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Volume X, Issue No. 6
July, 2004
HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network
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Volume X, Issue No. 6
July, 2004
HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network
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DIVAPALOOZA RAISES
$8,500
For HAVEN and AIRS
By Tony Teano
The Bawlmer Hons’ motto: the higher the hair, the closer to God. Dancing drag divas costumed as big juicy steamed Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs. Singing versions of the “Bromo” Tower and the “Warsh-ington” Monument. A shotgun wedding and childbirth, ahem, “Teletubbie-birth,” to none other than Tinkie Winkie. Tributes to Abba, Bette, Ella, and Ma Cass, and more—including a telephone call by Julia Child to Martha Stewart. These are just a few of the vibrant images emblazoned forever on the minds of those who attended Divapalooza 2004—and which will keep those individuals who stood too close to the stage in therapy for years to come.
The crowd loved it. “It was a fabulous event. Everyone was so talented. It was a thrill to have fun and support such worthwhile causes. The Divas are to be commended for their efforts and generosity,” said Reverend Wayne Schwandt of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Chesapeake.
At approximately 1 p.m. on April 17, 2004 a group of men gathered at a darkened hall in Millersville. By 7 o’clock, they had transformed: cosmetics were generously applied by experts who specialize in trauma make up; Gibraltar-sized cubic zirconias were placed on fingers and earlobes and dainty chains around necks that football players would be proud of; and history was made. Men were nowhere to be found. But drag queen “divas” were aplenty. Together known as “Divaplooza,” the group raised $8,500, which was split evenly and donated to the Annapolis-based HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network (HAVEN) and the Baltimore-based AIDS Interfaith Residential Services (AIRS). The group covers production costs themselves so that all of the money raised at the event can go directly to the charities.
Frank McCully, A.K.A. “Bawlmer Suzy” and “Delta Buick,” said, “The cast and crew are amazing. When that curtain opens, the audience is always surprised by their creativity and professionalism. No one believes we’re just a misfit bunch who does this once a year for charity. We hope to continue this for a long time.”
When asked about the donation, HAVEN’s Director of Volunteers and Client Services, Tony Teano, said, “without their generosity, it would be even more difficult for HAVEN to make ends meet. HAVEN’s clients, staff and volunteers are very fortunate to count the Divaplooza cast and crew among our closest allies in the struggle against HIV/AIDS.”
Recently, HAVEN, a small agency with 4.5 full time employees and contractual staff who serve approximately 140 people a year, has faced gargantuan challenges. HAVEN relies upon federal Ryan White CARE Act grants for about two-thirds of its funding. For the first time in a very long time, the Baltimore area’s—and therefore HAVEN’s—federal funding has been reduced. HAVEN has suffered a 14.9% cut from last year’s actual Ryan White expenditures, equating to $28,000. “Additionally,” Mr. Teano added, “beginning in 2003, local government budgetary restrictions did not allow for the county to continue giving us a $10,000 grant. Also in 2003 a foundation that had been supporting us with $5,000 for a decade ran out of funds. All of that adds up to a $43,000 shortfall for 2004.”
"The $4,250 from the Divapalooza 2004 show really helps the agency a lot. We highly value the friendship, dedication and kindheartedness of each and every person associated with Divapalooza," said Teano.
By Rhonda Vous
Q. Is there a link between HIV and other STDs? What are the signs of other STDs?
A. According
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with the
presence of other STDs are two to five times more likely to become infected
with HIV. Having STDs that can cause open sores, such as herpes, is especially
risky. However, STDs that do not cause open sores still pose a threat. Many people assume that they would know if
they had HIV or other STDs. But some STDs, like HIV, often do not show visible
symptoms. What this means is you can't tell just by looking. Also, viruses can
still be spread even without symptoms. The only way to know if you have HIV or
other STDs is to get tested.
By Tony Teano
Beginning in July, the Newsroom crew will meet on the third Thursday of the month at noon (instead of the third Wednesday at noon). The Newsroom crew is a vibrant cast of characters who have a lot of fun. Always exchanging ideas, Newsroom is never dull, and it proves to be a great place for volunteers and clients to come have fun while providing an essential service to the agency.
