Thursday, April 13, 2000; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday, April 15, 2000; 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

What Are We Saying: The Language of HIV/AIDS
Thursday, May 11, 2000; 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 13, 2000; 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

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Community Outreach
Larie Fownes, Team Leader

The winter months have proven very rewarding for the Community Outreach team, as we have continued to diversify our role within the community. With the introduction and successful implementation of the Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Project, we are now expanding its target population to include men and international students. Vimmi Bedi has increased the number of educational sessions on HIV/AIDS in culturally appropriate contexts. She has completed a resource guide for new volunteers and continued to expand our linkages and partnerships citywide. The YouthXChange program has also been active, developing three new discussion group topics.

Welcome to Community Outreach Practicum Students
Visitors to the agency will notice a couple new faces around the office. We would like to welcome two BSW students from the University of Calgary joining the team this winter semester. Stacy Birban and Dan Biggs are currently participating with the YouthXChange program and diversifying their experiences in many of the other team areas.

YouthXchange
Kendra Gage, YouthXChange intern, has left her role to assume a full-time position with StreetWorks. Kendra’s enthusiasm and humour will be missed. We wish her the best in her future endeavours.

Jen Olsen has joined the team on a contract as a YouthXChange worker (until we hire our interns for May 01, 2024). Jen brings with her experience in this area, as she completed a social work practicum with the YouthXChange team only only year ago. Recently, she completed her BSW degree and will be a great energy on our team for the next couple of months. Please take a moment to welcome Jen and let her know a little about what you are each up to. Jen's phone extension is 320 and you can also drop her a line on email @ [email protected].

National Condom Week
The Community Outreach Team and AIDS Calgary had another very successful National Condom Week. Events took place at Post-secondary institutions throughout the city, including the University of Calgary, SAIT, the Alberta College of Art and Design and Mount Royal College. In all, six events were held and over 10 000 condom packs were distributed. National Condom week volunteers had a number of roles, including providing education and awareness to target population at post-secondary institutions, handing out condoms (love kits), participating in latex lovers flight skit in order to demonstrate proper condom use, answering any questions that were asked during events, stuffing condom packs, etc.

The success can be attributed to a team and agency-wide effort, and the ongoing partnership between the Calgary Birth Control Association and AIDS Calgary. This year, CCASA (Calgary Communities Against Sexual Assault) also joined in and helped out with the event. Approximately 14 volunteers from AIDS Calgary, as well as 2 practicum students and 6 staff members participated in this years event, ensuring event was a huge success Thanks to everyone for their help.

The Men’s Project
The Men’s Project, a partnership project between the GLCSA and AIDS Calgary, has been very active this winter, with Collin Smith completing his degree and now devoting full-time hours to much needed project initiatives. The next few months is an exciting time for the Community Outreach Team, as the warmer weather brings with it more direct outreach to the city streets.

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Support
Garth Goertz, Team Leader

Community Kitchen
The Community Kitchen has now been in operation for six months - and what a six months it has been! Community response has been outstanding. Both the Interfaith Foodbank and The Mustard Seed have shown strong support of this program through their generous donations of food. These donations allow participants to cook fabulous meals that are very affordable - the average cost for one meal is $1.00.

As a result of the success it has enjoyed, the Community Kitchen program is undergoing some exciting changes. We are now running two kitchens, usually on Tuesdays, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. As well, we have been fortunate to offer participants an educational component to this project. Lori Hards, the nutritionist at SAC, and Dr. Ann Kerr have provided valuable information sessions to the participants. For more information about their presentations or around the Community Kitchen in general, please contact Athena at extension, 316.

Much appreciation goes to Athena Dorey and Mark Randall for getting this needed program off the ground. Mark’s contract finished in January and he has moved on to other projects. We thank Mark for his care and dedication to this project.

Staff Changes in Support
Support is sad to announce that support worker Wendy Hunt has left us for the chilling winds of the great white north. - Edmonton. Wendy’s enthusiasm, humour and compassion were wonderful. We send her off with our best wishes. She will be missed.

