A record breaking $79,021.28 was raised at the 2010 AIDS Walk. Although the temperature was chilly, the atmosphere was blazing hot, which was clearly evident when top individual fundraiser Paul Rushanski, raising a total of $6,500, began the walk in a pair of gold lamee shorts & a cut-off t-shirt. Hundreds of supporters came out to ensure that we could continue to provide supportive services to HIV-positive individuals and state of the art prevention education. Now in its fourteenth year, the AIDS Walk/Run continues to become much more than a fundraising Walk/Run, rather a Walk/Run festival! The talented Lukus Wells and Dr. Colin Marcus provided the musical entertainment. Juggler extraordinaire Will Stafford wowed us with his amazing performance, the children were

delighted with their new balloon animals designed by Phil Messina and once again the zoo mobile was a big hit! Local business made the Walk/Run quite exciting when they surprised the participants with thank-you gifts along the Walk/Run path. All in all, it was a fabulous day filled with laughter, fun and tender moments. A huge thank you to our sponsors, donors, walkers, volunteers and to those we serve.

positive focusServing Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga & Tompkins Counties

Summer 2010 www.stapinc.org

w w w . s t a p i n c . o r g

AIDS WALK/RUN 2010

STAP Board of Directors raised an unprecidented

$20,769.34!

continued on page 4

It has been an eventful spring, here at STAP. At the end of March we were notified that we were being awarded three new grants. This was obviously good news, given that state funding for our programs has sustained a series of cuts over the last two years and remains in jeopardy. The lifting of the federal ban on syringe exchange funding allowed the Center for Disease Control to provide monies to assist with our syringe exchange programs in Tompkins and Broome Counties. The new funding came just in time and will allow us to keep these programs operating in spite of the cuts in state funding.

STAP has also been funded to provide HIV and sexu-ally transmitted disease prevention services to Women in Broome and Chemung Counties. We are excited about the opportunity this grant affords us to work more intensively with women to increase their sexual health. STAP will also be collaborating on this grant with our local health depart-ments (again) and Planned Parenthoods. We feel blessed to have such great people within all of these organizations who are willing to offer expertise that we do not have.

We were also fortunate enough to be awarded monies from the AIDS Institute to do outreach to active substance users in Broome and Tompkins Counties. The major focus of this grant is not only educating people about HIV, Hepa-titis and sexually transmitted diseases, but to help them gain access to substance use treatment.

All this good fortune will require months of work to hire the new staff, train them, rent space for them, set up com-

puters and phones and on and on. It can be difficult to remember why we do all that we do here at STAP when mired in the rush of the day-to-day details.

Lucky for me that in the midst of all of this I was able to attend the last day of our annual Sky Lake Retreat for clients of the agency. The retreat always invigorates me, clears my mental fogginess and helps me to refocus on why the work that we do is so important. It is about pre-venting new HIV infections and helping those living with HIV to live the good life in spite of the challenges of this disease. I am awed on a regular basis by the resilience and zest for life that our clients have. I recognize anew every year how much they have to teach me about being present in my own life and paying attention to what really matters. They help me renew my commitment to fight hard for what STAP requires while being gentle with others and to assure that STAP remains a human organization no matter how large or small we may become.

Success personally or professionally often hinges on cer-tain key relationships and how those relationships funda-mentally change us. I have been lucky to have just such a relationship with the outgoing chair of STAP’s consumer advisory committee. His own administrative background allowed him to help me see how to function within the maze of rules while still doing as much as possible for HIV+ per-sons. He has truly been a leader in the HIV community and a mentor to me. I ask you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he confronts his next challenge.

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from the director...

page header

TOP 3 FUNDRAISING TEAMS

STAP Board of Directors: $20,769.34 TEAM ROBBIE: $13,398.08 TEAM FRITO-LAY: $ 6,106.00

TOP 3 INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISERS

Paul Rushanksi: (see shorts below): $6,500 Angela Carro: $4,939.84 Joshua Ludzki: $3,115.87

TEAMS

African Student Organization, APAC, SUNY Cortland, Barbers Fighting AIDS, BCC Anime Club, Bears of Bing-hamton, Christ the King, Delta Sigma Theta, For Love of Lee, Frank’s Team, Identity, IHS AIDS WALK, KBH, Kids Who Care, Malik Fraternity Inc., Mu Phi Epislon, Newark Valley Middle School, Nu Alpha Phi, Phat Katz, Prancing Queens, Raised by Individuals, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sig-ma Omicron Pi, Sigma Psi Zeta, STAP Board of Directors, Team Advanced, Team Becky, Team Elmira, Team Frito Lay, Team Greg, Team Leahey, Team Red, Team Robbie, Team Tabernacle, Team Tony, The Rob Squad, The Win-ning Team, UE High School, UHS Dragon Slayers, Vestal High Scool & X-Factor Thank you!

