Letter to friends

I am about to embark on another cycling adventure. California Cruising: California AIDS Ride 8. 2001 marks twenty years that our world has been battling the AIDS virus. While we have had many successes to trumpet, we still have a long way to go to conquer the disease and the devastation it wreaks on millions of people from all walks of life.

Keep the Hope Alive.
Keep the Love Alive.

California AIDS Ride 8 is the eighth annual AIDS fundraising bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. That's 575 miles of hills (I refuse to talk about mountains), desert heat, ocean winds (when you are not cycling, you might be tempted to call them breezes), and rain (God forbid!) . Participating in this ride is my way of acknowledging that the AIDS struggle is still very much with us and that we all have our part to play, even if it's just a small, supporting role.

AIDS touches all of us, whether we consciously know it in our daily lives or not. When I think back over the last 20 years, more reasons to ride instantly spring to mind. Bill, Al, Gary, Dave, Darrin, Kenn are just a few names in the tapestry of my life whose lives and contributions ended far too soon. On a global level there are millions of other unknown names and many other famous ones inscribed on their loved ones hearts. My ride is dedicated to these special people and keeping their hopes and love alive.

Watching my friends living with this disease has shown me that AIDS demands courage. It takes tremendous inner strength to respond to pain. Those who have been or who are sick have a much harder part to play. I have found strength in witnessing their response to pain and huge struggles, often in the face of ostracism and death.

I can't do this ride alone. I need your help. Cycling the 575 miles isn't the real challenge for me, it's raising the minimum $2700 U.S. required to do the ride. Asking for your help is far more difficult for me, than enduring the seven days of California weather and geography. Knowing you and your support are there, will make it seem like the California sun is warming my soul and that the wind is pushing me along to the finish line.

The money will go to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's (SFAF) work in direct services to People Living with HIV and AIDS. SFAF was founded in 1982 in San Francisco's Castro district as an emergency response to a quickly emerging health crisis. Its primary purpose was simply to assemble and disseminate critical information to gay men who were being diagnosed with a rare and frightening cancer.

Nineteen years later, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation continues to face daunting challenges at every turn with compassion, dignity and a sense of purpose. It is firmly established as a global leader in the fight against AIDS with over 100 employees, 450 volunteers and 120,000 individuals served this year.

Please consider sponsoring me for as much as you can afford. Remember, your pledge can be as large or as small as feels right for you. What will make the difference is all of us doing our part. If you like, you can even conveniently donate to my ride online through a secure web page that will debit your credit card. I think of it as Safe $pending.

Even though the ride isn't until June 2001, please don't wait to donate. While I need to turn the money in on May 1, I'd rather be focussing my Spring energy on training and psyching myself up for the journey.

Cheques should be made payable to California AIDS Ride 8.

Thank you for your help! Together, we can do this.

	CHIP BARKEL
	Rider #2648 (CAR8)

	120 Felstead Ave. Toronto, Ontario M4J 1G4 Canada 416 463 6369




	Email: Chip@ChipBarkelAntiques.com