In the wake of Wendy’s departure, we are fortunate to have Athena Dorey join our Support Team as a full-time Support Worker. Athena has been working with AIDS Calgary since July of last year as the Community Kitchen Coordinator. She will continue in that role but has also taken on the responsibilities of Support Worker. If you have the opportunity, please stop by and welcome her to our team.

Also, we are pleased to welcome Lara McRitchie to AIDS Calgary in the role of practicum student. Lara is currently enrolled in the Social Work - Undergraduate Program at the University of Calgary in her third year. Her previous social work related experience includes crisis work with Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (CCASA), as well as research on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with female adult survivors of sexual abuse. She also has participated in addressing diversity issues within the Social Work department as a member of the diversity group.

Congratulations to Roger Graham!!
Congratulations are in order! AIDS Calgary Support Worker Roger Graham is a brand new daddy. His lovely and cuter-than-a-button baby girl, Sarah Purdue Gardner Graham was born on Wednesday, January 26. Best wishes to the Gardner/Graham household.

Prison Outreach
We have recently received confirmation that the Prison Project will soon be resuming. It is being coordinated through the inservice coordinator at Calgary Correction Centre. So we will be back in that system within the next few weeks, offering inservices to the general population and new inmates at Calgary Correction Centre. Inservices have traditionally been on Fridays. Roger will be going out to do those.

Outreach Support Program
The Outreach Support Program has picked up again. Roger goes out to both Calgary Drop-In Centre and Alpha House on a weekly basis (Tuesdays) to provide support and education to those populations. He has recently been providing them with educational videos (eg. Through a Blue Lens) and conducting discussion groups afterwards. The aim is not only to provide these transient populations with a link to support but to link them with other community resources that they may not have a tie to.

AIDS Calgary is looking for Care Team Volunteers
Learning to live with HIV/AIDS can be overwhelming. Having to keep constant medical appointments and meet every day basic needs is often daunting. You can help by becoming a buddy for someone living with HIV/AIDS. Can you assist in providing transportation to medical appointments? Be a supportive ear? Lend a helping hand? Your support does make a difference to someone living with HIV/AIDS. If you can help please contact Jill, the volunteer coordinator at extension 311.

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Instride Notes

Urban Aboriginal Outreach Project Relocates
Visitors to the agency offices will notice some changes to the office space. At the end of January, the Urban Aboriginal Outreach Project relocated its office to the Calgary Native Friendship offices. Information and Training will now use the space that had housed the UAOP as an information resource and training area. This new space opens up some much-needed extra room for us, and will make the workshops that Information and Training conducts much more effective. We wish the Urban Aboriginal Outreach Project tremendous success in their new location

New team Leader in Community Outreach
We were sad to see a longstanding member and Team Leader of the Community Outreach Team, Susan Cress, depart to focus on her education. Susan has made an enormous contribution to the agency in her three years here. We want to recognize all the commitment and effort Sue has dedicated to AIDS Calgary over the past several years and let her know that she will be missed.

On the brighter side, we are pleased to announce that Laurie Fownes has been appointed the new Team Leader of Cojmmunity Outreach to replace Sue Cress. Laurie has been involved in AIDS Calgary for over two years now, on and off, in different capacities. We know that the enthusiasm, commitment and intelligence that she brings to the job will be of great benefit to the Community Outreach program.

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Volunteer Info

Volunteer Appreciation Week
Volunteer Appreciation Week takes place from April 10 – 17 this year. Volunteer week gives us an opportunity to recognise the vital work that volunteers do for AIDS Calgary. Volunteers are the lifeblood of many of our programs and services.

Currently, AIDS Calgary enjoys the commitment of 107 contributing approximatley 3292 hours in 8 different program areas during 1999. Support team utilises volunteers in the Community Kitchen and Care Teams. Community Outreach relies on volunteers for Speakers Network, YouthXChange, Immigrant Outreach and, in conjunction with CGLSA, the Men’s Project. As well, the agency as a whole enjoys the support of volunteers at Reception – particularly the efforts of Gerry and Coral – and in assisting with our Fund Development/Special Events.

On behalf of the staff, Board of Directors of AIDS Calgary, we would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude for the invaluable work that the volunteers do for us.

