The 18th Annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas takes place on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at the World Market Center. Supporters throughout the valley will tie together to combat HIV/AIDS by remembering various reasons of "why we still walk."


Community partners big and small are making a commitment to tie together in the fight against HIV/AIDS. For the sixth consecutive year, Grand Marshals of the AIDS Walk, Penn & Teller are putting together the Penn & Teller Challenge raising awareness for AFAN. This year, members of Penn & Tellers' Challenge team will receive benefit packages, according to the amount of funds raised for AFAN. Items in the benefit packages includes: Complimentary Penn & Teller show tickets, VIP night at the Penn & Teller show, meet and greet with hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, private magic lesson and photos, special stage appearance with Penn & Teller at the AFAN Walk, autographed souvenir packet official Penn &Teller Challenge Walk T-shirt, as well as the opportunity to accompany Penn &Teller on their walk at the 2008 AIDS Walk Las Vegas.


This sentence doesn't make sense  The youngest team formed is students from Dondero Elementary. For five consecutive years, students have tied together to support AFAN's cause. This year, more than 100 students, staff and parents are scheduled to remind us of "why we must walk." Dondero Elementary First Grade Teacher Keith Frank has been involved with AFAN since his arrival to Las Vegas. Based on his research about HIV/AIDS, its prevalence, and its impact on communities, Frank wanted to do more. He developed a constructive curriculum to teach his students about the disease and how they can make a difference.


"It is important to teach the students to care about others and get involved in the community," said Keith Frank.


Individual walkers and walk team numbers have grown significantly, sponsorships by local businesses and organizations continue to increase, and public awareness rises with every walk. cdi studios specializing in print, advertising, and web tied together to donate the design of all of  the 2008 AIDS Walk marketing collateral.


The Venetian Foundation has become a sponsor of the AIDS Walk by being a Diamond Sponsor of the event and creating a Venetian AIDS Walk team. Proudly heading up the Ventian AIDS walk team is Carolyn Havens. This year's walk gives her an opportunity to stand up and be counted. Haven's life has been directly affected by disease. Her reason for walking stems back to 1986 when her husband was diagnosed with AIDS, which he contracted in the Navy from a blood transfusion during his time in the Vietnam War. Havens and her husband kept the cause of his illness a secret, unable confide in friends and family because of the stigma associated with the disease. The couple dealt with his illness quietly to his death in 1987, of which many thought he died of cancer.


Over the decades, Havens has struggled to come to terms with the process of losing someone she loved and not being allowed to properly mourn because of the limited resources of the community to provide support.  By walking on the Venetian AIDS walk team, Havens has a chance to help dismantle the stigma of AIDS and help prevent those in Las Vegas from having to deal with this issue alone.


To participate in this year's AIDS Walk visit the AFAN website at www.afanlv.org.