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Rainbow Alliance takes over sponsorship of AIDS Hike for Life

By Deasia Hawkins ’18

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Ever since Andy Cook ’99 Class President agreed to sponsor the first AIDs Hike for Life on the Hamilton College campus, the hike has been sponsored by the respective senior class. The AIDS Community Resource (ARC), a not-for-profit, community-based organization providing a range of support services to individuals with chronic diseases, wanted to have a walk/run on a college campus since one of the largest groups affected by HIV/AIDS is 18-25 year olds. In fact, 56,000 individuals are infected with HIV every year in the United States and half of those infected with HIV are under the age of 24. 

A significant change in the 18th Annual AIDS Hike for Life is that the Class of 2016 was not responsible for sponsoring it, breaking a 17 year-long tradition. Rainbow Alliance, who has been supportive of the AIDS Hike for Life since its inception by participating on the AIDS Hike for Life Planning Committee and forming teams to walk/run in the AIDS Hike, offered to sponsor this year’s Hike for Life after their requests to the Class of 2016 received no response. Special K continued their tradition of singing the National Anthem before the start of the Hike, culminating in 18 years of dedication and support for the cause.

The turn-out for this year’s Hike was phenomenal as many off-campus volunteers, student groups, faculty and staff participated in both the Hike and fundraising. This year, the Hike raised nearly $23,000, totaling approximately $733,754 raised over the past 18 years. Funds raised in the AIDS Hike are dispersed in the local area to support ACR Health’s youth HIV and STD prevention programs and client emergency needs.

“The most important part of the hike pathway was the posters of AIDS victims in front of the Chapel,” Daiyan Hossain ’18 said. “While walking their names reminded me how important of an issue this remains for many people, and am grateful for having been able to help ACR reach their fundraising goal for the event as part of Rainbow.”

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