AIDS WALK/RUN SPONSORS 2010PRESENTING SPONSORS:

Excellus BCBS United Health Services

Kids Tent Sponsor: M&T Bank

BAE, Bassett Hospital, Frito-Lay, J&K Pluming, Lourdes Hospital, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Pronto Cucina, Target, Time Warner Cable, Tioga Downs UPS Vestal, Wegmans, Weis Markets, Wendys, YMCA

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volunteer update

ADMINISTRATIONJohn Barry, Executive DirectorJulie Kerr, Director of FinanceMary Kaminsky, Director of DevelopmentJoseph Caminiti, Dir. of Information SystemsKim Conrad, Special Events CoordinatorCandace Phelan, Volunteer CoordinatorAnne Baron, Fiscal AssistantKristina Hagen, IS and CS AssistantGinny Miller, Program AssistantNancy Bosworth, Executive AssistantJackie Centerwall, Administrative Assistant

CLIENT SERVICES Gayle Pado, Director of Client ServicesWendy Hitchcock, Assistant DirectorMichelle McElroy, Assistant DirectorRobin Carroll, Medical Advocacy CoordinatorLoren Couch, Housing CoordinatorJoanne Carlyle, Housing Referral Placement Spec.Shannon Sprague, Case ManagerTodd Latzko, Community Follow-up WorkerJames Elrod, Medical AdvocateJennifer McKenzie, Case ManagerJean Wilson, Case ManagerGry Bente Johansen, Case ManagerLyndsay Grinberg, Case ManagerTeresa Wage, Case ManagerStacie Kuettel, Case ManagerTerri Shields, Case ManagerJuan Rios, Case Management TechnicianJim Jelliff, Case Management TechnicianBeth Pittman, Case Management Technician

PREVENTION SERVICESJeffrey Wynnyk, Director of Prevention SvcsJoe Barnett, Asst Director & Senior EducatorLillian Fan, Harm Reduction EducatorDesiree Argentina, Harm Reduction EducatorCharles Robinson, COC EducatorEthan Lewis,MPowerment CoordinatorNoah Cooper, Mpowerment AssistantLawrence Parham, Asst Dir, Project VIIBES, Coord.Leah Compos, AmeriCorp MemberChalanda Graham, Project VIIBES EducatorVanessa Davis, LGBT Youth EducatorErin Gotthardt, Asst Director, LGBT Youth ProgramJeffrey Prior, Prison Re-Entry CoordinatorCathy Carpenter, Prison Re-Entry Assist

REGIONAL TRAINING CENTERGreta Immerman, Regional Training Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPaul Rushanski, PresidentTina Ruocco Dolan, Vice PresidentGrant Best, TreasurerMichelle Duffy, SecretaryRalph KlotzbaughKelly BulkeleyNancy McGowanPamela MischenJamie CornellJoshua B LudzkiErik vonHausenAngelo FioriMichael Grasso

The volunteer department would like you to meet Cyn-thia Knight. Cynthia is one of the agency’s valuable volun-teers. She has been volunteering for STAP since 2007. When I asked Cynthia why STAP? She said that she read an ad asking for help at the front desk in our Johnson City office.

Since that time Cynthia has covered the reception desk, gathers and sends out the monthly mailing for our PAWS (Pets Are a Wonderful Support) Program. Dogs and pets are very near and dear to her and she understands their value. She helps at the annual AIDS Walk/Run and Doggone Fun on the Run events. She also is available to help out at the John-son City office as needed.

Cynthia’s philosophy is to give to others what you are able to and to share your talents. One of the many talents that she shares with STAP clients is her talent to complete tax forms. Two years ago Cynthia came to me and asked if she could help clients complete their taxes. She explained that in addi-tion to filing a tax return there are a few things that people may be eligible for that they do not know about it. So we advertise the free service in the client newsletter for clients to take advantage of. This year alone she has helped approxi-mately 25 clients with their taxes.