Last month, Faye brought in an article at the last Newsroom from “Overture,” the magazine of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, that featured a story about John Corigliano, whose composition “The Red Violin Concerto” inspired the popular art film “The Red Violin,” which, in turn, received the Academy Award in 2000 for Best Score. Another one of his masterpieces, “Symphony No. 1, Of Rage and Remembrance,” is about his passionate response to the AIDS crisis.
Corigliano says, “During the past decade, I have lost many friends and colleagues to the AIDS epidemic, and the cumulative effect of those losses has, naturally, deeply affected me. My First Symphony was generated by feelings of loss, anger, and frustration.” Each movement to the symphony sets a mood or recalls a friend. One movement is based on the improvisational musings of Corigliano and a college friend, whose life was claimed by HV a few years later.
Since I have “Of Rage and Remembrance” on compact disc, I will bring it to the July Newsroom. Between the music and the article, which will also be available to read, this will probably be a cultural high-water mark for Newsroom! Why not come and be a part of it? Newsroom will meet at noon on Thursday, July 15th at the HAVEN office.
By Tony Teano
“HOPE for Change” is a confidential, gospel-based addictions
support ministry of Broadneck Evangelical Presbyterian Church located at 235
Bay Dale Drive in Arnold (410-626-8122).
Everyone who has had or is having a struggle with a substance, activity,
or state of mind, is welcome to share their experience. They also welcome family and friends who
have been affected by someone struggling with addictions. “Healing Obsessions
with Power and Endurance for Change” is not a substitute for other recovery
groups, but for many people in recovery who find their strength in the Bible,
it is a great supplement to their recovery work. They provide child-care and youth groups for adults who attend the
meeting, which takes place every Sunday from 6-8pm in the handicapped
accessible Haneke Chapel on the 2nd floor of the Broadneck
Evangelical Presbyterian Church’s Ministry Center. Transportation may be available from other HOPE for Change
members. For further assistance, feel
free to call Jeff Rickett at the church office at 410-626-8122.
By Tony Teano
Recently, a few people working on massage therapy training
at Anne Arundel Community College have offered their skills in training to
HAVEN’s PLWHA’s at no charge. Among
many other benefits, such as relaxation and releasing toxins that build up in
muscle tissue, massage therapy has been widely credited with supporting and
stimulating the immune system as it responds to oppressively beleaguering
environmental conditions, from pollen to stress to the common cold and
more. If you are interested in a free
massage and if you are willing to let someone in training work on you at your
own risk, call me.
QUALITY
OF
LIFE
RETREATS
By
Tony Teano
The Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church sponsors spiritual “Quality of Life Retreats.” Raymond Shattuck is available to answer questions about the retreats (410-626-2834). NOTE: If you register for a retreat and something comes up preventing you from attending, give the retreat coordinator the courtesy of a call saying you will not be able to attend so that he may offer the spot to someone on the waitlist; otherwise, if you are a “no show”, you run the risk of being ineligible for a retreat for an entire year!
WORKSHOPS: A
Retrospective and Prospective REflection
By Tony Teano
A resounding
thanks goes to Art Hansen and Bernadette Zorio for offering their expertise to
lead a workshop on Buddhist Meditation and on Yoga. Their Meditation & Yoga Workshop lasted for 9 weeks, and it
got rave reviews. We owe Art and
Bernadette many, many thanks!
HAVEN is always
seeking ways to enrich the whole community.
We invite volunteers to offer their suggestions for other workshops,
too. For instance, Kim Watson is
offering to lead a discussion group on “The Four Agreements” and has been
writing an article about each of them for the newsletter. I am offering to run an introductory
workshop on the labyrinth and have been sharing personal experiences in the
newsletter.
Kim Watson and I
are pleased to offer the HAVEN Family some programming to enrich the quality of
life for those living with or affected by HIV.
If you have an idea for a workshop, lets run an article about it in the
newsletter and see if there is sufficient interest in the community to create
some enriching programming!
Note: These workshops may be
a great way to work on personal issues.
Remember that you can always take your experiences from this or anything
else to a support group and share what is going on in your life.
By
Kim Watson
The HAVEN community is
exploring having a discussion group led by Kim based on Don Miguel Ruiz’s book,
The Four Agreements. Enrollment
is now open, and discussion dates are pending.
