About 25,000 expected Sunday at AIDS Walk Los Angeles
About 25,000 participants are expected to turn out Sunday at West Hollywood Park for the 30th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to kick off at 9:15 a.m. with speeches from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and West Hollywood Mayor John D’Amico. Appearances by Paula Abdul and actress Lea Thompson are also expected.
The 10-kilometer walk will begin and end at the park. The crowd will head east on Santa Monica Boulevard, south on La Cienega Boulevard, east on Melrose Avenue, south on La Brea Avenue, west on Beverly Boulevard and north on San Vicente Boulevard.
Streets along the route will be closed temporarily, although there will be controlled intersections supervised by police where vehicles may cross.
According to its website, the walk raises money for AIDS Project Los Angeles and more than 20 other organizations in the county. The funds go toward providing food, dental care, housing and other necessities for people with HIV or AIDS.
“An estimated 60,000 people are living with HIV or AIDS in Los Angeles County,” said the event’s director of communications, Ben Fordham. “With thousands of new infections occurring every year, it’s still a challenge that we’re facing. That’s why fundraising is so important, so we can continue to provide services to those people.”
The event draws teams of schools, churches, families and friends, some of whom have participated every year since its inception in 1985. Over the years, the walks have raised a total of more than $77 million.
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