Thanks you Cynthia for all that you do for clients and staff.

www.STAPINC.org | 5www.STAPINC.org | 5w w w . s t a p i n c . o r g

SAVE THE DATESeptember 11, 2010 come out for the AIDS RIDE For LIFE To ride or volunteer - www.aidsrideforlife.org - 607.272.4098October 2, 2010 be a “Pawticipant” at the DOGGONE FUN on The RUNTo join in the fun – www.stapinc.org - 607.798.1706

If you have a talent to share and want to volunteer for STAP please contact:

Candace PhelanVolunteer Coordinatorcphelan@stapinc.org607.798.1706

volunteer corner

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The AIDS Ride For Life is more than a bike ride:

Join us for this fundraiser that increases awareness about HIV and AIDS and supports the Southern Tier AIDS Program. It is about bringing together rid-ers, volunteers, sponsors and lo-cal businesses for an important cause! Riders will choose to ride 50, 90 or 100 miles around Cayuga Lake while enjoying the support of regular pit stops, road crew vehicles and massage therapists. Volunteers serve es-sential roles by setting up and staffing pit stops, serving dinner, marking the route or parking bi-cycles!

We hope you consider partici-pating in the AIDS Ride for Life and becoming a part of this up-lifting event on Saturday, Sep-tember 11th!

Why We Ride

This event is about HIV/AIDS and the fact that it has not gone away.

It is about the 40 million people in the ·world estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS.It is about the 1.5 million people in the US that ·have been infected with HIV.It is about the fact that New York is #1 in the U.S. ·in AIDS cases It is about the 6,000 people in the world who die ·every day from AIDS related illnesses.It is about giving hope and support to the ·hundreds of people who struggle with HIV and AIDS in our community.It is about making sure our communities receive ·honest, accurate and up to date information about HIV/AIDS and how to stay safe, reduce risk and make healthy choices.It is about promoting and sharing understanding; ·the understanding that HIV/AIDS is an incurable, but preventable disease.

The AIDS Ride for Life is about the stories yet to be told, the lives yet to be saved, and the dreams yet to be realized.

It’s an Experience!

local resources

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Organizing and producing a benefit for an individual is no easy task! When hearing of Brian Wieder’s challenges with medical bills that were not covered by his insurance company and the additional significant expenses of travel-ing and lodging to visit specialists and clinics located in Boston and Connecticut (there are no medical specialists in the area that can help Brian), the fellow members of Brian’s HIV group decided they wanted to help by raising money.

We came up with all kinds of fund raising efforts from a car wash and yard sales to benefits. Of course, the most difficult one is what we decided to do – a benefit.

Richard was able to secure the Chameleon Café, in Endicott for our benefit. It’s a great space for an event. It has a 30-foot bar, a stage and ample space, with food and drinks available. So we were on! Granted, no one but me had any experience in special events. Yet, this group was determined to help Brian. We all pulled together to get the benefit to happen. Oh yes, one other factor - we only had three and a half weeks to accomplish this.

The night of the event, we had over 100 in attendance.

Linda and Maureen had made some serious contacts asking for donations of gift certificates to fill baskets for

gift drawings. The Community Art Class I teach joined in and donated art for the gift drawings. By the time of the event we had a lot of great “stuff” for the drawings.

The next big challenge was for Angela and me packaging and grouping the dozens of gifts we had received. It was like a Christmas wrapping session – on steroids. We dug in and packaged all the gifts in interesting combinations, put them in baskets, framed the art and certificates, labeled them and made them “pretty.” My sister loaned us three eight-foot long tables and we created an elegant and eye-catching display of gift baskets and art. People won gift baskets through drawings.

Luck was with us. Angela and Frank (Angela, who is true to her name is an angel, and Frank who had started “Robbie’s Pantry” in honor of their son) jumped in and volunteered as MCs for the drawings. They did a terrific job and were huge source of support throughout the benefit process.

Richard came up with the entertainment: Jordan in drag as Miranda Alexandra, performed three very athletic numbers with seven changes of outfits!

Our three week production was great fun, entertaining and in a beautiful space.