So call the office to find out more information!
Don’t take anything personally – that is the second step to living a more peaceful happy life according to Don Miguel Ruiz in his book The Four Agreements. People’s actions and reactions say far more about them then they do you.
Everybody uses their past experiences and current fears to judge people and events in their life. Therefore, they (re)act in ways that reflect their own reality, regardless of the actual situation. When someone judges you and/or treats you inappropriately, you have two choices:
1. You can take it personally, and react out of anger, frustration, or hurt feelings. Usually, this will encourage the other person to feel justified in their initial action, and they will continue to treat you inappropriately. This often leads to a spiral of negative emotions and a lot of drama. Even after the initial situation is long over, you will often feel angry or guilty about the exchange. You will continue to stay caught in a prison of negative and harmful emotions.
2. Or, you can realize that the statements and actions are a projection of their fears, and not let it get you angry or hurt. Then you can speak your truth, stand up for yourself, and not get caught in the negative spiral of emotions. Rarely do you continue to relive the event, thinking of all the things you could have/should have said. Once the initial exchange is over, you are free from their judgment.
Not taking things personally does not mean that you just ignore everybody, and completely disengage from the world. It means that you understand that everybody is bringing their own baggage along with them, and that not every thing is really about you. It means that you engage with people on a much deeper level, one that allows you to be true to yourself and honest with them, without having to spend all you time and energy in *the drama*.
Being emotionally free from the judgment and actions of others allows you to live a life of peace and love. It allows you to leave anger, frustration, and pain behind. That is the power of the second agreement.
By Tony Teano
I am pleased to offer a workshop on labyrinths for the HAVEN
community. Enrollment is now open. No date has been set at this time. Please contact me if you would like more
information.
The first book I
read on the labyrinth is “Walking A Sacred Path: rediscovering the Labyrinth as
a Spiritual Tool”, by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Canon at Grace Cathedral
in San Francisco. The book has only
been around for a few years, but already it has been hailed as a classic, and
Dr. Artress has been credited with creating the American labyrinth
movement. The following excerpt from
the chapter “Rediscovering the Divine Within” will give you a clue as to why
this is the matter of fact.
Our souls hunger for the lost connection to our intuitive nature
expressed through myths, dreams, stories, and images. We long for a creative, symbolic process that nurtures our
spiritual nature, that feeds the soul….
Walking the labyrinth is a difficult experience to capture in
worlds. Each time I have walked it, I
have felt all the peace of a deep meditation and the joy of being involved in
and with a community of fellow spiritual beings. I have always come away with something that can be applied immediately
to my daily life. It is as if my feet have been imprinted with the spirit. What is most precious to me is that the
labyrinth is not attached (necessarily) to a religion but has a wider and more
personal spiritual quality. It is not
required that one know a certain prayer, have certain parents or be
baptized—the only requirement is to put one foot in front of the other.
If this has whetted your appetite to learn more about labyrinths and to experience one, give me a call and sign up for the workshop (date to be announced).
By Diane Goforth
The H.A.V.E.N. Board of Directors will be meeting until further notice at the county Health Department offices at 1 Harry Truman Parkway. Board meetings are held regularly on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. They are open to the H.A.V.E.N. community. If you would like to sit in, are interested in becoming a member, or have an item you wish the board to consider, please contact Diane Goforth, Executive Director, at 410-544-2244 or DSGoforth@aol.com. Items for the agenda must be submitted 10 days in advance of the meeting. No advance notice is needed for you to sit in.
h.A.v.e.n. FRIENDS
is back on the
third thursday of the month. if you
need transportation, call the office by noon on the wednesday before haven
friends; if it slips your mind and you call after that time, call vance at
410-672-7571.
h.A.v.e.n.
Telephone Numbers
Bob Davis, President
703-841-4460 email:
bdavis@caci.com
or: write to
P.O. Box 514, Arnold, MD 21012
or: Diane or
Tony can have him call you
Executive Director
Diane Goforth
(410) 544-2244
Director of Volunteers & Client Services
Tony Teano
(410) 224-2437
Housing Director & Buddy Services
Coordinator
Vance Larson
(410) 672-7571
Our House Resident Manager
Sharon Dawson
(Reach through Vance or Diane)