Volunteer Appreciation Event!!!
As part of the annual Volunteer Appreciation Week, AIDS Calgary would like to invite all of its volunteers to join us on Monday April 10 at the IMAX Theatre in Eau Claire market for a viewing of Fantasia 2000. We will meet at the IMAX around 7:30 before the show for snacks and presentations of awards and volunteer recognition. The show begins at 8:45pm. For more information, please phone Jill Russell at 508 2500.

Volunteer Training
The following three Core Training Workshops are being offered at AIDS Calgary over the next couple of months. Here is your chance to come out and meet other volunteers while learning more about HIV/AIDS. Please call Eileen (403) 508-2500 to register for any of the following free workshops:

Challenging Stereotypes
Tuesday, March 28, 2024 ; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Tuesday, May 30, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Safer Sex and HIV/AIDS
Thursday, March 23, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday, May 25, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Living With HIV/AIDS
Thursday, February 24, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday, March 30, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday, June 1, 2000; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Volunteer in Profile -- GERRY SWEETT
Gerry Sweett has been a volunteer with AIDS Calgary since March of 1997. For the past three years Gerry has been a significant part of the agency as a reception volunteer. He is very committed to the agency and his friendly demeanor enables everyone who visits AIDS Calgary to feel comfortable and at ease in our office. He can always be counted on to offer a smile and a friendly face. Not only is Gerry a faithful reception volunteer he is also willing to assist in any other administrative tasks that arise in Information and Training. Gerry has recently demonstrated a fine ability to stuff condom packs, and we have relied on this superb skill of his to help prepare for National Condom Week!

On behalf of all AIDS Calgary staff, we would like to say thank you to Gerry for his outstanding contributions to the agency.

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Fund Developement

AIDS Walk Committee Seeks Volunteers
A fairly significant change is taking place in the annual AIDS Walk. AIDS Calgary, along with other AIDS service organisations (ASOs) in Alberta have split away from the National AIDS Walk committee to form a provincial AIDS Walk. There are a number of reasons for this change - primarily, it is aimed at giving ASOs in Alberta greater control over their own fundraising events.

We feel that the AIDS Walk needs to be revitalised – although the event has been a successful fundraiser, we feel that it has become somewhat dull and predictable. Because fundraising is increasingly competitive, it is important that we make all of our fundraising events as exciting and memorable as possible in order to continue to attract people to support our fundraising events.

We would like to broaden the appeal of AIDS Walk to audiences and participants who may not have participated in the event in past years. This will give us an opportunity to tap new markets for potential fundraising. As well, events such as AIDS Walk are as valuable opportunities to raise awareness as well as much-needed funds. By broadening the appeal of fundraising events such as AIDS Walk, we are broadening the audiences for our important HIV prevention messages. While it is important to continually attract new audiences to our fundraisers we are aware of the importance of including our long-term supporters in our vision of AIDS Walk.

As part of this change, we are organising the Calgary AIDS Walk by committee this year. At the moment, we are looking for people who are interested in helping to organise this year’s AIDS Walk. We want to make it a fun and exciting event that will bring people back into the fundraising fold again next year. If you would like to help out and make AIDS Walk a memorable and successful fundraising event, please phone Stephen or Shane at 508 2500.

Calgary Cares Update
If its March it must be time for our annual fundraising fashion extravaganza Calgary Cares. This year’s theme is "Everyone’s Fantasy" and promises to be a wild night of fashion, Fantasy, food and drink. The event will feature over 140 models and the creative visions of 10 of Calgary’s most innovative designers. The show will run the gamut from the retro-fun of Austin Powers and the Fembots, to the futuristic vision of the Matrix; from the chivalrous history of medieval knights and ladies to the debauchery of Mardi Gras. Calgary Cares 2000- "Everyone’s Fantasy’ takes place on Friday march 24 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $100 and are available from Ticketmaster (777-0000). Group rates are available, for more information, please call the Calgary Cares hotline 541 9255.

It promises to be a fun night and, of course, will be raising money to help fund the important work that we do here at AIDS Calgary.