Benefit for Brian Wieder Challenges, Fun and Generosity for a Friend in Need

by Angelo Fiori

www.STAPINC.org | 9

The outreach from our email invitations put us on Facebook getting us in touch with old friends and classmates of Brian from the Miami Beach area. Scott Ross, a former classmate rallied and got together a group called the Beach Kids and presented Brian a check for $5,780 the day after the event - by web cam. This was a great help and with the amount raised from the benefit and outreach in the Miami area, we cleared over $8,000. This was enough to get Brian going to his specialists.

We’re only 40% of the way there, since Brian’s treatments and travel costs will run $20,000 this year. The benefit was a great start, but Brian is still in need of more funds. We hope you are able to help Brian. And, because his story is not unlike others, we thought you should know why we worked so hard to raise these funds. So, here is some information about his illness and where to send donations.

Thanks every one for your support. It was an honor to work with all of you!

Brian Wieder was recently diagnosed with a debilitating neurological disorder that is called HIV related Autonomic Neuropathy. This is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system which controls the body’s involuntary functions.

Autonomic Neuropathy is characterized by the destruction of the autonomic nerves which causes the disruption in the signals between the brain, the central nervous system and other organs. Once the nerves are destroyed, they are irreparable. This disease will affect Brian’s heart, blood vessels and other internal organs, which will lose their function. Autonomic Neuropathy is a continuously progressive disease and there is no known cure.

Friends of Brian Wieder have established a medical trust fund to assist him with uncovered medical costs which will continue to mount. The trust fund is held by Visions Federal Credit Union and individuals who would like to make a donation should send their check, payable to:

The Brian Wieder Medical Trust Fund

c/o Cynthia Knight/PayeeP.O. Box 2701

Binghamton, NY 13902-2701

The Friends and Supporters of Brian Wieder extend their gratitude for your caring donation. Your generosity will allow Brian to continue to receive the specialty healthcare that he needs which will improve the quality of his life. Thank you!

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journeys: A Spiritual Retreat

by Donna

www.STAPINC.org | 11

I am a control freak. Whether it’s because I’m the oldest child, a Leo, or the wife of an alcoholic – the reason doesn’t matter, I just am. So, for me to give up control of my life at home for 3 days to go on a retreat is one of the hardest things for me to do – until I get there.

Once I arrived at Sky Lake, all illusions of control over my every day life ceased to matter. The focus was now on ME – and I was a valuable, important person. People were genuinely happy to see me – friends I had met last year on the retreat. I also immediately encountered some new faces, and welcomed them, the same way people had welcomed me as a newcomer last year.

After our one and only mandatory group meeting, it was time to eat. We eat a lot at Sky Lake – which means we are taking care of our physical selves. Following lunch, I had an absolutely wonderful massage, and really started to relax. I tie-dyed a t-shirt, then checked out the prayer stick workshop. Knowing that my puppy would absolutely destroy a stick with yarn & feathers on it, I quickly decided that craft wasn’t for me. I sat down and made a beaded necklace, which came out so well that several people asked me to make one of them. Finding that beading relaxes me (who’d have thought – I never have the patience for some-

thing like that!), I gladly obliged. The thanks I got were heartwarming.

The entire three days went along the same lines. At

our support group with Jeff, I gained a

lot of insight into myself by let-

ting the fabric speak for me. I was able to finally lift the gray cloud that had

been hanging over my head since my diagnosis 4 years ago.

After an absolutely delicious dinner the second night (this year the steaks were tender and delicious), we gath-ered downstairs for Karaoke. I attempted Karaoke last year, but was a little too shy. This year, I was there to have FUN – and I sang. Now don’t get me wrong, I know I can’t carry a tune – but I sang anyway. Reba I’m not, but still I sang Fancy. And, thanks to all the positive comments and encouragement I got, and the contagious atmosphere, I sang a second song – Don’t Stop Believing. Since what happens at Sky Lake stays at Sky Lake, I won’t go into par-ticulars about some male staff members who may have put on some interesting clothes….(you’re welcome Jeff.) But we had a ball!

On the last day, it was time to pack, exchange contact information, and for visitors to arrive. My husband came, and although he is quite homophobic, he was cordial and pleasant to everyone there. It was nice to have him experi-ence the closing ceremony, where we shared what we left behind and what we took away from the retreat. Many tears were shed, many laughs, many hugs – the room was alive with emotion. It was a beautiful end to a beautiful ex-perience. One of the most touching things to see people take away from the retreat was the end to feeling alone – together, we can get through this.

