November 25, 2005

20 honored for their roles in 20 years of AIDS service

by Nora Vondrell

Dayton--In honor of World AIDS Day and AIDS Resource Center Ohio?s twentieth anniversary, please join in honoring 20 individuals who have influenced the HIV and AIDS community over the past 20 years.

The event will be held on World AIDS Day, Thursday, December 1. It begins at 6:30 pm with heavy hors d?oeuvres, a cash bar, meet and greet with the honorees and honoree displays explaining their contributions to the fight against AIDS.

At 7:30 p.m., the honoree presentation begins, emceed by Marsha Bonhart, WDTN Channel 2 news anchor.

?20 Years, 20 Faces? will be held in the Kettering Tower Lobby, 40 N. Main Street, Dayton. Parking is available in the Kettering Tower parking garage off Jefferson St. between 3rd and 2nd Streets.

Admission to the event is $60 per person, $30 of which is tax-deductible. All proceeds to benefit AIDS Resource Center Ohio and its work in 35 counties in western and north-central Ohio.

Tickets are available on line at: www.arcohio.org. Seating is limited to 300 persons. For reservations, questions or comments, contact Nora Vondrell at 937-4612437 ext. 27.

20 Years, 20 Faces

Richard Aleshire

As the Ohio Department of Health?s Ryan White CARE Act Title II Program administrator, Aleshire has provided excellent oversight of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and related activities. He has also spoken out against public funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

Sister Carol Bauer

Bauer was a member of the merger committee that led to the 1992 formation of AIDS Foundation Miami Valley. She assisted in building collaborative support from the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, Premier Health Partners and other resources. She currently serves as an AIDS Resource Center Ohio Board of Trustees member.

Robert L. Brandt, Jr.

Founder of several of the region?s earliest HIV and AIDS programs, for more than two decades Dr. Brandt has been a leading provider of expert primary care services for people living with HIV or AIDS and their loved ones. He also started the Miami Valley Physicians for AIDS Care, which seeks to increase standards of care for people living with HIV or AIDS in the region. He is a former AIDS Resource Center Ohio Board of Trustees member and current honorary trustee.

Peter Comacho

Comacho has assisted ARC Ohio Executive Director Bill Hardy with AIDS Watch activities in Washington D.C., meeting with congressional members to advocate for continued funding for HIV programs in the U.S. and Ohio. His willingness to personalize HIV and AIDS is a crucial part of growing advocacy efforts.

Louis Escobar

A founding volunteer of David?s House Compassion, an AIDS Service organization serving Toledo and the surrounding counties, Escobar?s HIV-related activities have continued for two decades. As president of the Toledo City Council, he continues to advocate for HIV and AIDS funding, services and antidiscrimination.

Wilfred Ellis

One of leading providers of outpatient primary care for people living with HIV or AIDS in Lima region for many years, Dr. Ellis has been a key supporter of ARC Ohio?s services since ARC Ohio?s introduction to the area in 2002. He has also donated space for AIDS services in his Lima office for over five years.?

First Baptist Church

One of Dayton?s first churches to exemplify a compassionate response to HIV, First Baptist Church has hosted AIDS Foundation Miami Valley events, monthly dinners for people living with HIV or AIDS and their loved ones and other programs for over 15 years. They remain staunch supporters of the community.

Howard Getz and the
Dayton Area AIDS Task Force
and Volunteers

In 1984, responding to growing alarms within the community, Getz and the Task Force founded the buddy program, a support system for people living with HIV or AIDS as well as risk reduction outreach to gay males, among whom the virus was spreading rapidly. These vital programs evolved into the services of AIDS Foundation Miami Valley (formed through merger in 1992) and today, of ARC Ohio.

L. Daniel Hamlett, Jr.

As a person living with HIV for over 20 years, Hamlett has assisted in putting a real face and history to the disease. He worked with other volunteers in starting AIDS Foundation Dayton--allowing the group to meet in his home before the organization had a place of their own. In addition, he served as a valuable volunteer for AIDS Resource Center Ohio in multiple capacities for over 12 years, and only stopped when the progression of his illness made volunteering too difficult.

Lisa Hanauer and Sue Spiegel

Lisa and Sue have provided exemplary financial support by chairing Cheater?s Croquet, serving on other event committees through corporate support, and by their generous personal contributions. Hanauer is also a prior board member and current honorary trustee.

U.S. Rep. David Hobson

Author of Ohio?s first AIDS anti-discrimination bill, Rep. Hobson has continued to advocate for the ongoing needs of people living with HIV or AIDS through the federally-funded Housing Opportunities for Persons Living with AIDS program. Hobson is also an ARC Ohio honorary trustee.

Mansfield-Ontario-Richland County
Health Department

The Health Department is the sole provider of outpatient, specialized and primary medical care for people living with HIV or AIDS between Columbus and Cleveland, and a principal provider of HIV counseling, testing and referral services. The Health District is also a key collaborator with ARC Ohio in a federally-funded Ryan White CARE Act Title III capacity-building project aimed at increasing access to health care services for people living with HIV or AIDS in 11 counties in north central Ohio.

Rev. John Maze

A well-respected clergyman in the black community, Rev. Maze has been a significant force in establishing AIDS awareness programming in Dayton?s African American faith community. He assisted ARC Ohio in becoming the region?s certified partner for Balm in Gilead/Black Church Week of Prayer activities. Maze is also a former AIDS Resource Center Ohio Board of Trustees member.

Mitzi McCreary

Mitzi's son, Jim, was one of the first people in the Dayton area whose death was attributed to AIDS. Out of love for her son and concern for the children of others, she became a spokesperson for the HIV and AIDS cause and helped dispel fear and stigma by demonstrating a mother?s love, support and compassion.

Miami Valley Hospital
Community Partnership Program

By providing substantial and exemplary support, the Miami Valley Hospital Community Partnership Program has been instrumental in the introduction of innovative, new programs, including AIDS Aware outreach to the African American community, and the Mpowerment project. The hospital has also provided support for projects seeking to enhance access to medical services and other activities.

Bobbie Myers

Myers has helped to substantially increase awareness about, and support of, HIV and AIDS services in the Dayton community. Over the past 10 years, she has helped raise $1 million in support through five Action Against AIDS galas. These events have grown to raise more support than any other one-night event in the Miami Valley. She is also a past AIDS Resource Center Ohio board of trustees member and current honorary trustee.

The Rubi Girls

These performers and volunteers have raised awareness as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars for HIV and AIDS services in Dayton and Ohio. Their continuing efforts and award-winning documentary film The Rubi Girls continue to personalize and raise support and compassion around this issue.

Tonya Smiley

A highly respected volunteer and spokesperson, Smiley provides leadership and support for many client-based activities, including the Consumer Advisory Committee and Healing Weekends. Her willingness to tell the impact HIV has had on her family continues to move and motivate.

Rev. Richard Young

Rev. Young has been a longtime founder and volunteer of HIV and AIDS prevention and support activities in the region. His support groups, newsletter, advocacy, outreach, and other activities reach those within six predominantly rural counties.

Russ Zimmerman and
AIDS Foundation Dayton
Tree House Volunteers

In 1987, Zimmerman and a company of volunteers formed AIDS Foundation Dayton to address housing, food and other key needs of people living with HIV or AIDS in the Dayton area. These vital programs evolved into the services of AIDS Foundation Miami Valley, and today, of ARC Ohio.

Nora Vondrell is the associate executive director of the AIDS Resource Center Ohio.

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