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Ragon Institute top fundraiser for 34th annual AIDS Walk

Team Ragon raises $64,014 for crucial services


BOSTON, Mass. – On Sunday, June 2nd, 2019, more than 30 Team Ragon members, including Ragon Institute employees and their friends and family, gathered at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell for the annual Boston AIDS Walk and 5K Run. The AIDS Walk, now in its 34th year, is the top fundraising source for HIV/AIDS services and programs in Massachusetts, and has brought in over 40 million dollars for AIDS Action Committee over the years, ensuring that their crucial education, youth, housing, prevention, advocacy, and access services continue to be offered.

 

In addition to the mission of harnessing the immune system to combat and cure human diseases, the Ragon Institute is committed to engaging with the community to improve the lives of those living with or at risk of contracting HIV. Though we’ve made significant scientific advances, the epidemic is far from over, and the services provided by AIDS Action Committee are as essential as ever. Speaking to the importance of participating in efforts to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS locally, Ragon Institute Director and long-time AIDS Walk participant Dr. Bruce Walker says, “as the scientific community continues to work toward the goal of an HIV vaccine, I have committed significant effort to working in South Africa, at the heart of the epidemic, but feel all of us must not forget those living within walking distance, whose lives continue to be crushed by this epidemic.”

 

Dr. Bruce Walker has been involved with AIDS Action Committee since 1991, and the Ragon Institute has been participating in the AIDS Walk since its establishment in 2009. Since then, Team Ragon members have raised a cumulative $455,000, and in 2017, Dr. Walker received the Heroes in Action award in recognition of his dedication. For the past three years, the Ragon Institute has been the top fundraiser for this event, and 2019 was no exception. The team used a variety of fundraising techniques, including hosting an institute-wide trivia night and partnering with local restaurant B. GOOD, to bring in $64,014 toward the AIDS Action Committee’s $500,000 goal.

 
 

Not just a fundraising walk and run, the AIDS Walk and 5K run is also a critical platform for education and outreach and an inspiring day filled with free food, good music, and fun. The walk aims to honor those we have lost to HIV/AIDS, to celebrate their lives and the progress we’ve made over the past decades, and to provide a space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to show their pride. This year’s event included a special guest appearance by transgender supermodel and activist Carmen Carrera, as well as a wellness fair, a dog costume contest, and drag, dance, and poetry performances.

 

If you didn’t get a chance to donate to Team Ragon before the Walk, but are still interested in contributing, donations are being accepted through June 30, 2019. Click here to be taken to the Ragon Institute’s fundraising page to help the AIDS Action Committee reach their goal!