$2,493.40

Hello everyone and welcome to my Friends for Life Bike Rally page!

In 1998 I had the tremendous opportunity to volunteer with Acción Solidaria; an NGO in Caracas (Venezuela) providing callers with information about HIV/AIDS and to assist people with support in whichever way they needed it. That experience changed my life. No one prepared me emotionally for the heart-touching moments I lived, the stories I heard and the people I encountered. One story I remembered clearly was this woman whose partner-in-life had been diagnosed with HIV. Her partner was a member of the Senate. As you can imagine, they did not share that information with anybody as they felt that information would ruin their lives. She was alone in supporting her loved one and it was the first time I faced loneliness to that level of depth. She needed to freely connect with someone in a safe environment. We spoke in multiple occasions, about everything and anything; it was beautiful and sad at the same time. But I remember thinking “No one should be alone like that”; and I promised myself to keep working - in one way or another - with people in need. 

Experiences like that one helped me understand the power of helping others and opened my eyes to appreciate how lucky and fortunate I was for my family, my friends and my life. Unfortunately, not everyone is that lucky and some people need a hand. “These people” could be our friends, neighbour, son or daughter, and our contributions can go far and change someone's reality for the better. After all, like Brené Brown says, “We are other people” and we are all in this together. 

The good thing is that there are associations like PWA (Toronto People With AIDS Foundation), ACCM (AIDS Community Care in Montreal), and TRELLIS (HIV & Community Care in Kingston), that provide services to help others in need. By supporting this cause, you take a stand against stigma and help to save lives, creating a world where health justice is a reality for everyone. 

These services mean the world to those who receive them, and your support means the world to me. The money raised goes to help people living with HIV/AIDS. People who need food, wellness care, peer support or just to be in a place that is welcoming and safe for them.

I hope you'll join me at the Friends for Life Bike Rally and help support my fundraising efforts with a secure online donation using your credit card.  

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Rainer

PS: Please share my link with as many people as you can. The more the better. I really appreciate you passing my link along.