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Volume XI, Issue No.
10
November, 2005
HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network
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Volume XI, Issue No.
10
November, 2005
HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network
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HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!
By Tony Teano
Abundance. Sharing.
Joy. Gratitude. These warm words come to mind when I think
of… the people who make HAVEN a
community. I bet you thought I was
going to say “Thanksgiving”, didn’t you?
Well, the two thoughts are especially related in my mind at this time of
year. HAVEN owes a lot of thanks to a
lot of people because they open their hearts to give of themselves to support
this caring community that so many people appreciate.
That’s
why I think it is especially important to take a moment to count our blessings,
only a few of which are: the client volunteers who feel compelled to pitch in
and help at special events and “give back” because HAVEN means so much to them;
the volunteers who not only seek to make a difference, but who really do by
compassionately connecting with real people living with HIV/AIDS; volunteers
who organize fundraisers, especially Divapalooza; volunteers who become buddies;
people who work behind the scenes to keep the webpage going; the folks who
attend to our office support with filing and data entry; collaborations with
United Cerebral Palsy of Southern Maryland volunteers who help with the
newsletter; volunteers who work on articles or editing the newsletter as well
as folding it monthly; partnerships with AACC and their service learners; Delta
Sigma Theta for producing Carnivale; assistance from so many individuals and
students and churches and businesses who contribute to making the vision of our
Holiday Party a reality; the Anne Arundel County World AIDS Day committee;
colleagues at the Anne Arundel County Health Department; and more.
Thank
you for giving so much. And have a very
Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.
Gay
Group
By Diane Goforth
We’re reactivating our Gay Men’s Group! The Health Department, HAVEN, and our mutual Consumer Advisory Board sent out a survey this summer, and 79 were completed and returned! This is a tremendous response, and we want to thank everyone who participated. It will mean a lot to both agencies when we submit our applications this fall for next year’s Ryan White funding. We will report more about our findings later on, but there is one immediate fall-out. 18 individuals said they would attend an HIV+ gay men’s support group. We are really pleased to announce that we have co-facilitators, a date, and a room!
Richard Warren, LCSWC, a therapist in the Anne Arundel County area, and Wayne Schwandt, pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Chesapeake, will facilitate the group. It will meet for the first time on
WEDNESDAY,
NOVEMBER 16, from 7 to 9 p.m.
in the Anthony Room (next to the HAVEN office). It will meet monthly to begin with. So please call Tony (410-224-2437) to
let him know you will attend, and whether you need transportation or
not. All you need to bring is
documentation of your HIV status. And
pass the word!
TURKEY
DINNER
By Tony Teano
WE CARE & FRIENDS will once again hold a free Thanksgiving Dinner at the Historic Stanton Center at 92 West Washington Street in historic downtown Annapolis. This year, the event will be on Monday, November 21st from 4-9 PM. This is an amazing event with great food and cool entertainment. For more information, call 410-263-2874 or 410-295-5223.
UNITED
WAY GIVING
By Tony Teano
Many people have asked if HAVEN is part of the United Way
giving campaign because they want to donate through their workplace. HAVEN does not have a United Way number per
se, but you can still give through United Way if you like! All you have to do is write in: “HAVEN, PO
Box 514, Arnold MD 21012.” Thanks
for thinking of us in this special way!
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED!
By Tony Teano
HAVEN critically needs volunteers to gear up for our Holiday Party, which is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15. Lots of cooks are needed, as are folks to acquire donated gifts as well as to staff the event. Please contact me as soon as possible to let me know you want to get involved in this memorable event. It is an annual highlight for people living with HIV/AIDS in our communities. Lets work together to make sure it is a success again this year. Thank you.
HIV
UPdate
By Tony Teano
There has been a lot of news about HIV
since last month. Here’s a synopsis of
some interesting articles. Contact me
if you would like more information about them.
Sept. 19 GlaxoSmithKline last week in a statement
to the HIV/AIDS patient community said it has suspended a Phase III trial of
the experimental antiretroviral drug aplaviroc after two HIV-positive
participants who were taking the drug developed severe liver toxicity, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Sept. 21 FDA Approves Four Generic Forms of Zidovudine for U.S. Sales After Retrovir's Patent Expires.
Sept. 22 City and county health officials
from across the United States called for universal flu shots Thursday while
warning that the nation's public health infrastructure may not be ready for a
flu pandemic.
Sept. 23 Macrophages, immune system cells
that fight infection, may help cause the dementia seen in some patients with
HIV, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Florida and the
University of California, San Francisco, found that macrophages, in their
attempts to attack HIV, may damage the brain's temporal lobe, where many
memories are stored.