This story would not be complete without a special thank you to everyone who helped make this retreat hap-pen – STAP staff and volunteers and all the professionals who donate their time to help us relax and have a spiritual experience at Sky Lake. Also a big thank you to the staff at Sky Lake for providing a wonderful facility and food for our retreat.

So who am I? I am a 48-year old married mother of two beautiful daughters who happens to be HIV+. I refuse to let HIV define me – it is just a very small part of who I am. ~Donna

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On a cold, snowy day in February STAP’s Director of Prevention Services, Jeffrey Wynnyk, and Medical Ad-vocacy Coordinator, Robin Carroll, accompanied seven HIV positive clients to Albany. The group from the South-ern Tier joined the Central New York HIV Care Network and hundreds of other HIV positive individuals for AIDS Awareness Day 2010. The event was sponsored by the New York AIDS Coalition.

The goal of the day was to give HIV positive individuals from across New York the opportunity to meet with their elected representatives and to make their voices heard about how HIV/AIDS impacts their lives and how AIDS service organizations, like Southern Tier AIDS Program, are necessary in assisting them to live healthy, produc-tive lives.

Prior to the trip, STAP’s clients met to discuss strate-gies to become effective advocates for their individual needs. Each visit to a representative’s office would only last about 15-20 minutes, so being able to effectively tell their story was essential. They also learned how the bud-get cuts in 2009 and the 2010 Governor’s Deficit Reduc-tion Plan was affecting necessary services that STAP pro-vides.

Advocacy meetings were held with each of STAP’s

elected representatives in the eight county region that STAP serves. Face-to-face meetings are effective in let-ting elected officials know what is going on in the regions they represent and to the people living in those areas. These meetings help to put a face on HIV/AIDS, replac-ing statistics with real people, and allow a dialogue to happen. Visits were held in the offices of State Senators Libous and Winner and Assembly members Finch, Lupar-do, Crouch, and Lifton.

STAP’s clients who attended these meetings spoke ex-pressively from the heart as to how HIV/AIDS is affect-ing their lives. They also spoke to how the services they receive from STAP are essential in helping them preserve a quality of life that includes maintaining their medical, emotional, and social needs. Issues including housing, transportation, access to local and adequate health care, and other supportive needs were discussed. Their stories were powerful and effective.

By the end of the day, as snow began to fall again, the group traveled back to Binghamton. Feeling empowered by the fact that their stories and needs were heard, hope-ful that the information they provided by their advocacy efforts would assist their representatives to make in-formed decisions as the state budget process continues.

AIDS Awareness Day 2010

www.STAPINC.org | 13

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INFORMATION HOTLINES

National 800-342-AIDS

Spanish 800-342-SIDA

Hearing Impaired 800-AIDS-TTY

Teen Hot Line 800-440-TEEN

New York State 800-541-AIDS

STAP 800-333-0892

HIV TESTING SITES

Broome CountyHealth Department 607-778-2839

Chemung CountyHealth Department 607-737-2028

Southern Tier AIDS Program(STAP) 800-333-0892

Chenango Memorial Hospital607-335-4111

Jacobus Center-Cortland607-753-5027

Planned Parenthood Bingham-ton

607-723-8306

Planned Parenthood Oneonta607-432-2250

Planned Parenthood Sidney607-563-4363

Planned Parenthood Walton607-865-6579

Oneonta Health Center607-433-0042

Tioga County Health Depart-ment

607-687-8600

Tioga Opportunities, Inc.607-687-5333

Tompkins County Health De-partment

800-562-9423

www.STAPINC.org | 15

122 Baldwin StreetJohnson City, NY 13790

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDAlbany, NY

PERMIT #58

ZIP CODE 12202

Summer 2010

friends who care

STAP is serving more men, women, and children than ever in our 26 years of providing services. Say “I care” by sending your gift today. Your generosity makes a difference!

Yes! I can help the Southern Tier AIDS Program continue to provide services for people living with HIV/AIDS and provide prevention services to help reduce the rate of HIV infection in the Southern Tier. Enclosed is my tax-deductible dona-tion of:

❑ $25 ❑ $50 ❑ $100 ❑ $250 ❑ Other: $_________

Checks should be made payable to:STAP, 122 Baldwin St., Johnson City, NY 13790

Please charge my donation to my: ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard

Name:________________________ _____________

Address:________________________ ___________

________________________ __________________

CC#: ________________________ _____________

Exp. Date: ________________________ _________

Signature:________________________ _________