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Community-based Research Project
Health Canada has made available a small amount of money to fund an AIDS Calgary
community-based research project. John Graham and Kathy Austin, of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, have agreed to undertake a research project with AIDS Calgary, and would like the input of community members and to determine what the subject of the research project will be. John and Kathy are hoping to solicit your views on the proposed research, and to see if you might be interested in being involved. Please phone John Graham at 220-6156 if you would like to help out.

Positive Action: Friday Lunch Program By Jen Hebert

Positive Action is excited and pleased to announce that we will be reviving the highly popular Friday Lunch program in the near future.

In order to ensure that the program meets the needs of participants, we need to have your input. Positive Action will be running a series of focus groups in March, some of which will be devoted to this program. Other focus groups will have topics such as issues facing AIDS Calgary, as well as a community consultation to determine if AIDS Calgary's mission statement is still relevant. This affects all clients of AIDS Calgary, so we hope to get a large turnout.

All focus groups are expected to run for about 90 minutes. Participants in any of the workshops will be eligible to enter a draw for one of two computers that we are giving away. Please come out to have your voice heard. Anyone interested in participating in any of the focus groups should contact Jen at 508-2500 or 714-8560 to find out dates and times.

Websites:

For information on treatment and advocacy for HIV positive women, see the Project Inform website at http://www.projinf.org/pub/ww_index.html.

For peer-reviewed medical information about HIV and AIDS, see the HIV/AIDS Information Centre of the Journal of the American Medical Association at http://www.ama-assn.org/special/hiv/.

For a bibliography on various issues related to HIV/AIDS and Older Adults, see the Chicago AIDS and Aging Partnership website at http://www.uic.edu/depts/matec/hivage.html.

For information on insurance benefits, see the Canadian Aids Society - AIDS Committee of Toronto website at http://www.cdnaids.ca/pdf/Ins_e.pdf.

For live video broadcast of Richard Hollingsworth and his family coping with the daily challenges of the Richard’s life with HIV/AIDS, see The AIDS Channel website at http://www.theaidschannel.com/.

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HIV Watches

A survey of Alberta residents, released November 10, 1999, shows support for HIV public education efforts such as condom distribution in high schools (72% support), proper condom use education in schools (85% support), and increased public health messages on HIV (63% support - up from 56% in 1996). "Albertans remain concerned about the spread of HIV. They want to ensure that young people in particular have the information they need to protect themselves from this disease," said Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Halvar Jonson. Government of Alberta News Release.
(http://www.gov.ab.ca/acn/199911/8400.html)

A UNAIDS Press Release on December 1, 1999 stated that "Throughout sub-Saharan Africa and around the world, the damage being wrought by HIV/AIDS has a new face - the millions of children who have been orphaned by the pandemic, left behind to struggle not only with their personal losses but with the stigma and discrimination that often accompany AIDS". "The figures are staggering: By the end of this year the world will have seen 11.2 million children orphaned by AIDS, 95 per cent of them in sub-Saharan Africa," said Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "By the end of the year 2000, we estimate that the cumulative number of AIDS orphans will rise to 13 million."
(http://www.unaids.org/whatsnew/press/eng/pressarc99/newyork12199.html)

"Cooperation in the search for an AIDS vaccine is intensifying with the creation of a new initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to promote the development of a vaccine. The WHO-UNAIDS HIV Vaccine Initiative is set to heighten international cooperation into AIDS vaccines in the face of mounting urgency as the epidemic spreads. The initiative is guided by a new joint WHO-UNAIDS HIV Vaccine Advisory Committee." UNAIDS Press Release, February 21, 2000.
(http://www.unaids.org/whatsnew/press/eng/geneva210200.html)

According to a National Institute of Health document, released February 10, 2000, "Researchers at the National Institute of Health have demonstrated that a widely used herbal product -- St. John's wort -- could significantly compromise the effectiveness of an antiviral drug often prescribed to treat HIV infection". Dr. Stephen Piscitelli, of the NIH Clinical Centre’s Pharmacy Department states that "When St. John's wort and the protease inhibitor indinavir are taken together, the levels of indinavir in the blood drop dramatically". This causes the antiviral drug to be eliminated too quickly from the body and thus reduces or eliminates therapeutic benefits of indinavir.
(http://www.thebody.com/nih/st_johns.html)

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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

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