Sept. 30 American doctors could save
hundreds of lives annually by giving HIV tests to patients with fevers and other
signs of viral illness, a new study suggests. While only a tiny percentage of
the sick patients would actually be ill because they're in the early stages of
HIV infection, identifying the disease in these individuals could prevent them
from infecting others, according to the study findings.
Oct. 4 A recent
STD/HIV/AIDS report from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) said
meth-using men who have sex with men (MSM) are experiencing much higher rates
of HIV infection and unsafe sex than MSM who do not use meth. The
study, which includes data from the department's 2003-2004 Project CHAT survey
of MSM, said that 11 percent of the 1,147 MSM surveyed said they had used meth
at least once in the previous year. This rate is seven times that of heterosexual
men in Chicago, but lower than the meth use rates of MSM in San Francisco (21
percent) and New York City (14 percent).
Kudos
to UCP
By Tony Teano and John Quattrociocchi
Since January, staff and consumers from United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Southern Maryland have enthusiastically participated in our monthly newsletter folding group, “Newsroom.” This collaboration has been fortuitous for everyone involved. UCP is a nonprofit organization that is part of a vita group of individuals and nationwide organizations working at the federal, state, and local levels to provide services and opportunities for people with disabilities. It is the mission of United Cerebral Palsy to positively affect the quality of life for people with disabilities, and to provide multiple services, such as supported employment and social activities.
John Quattrociocchi, a UCP staff member, regularly brings anywhere from four to a dozen volunteers who have a good time apply mailing labels and partaking of the good conversation and cheerfulness that imbues the group. Friendships between UCP consumers and HAVEN volunteers have blossomed. UCP consumers acquire new skills, and HAVEN gets the newsletter mission accomplished in record time whenever UCP is there to assist.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to all of the folks at UCP for supporting this
collaboration. We at HAVEN are sorry to
learn that John will be moving on at the beginning of November to another opportunity. However, we are hopeful to build upon the
great collaboration he sought out and maintained.
A-A-ACHOOO!
By
Tony Teano
As
the conditions ripen for flu season to hit us head on, here’s your reminder to
get the flu shot. Talk to your doctor
or case manager for details about the shot, or call the Flu Line at
410-222-7343.
WHEN
IT IS
MORE
THAN
THE
Winter Blues
By Tony Teano
For many people, the holidays can be a depressing time of year. Whether that is because of life experiences and losses, seasonal affective disorder (when the lack of sun affects mood), or other issues, help is available. Coming to HAVEN’s support groups is a great way to connect with others and share what you are feeling. The Anne Arundel County Health Department may be able to offer mental health services to HIV patients who are uninsured—call 410-222-7108 to talk to a case manager and to get details. Also, the Crisis Response System operates a “Warm Line” that can offer a variety of supportive referrals—410-768-5522. Additionally, local hospitals can provide information about support groups for people with depressive and related disorders. In the event of an emergent situation and immediate help is required, dial 911. There is no shame in asking for help when and if you need it.
WeLcome
By Tony Teano
On October 3rd, 16 people attended the HAVEN training, coming from the AACC service-learning office, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and the community at large. Each of these open-hearted, fantastic people stand ready to make a difference. Thank you for all the work you are about to do to enhance the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS in Anne Arundel County.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Vance who pitched in with
the whole training when group got canceled!
Go Team!
Recipes you can
gobble: Get Cookin’ At Ilaria Gourmet
By
Tony Teano
Looking for a great new recipe for your Thanksgiving table? Why not leave through HAVEN volunteer Jan Hendricks’ handy kitchen reference, “Cookin’ with Bert, Brent, Family and Friends”? Jan wrote this cookbook as a loving tribute to Jan’s son, recalling the good times they had together, many of which included great food! Jan gave the books to HAVEN as a donation as her fundraiser idea. The cookbooks are available at Ilaria Gourmet, located in the same shopping center as the WaWa at Admiral Drive and Bestgate Road, very near the HAVEN office. The cookbooks are available for $16.00.
Shop
Westfield!
By Tony Teano
“Westfield Works Wonders,” an after-hours shopping extravaganza offering special sales, promotions, and entertainment, will be on the evening of Sun. Nov. 13. This is a ticketed event. Part of the proceeds go directly to HAVEN. Beat the holiday rush and call me by Nov. 10 to obtain your ticket to this major shopping event.
Save
TheSE DATES!
By Tony Teano
December 1 is World AIDS Day. See the enclosed press release for details about the annual candlelight walk and gathering. The Holiday Party will be on December 15—look for details next month.
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)
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!