So, today's my birthday & I'm 49. I have received lots of birthday wishes from folks here & Facebook - thank you everyone! I have plans for a really nice day: sleep in, run some errands & go to the gym. Yes, I'm going to the gym on my birthday. I've got some stuff to train for - wanting to do the 50 mile route on the Hill Country Ride, then the Skeese Greets Triathlon on Mother's Day and the Danskin Tri in June. So, yes, I'm working out on my birthday.
But -- what I really want for my birthday is donations for the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. This will be my 14th year doing the Ride (some day I hope to actually ride every mile of it, but that's a matter for discussion in a Weight Loss Kos diary) and I would really like to raise a ton of money for this cause that matters so much to me. This ride raises money for services for persons with AIDS in the central Texas area. Food bank, counseling services, legal services, and numerous other ways of assisting our brothers & sisters who are ill. There are people I love dearly who are HIV+ & who need the services AIDS Services of Austin provides, but what's more important are the people I don't know. The people I know have people who care about them. What really drives me - what makes me want to raise more money every year, are the people who don't have anyone. That's why this is important. I want to help the people I love, but I want people who have no one to have the help they need.
This ride benefits AIDS Services of Austin & other organizations in Austin that provide direct assistance to people with HIV & AIDS. They do things like case management, a food bank, and prevention & education. Everything they do helps people.
The amazing David Smith, our former Ride Director, says that we get a glimpse of the way the world should be on this ride and it is true. If you are close enough to Austin to do this ride, you really should. It is amazing, and the kickoff party next Friday will be amazing. But if you're not lucky enough to live in the Austin area, could you please donate? I know times are tight and lots of other people are asking for money, but this is different. These donations will directly help out people who really need it. Food and counseling and assistance with housing and legal matters -- these are real things that people really need. So, for my birthday, please donate to the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. Thanks!
And you know it wouldn't be a me diary without some U2 youtubes - I wouldn't want you to think this diary is by an imposter, so here's the song I play in my head to get me over the hills:
We just finished a tough campaign, and people are probably e-mailing you to ask to help to retire the campaign debt. I would never say not to help out a good progressive candidate. But if you want to know for sure that you directly helped another human being, donating to the Hill Country Ride for AIDS will do that.