November Letter from the President: Louis Licitra

What a great AIDS WALK for 2012!

Everyone is just amazing!  We truly have a very caring and giving community that helped raise close to $70K.  Our sponsors, walkers, teams, and volunteers have made it all possible for FACT to go forward with all of our programs including Education and Living Expense assistance in Bucks, Mercer and Hunterdon Counties.  Ken Black was our WALK coordinator this year and has taken on this project five times now.  Ken and his team along with our Board of Directors work very hard on the WALK each year and we need to give them all a lot of credit and a Big FACT Thank You for all the hours and time spent on producing this annual event and making it such a success.  Our board also worked hard on receiving pledge donations and the board alone raised nearly $10K from those efforts.   Thanks to the diligence of board member, David Witchell, we were able to work with FirstGiving on creating an easy and secure way to support the FACT AIDS WALK on-line.  We will continue to send you special links when we have other events throughout the year.  By Proclamation, The Bucks County Board of Commissioners named Sunday, September 23rd, FACT AIDS WALK Day, which Sharita Washington, from the Bucks County Health Department announced at the WALK.

AND at the WALK, and bringing in the most pledges this year are… 

Team Winners are…1st Place:  St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 2nd Place: The Solebury School and 3rd Place:  Team Fieldstone

Individual Winners are…1st Place:  Al Troglio, 2nd Place: Happy Shiply and 3rd Place: Francisca Leistera

Winners receive a special AIDS WALK plaque. The Big FACT Gift Basket was also won by Team Fieldstone!  Congratulations to everyone and A Big FACT Thank You for all of your efforts.  Gary Scibelli of New Hope Shoes on North Main Street, once again had a donation jar for the FACT AIDS WALK and has been a great FACT supporter in collecting donations and selling our red wrist bands at his shop (and in P-Town: See previous post).  The current list of WALK sponsors is located on our web-site and we encourage everyone to support those businesses that support our community.  Shop, dine and have fun all during the year and tell them “THANK YOU” for supporting FACT!

A Big FACT Thank You to the New Hope Chamber of Commerce (www.VisitNewHope.com ) for donating a big portion of the parking lot revenue from the very well attended 2012 New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival to us (held on Sept 29 & 30).  Please support the New Hope Chamber and all of their promoted and sponsored events throughout the year!  The Annual New Hope Holiday Tree Lighting will be held on, Sunday, November 25 at the corner of Ferry and S. Main Streets (The Logan Inn).

We still have one more BINGO event this year.  December 12 is “Jingle Bell Bingo”.  Our Bingo Events are very popular and fun and we have limited seating.  Please come early; doors open at 6-pm at the New Hope Eagle Fire House on Sugan Road.  Since the November, 7 th  BINGO was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy, we are hoping to add a 5th BINGO in 2013 and those dates will be announced shortly.

Also, we would like to see more of you at the annual “The Gift of Giving” Event (FACT is a sponsor) at the Michener Museum; this year on Sunday November 11.  There is more information on The Gift of Giving event in INFACT newsfeed here on our web site.

As the holidays approach and even for birthdays & special events, for those who make local charities as part of their gift giving list, please think of FACT.  If you are making a gift donation for someone, we will be able to send a note to those individuals on whose behalf you are making the donations.  Please remember that your donations stay local and what better way to celebrate someone than giving to those in need?  We, and the individuals that you help, are grateful for your support.  We will have an on-line link for Holiday Gift Giving Donations shortly.  Until then, please contact FACT at 215-862-3325.

The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS [BC/EFA] event held at the Bucks County Playhouse on October 13th was attended by a sold-out audience.  Bebe Neuwirth and Malcolm Gets were spectacular and BC/EFA raised over $160K.  BC/EFA granted $5,000 to FACT in 2012. (www.BroadwayCares.org).  This year, BC/EFA granted $5K to FACT and we look forward to working with this great organization in the future.   The Annual Santa Saturday will be held at the Paradise Dance Club in Asbury Park on November 24.  Sponsored by the Bucks MC, FACT received a $1,000 grant from their 2011 event.  The Bucks MC grants funds to various local PA and NJ non-profit organizations from the Santa Saturday event each year (see previous posting in INFACT NEWS)

FACT has some surprises for you as we move forward in our progress.  We will be posting upcoming event information as well as current news on our web site, Facebook and Twitter.  We would appreciate it if you could “Like” us on Facebook and Twitter as well as giving us any feedback.

Enjoy the Season and we want to be the first to wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

NEWLY  POSTED INFORMATION here at INFACT NEWS

“The Gift of Giving” event on November 11

UNICEF Releases Report on AIDS Related Deaths “Under 5”

Can Funding for HIV/AIDS keep up with Science?

Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Alarmingly High

ACME Screening Room-Lambertville presents “TRANS”

Philadelphia FIGHT Celebrates 20 Years