This year will be Pittsburgh AIDS Walk's last, said organizers, citing competition from other charity walks, declines in participation, a tight economy and missed fund-raising goals. Last year, the rain-beset event drew only 800 people and did not get close to its $200,000 goal, down from $250,000 in 1999.

"When you think of all the time and resources that we spend on this, and you only come up with around $56,000 it just doesn't make [financial] sense," said Gina Focareta, spokesperson for the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force (PATF), the walk's organizer. An appeal to those deterred by the rain raised another $33,000. PATF is considering a dance marathon or basketball tournament for next year. This year's walk, "A Push Towards the Finish," will be held June 6.

Elsewhere, the fundraisers have had mixed results:

• This year's walk in New York City raised a record $5.4 million. Walk proceeds comprise over 20 percent of the budget of Gay Men's Health Crisis, said GMHC spokesperson Lynn Schulman.

• After canceling its 2002 walk in Dayton, Ohio, the AIDS Foundation of Miami Valley sponsored a 2003 walk whose proceeds were down by 20 percent. Foundation Executive Director William Hardy wonders about the walk's future, with its lower public support and competition from other walks.

• "We're nowhere near topping a million [dollars] like we did in the late '90s," said Jackie Long, spokesperson for Colorado AIDS Project and AIDS Walk Colorado. Nonetheless, the 17th annual walk is projected to reach its $700,000 goal in August, she said.

• After declines, the District of Columbia's AIDS Walk Washington has started to grow again, said Tim Turnham, development director for Whitman Walker Clinic, the event's sponsor.

• "AIDSWalk for us continues to be a large source of our funding," said Robb Reichard, executive director of the AIDS Fund, sponsor of AIDSWalkPhilly.

Back to other news for May 25, 2004

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