by ALEX P. VIDAL
CHICAGO, Illinois — A Seattle-based foundation for West Coast gay and lesbian minority has approved the participation of a Cebuano AIDS crusader in the 2009 AIDS LifeCycle which will unwrap on May 31-June 6, 2009. Cyclists and volunteers will travel 545 miles through beautiful California from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
The Right to Life Foundation said Christopher Cabansay of Cebu City, Philippines has qualified to participate in the event which will raise money to help beneficiaries and continue to provide the critical services and education needed to meet the growing needs of community.
It is the official cycling event of the San Francisco AIDS Foun-dation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbain Center.
Cabansay will join as volunteer as the foundation bigwigs unanimously approved the donation of at least $5,000 to hold in the campaign to increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among participants, their donors and the general public.
Michael Barron, AIDS LifeCylce director, said the event will address the widespread misperception that HIV and AIDS are no longer a problem. "In fact more people are living with HIV & AIDS today than ever before, which means a much greater need for services," he said.
It will also provide a reminder that the rate of HIV infection is increasing, particularly in communities of color and in individuals under the age of 25.
In California alone there are 60,000 people living with AIDS, and another estimated 91,000 living with HIV, many unaware of their infection, it was learned.
Each cyclist will be required to raise a minimum of $3,000. Each cyclist is assigned to a personal Cyclist Rep-resentate for assistance with training, fundraising, and emotional and practical support from the moment they register through the event’s completion.
EFFECTS OF RECESSION?
Pinoy Olympians To Earn More
Than U.S. Tracksters
Filipino athletes stand to earn more cash incentives if they harvested medals in the 2012 London Olympics compared to what members of the United States track and field team will get for the same feat.
While the Philippine government, with the help of a giant telecommu-nication company, has pledged to award cash prizes worth P12 million (about $232,800), P3 million (about $58,200) and P1 million ($19,400) for gold, silver and bronze medal winners, the United States Olympic Committee will give only $25,000 (about P1.175 million) for gold medalist, $15,000 (about P705,000) for silver medalist, and $10,000 (about P470,000) for bronze medalist in track and field.
However, USA Track & Field chief executive officer Doug Logan recommended paying additional $15,000 to those who will achieve personal best at the Games and $5,000 to those who will hit their high mark of the season.
Logan wanted the United States track and field team to improve from the 23 medals it won in Beijing in August 2008 to 30 at the 2012 Games in London. The Associated Press quoted Logan: "We have to do more to support and cultivate our talent, but it is undoubtedly there."
Logan also recom-mended shortening the trials for the Games as ways of improving the team’s results after a dis-appointing effort in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This was his response to an unflattering 69-degree report issued last February by a panel that examined the federation’s problems after the United States won only seven gold medals in Beijing.
He said the failures in Beijing were not merely aberrations but were proof that validates "the unease felt by many" in American track and field.
Meanwhile, more windfalls await victorious Filipino athletes most particularly amateur boxers in international competitions aside from the World Summer Olympic Games.
These are: P2 million, P1 million and P500,000 for gold, silver and bronze medal winners in the Asian Games; P1 million, P500,000 and P250,000 in World Championships; P300,000, P200,000 and P100,000 in the Southeast Asian Games and P30,000, P20,000 and P10,000 in minor international tournaments.
The Philippines, however, has not won a gold medal in the Games and the highest achieve-ment of Filipino Olym-pians were the silver medals won by boxers Anthony Villanueva in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. /MP
No comments:
Post a Comment