Here's an installment:
I am currently traveling across the United States with my Aids/LifeCycle teammates to embark on our 545-mile bicycle journey from San Francisco to LA. I left New Hampshire at 5am on Wednesday morning to pick up my teammates in New York and from there we have traveled 2,047 miles and are now in Wyoming. We haven’t stopped much other than to gas up and clean off the enormous amount of splattered bugs on the windshield.
My team consists of myself and 3 of my very own Hermanites— Adam Ebnit, Glenn Paladini, and Phillip Schlueter. None of us knew each other before SHF and the team met together for the first time at a charity fundraiser we did at McFadden’s in NYC only a few short weeks ago. It is amazing to me how strong a relationship you can build through social media today. Adam is 31 and works as an Administrator for Community Service and Civic Engagement at NYU; Phillip is 62, and has worked as a Pipe Organ Technician for 35 years; and Glenn is 62 and owns his own auto restoration company for classic cars specializing in GTOs called Chief Restorations.
We are extremely excited to participate in the Aids/LifeCycle because for us it means that our community has grown strong enough in that we are now able to give back to others who are in need. Glenn is riding in memory of his cousin Eddy Sladeck who passed away of AIDS 20 years ago. Phillip is riding in memory of his friends Steven Williams & Kevin Clarke who passed away from AIDS in 2005 and 2006. Adam is riding because he enjoys doing what he can to help others in need and I am riding because I am an advocate for gay rights and see this not only as an opportunity to help others in need, but to also bring more awareness of what is going on in the LGBT Community to my own Hermantion in hopes to help in the fight for equality and understanding across the world.
I would also like to add that one of my VERY close friends whom I have known now for 6 years recently told me that he and his partner have had AIDS for quite some time and although they knew I would never treat them any different if I knew, it was not something that they go around telling others. What made my friend finally want to tell me was that in previous interviews when asked if I knew anyone close to me who was diagnosed with the disease my answer was “no”. He was moved by my statement and when he told me I gave him a big hug and said:
“So? Does that mean you are going to complain in the gym now? Haha.”
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