We held a
very special observance of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2008 at Pack
Place. A week long exhibit of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, hundreds of
visitors from across Western North Carolina and beyond, community
support from the press & media that was exceptional, generous fund
raising from friends and businesses, extraordinary support from our
celebrity spokesperson Andie MacDowell, and the help and support of a
hundred volunteers, the WNCAP Board of Directors, and the World AIDS Day
Steering Committee. It was a memorable week for all who attended and
participated as you will see when you go through the photographs posted
below.
A sincere and warm
thank you to all who attended and contributed to this special event –
please enjoy the photos taken by Frank Bott and Gilles Champagne. If any
of you have photos from the candlelight vigil, we’d love to see them and
share them with others, please send them to me at
pamsiekman@earthlink.net.
If you would like a digital
copy of any photograph ,email
Ken Wilson. Please
include the gallery name (eg: "Quilt Raising, Champagne")
and the number of the photo (located below the photograph)
as well as a brief description of the photograph content.
Andie MacDowell
speaks out in the fight against AIDS at
S&W fundraiser,
A Night to Remember Asheville
came out in full force for “A Night to Remember”
on October 7th 2008, as the Western North Carolina
AIDS Project (WNCAP) kicked off its plans for
World AIDS Day this December. Steve Moberg,
owner of the S&W donated a generous portion of
his sales that evening to help fund the cost of
bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Asheville
for the fist time ever.
The restaurant was
filled to capacity as the attendees enjoyed the
song stylings of singer/pianist Pamala Stanley
while feasting on the evening’s specialties.
Adding to the special moments of the evening was
Internationally acclaimed actress, Ms. Andie
MacDowell, Honorary Spokesperson for Asheville’s
World AIDS Day activities. She spoke from her
heart about her own personal experiences with
dear friends who have died from AIDS over the
years and how difficult it was to stand by and
watch someone you love suffer. Andie also
acknowledged the need to continue to teach and
openly talk about HIV/AIDS in our schools,
churches and communities. She stated that as a
celebrity she is proud to use her voice for
those who cannot and to speak out for the fight
against AIDS here and around the globe.
Click here for Photographs from A Night to Remember.
“World
AIDS Day is a reminder and an opportunity for each of us to recommit to the
fight against AIDS. The battle is not over and millions of people need our
help now more than ever. Help educate others by talking about AIDS. Your
voice and actions are our most powerful weapons we have to prevent the
further spread of HIV/AIDS".
Andie MacDowell 2008 Honorary Spokesperson
World AIDS Day -Asheville
The AIDS Memorial Quilt is
an inspirational and intimate memorial to those who have died from AIDS.
There are over 47,000 panels that make up the Quilt and it has been seen
by over 16 million people since 1987. The AIDS Memorial Quilt is
intended to foster healing, heighten awareness and inspire action in the
age of AIDS.
WNCAP blended these two initiatives together from November 24 – December 1,
2008.
Asheville and the surrounding areas had the opportunity to view
the Quilt in a public and free exhibit, and then come together to
remember the lives of those who have died from AIDS, those who are
living with HIV/AIDS, the care takers, the orphaned children, and
doctors and nurses, and the countless number of friends and families who
continue to grieve.
World AIDS Day
began in 1988 in an effort to assist the United Nations in keeping the
fight against AIDS on the agenda of our global political leaders. It is
a day of solidarity around the globe recognizing those who have died,
those who are living with the disease and affected by the disease, the
advances in science and medicine, the unending funding requirements, the
ongoing tragedies resulting from the disease such as AIDS orphans, and
so much more.
(Lyrics)
Interested in remembering a
loved one by
creating a panel for
The AIDS Memorial Quilt?
WNCAP would like to help.
Email Chris in Volunteer
Services or call him
at 828-252-7489.
Information about The
Memorial Quilt (provided at The Names Project Foundation web site)
Asheville
came out in full force for “A Night to Remember”
on October 7th 2008, as the Western North Carolina
AIDS Project (WNCAP) kicked off its plans for
World AIDS Day this December. Steve Moberg,
owner of the S&W donated a generous portion of
his sales that evening to help fund the cost of
bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Asheville
for the fist time ever.
“World
AIDS Day is a reminder and an opportunity for each of us to recommit to the
fight against AIDS. The battle is not over and millions of people need our
help now more than ever. Help educate others by talking about AIDS. Your
voice and actions are our most powerful weapons we have to prevent the
further spread of HIV/AIDS". 
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