Ted Robinson won’t stop fighting for HIV and AIDS awareness.
Robinson is getting ready for his 16th year participating in The Friends for Life Bike Rally taking place Aug. 4 to 9. Via bicycle, the Kingstonian will travel from Toronto to Kingston, then Montreal.
The rally raises funds for those living with HIV and AIDS in the three major cities. Robinson is $1,333.79 shy of reaching his $5,671.49 goal this year. If successful, he will have achieved his $100,000 fundraising goal over the course of 16 years.
Fundraising s local businesses in Kingston, Robinson explained in an interview with The Journal. Trellis HIV & Community Care (Trellis) aims to provide education and to those affected by, at risk of, or living with HIV and AIDS.
Robinson is the Board Chair at Trellis. Robinson experiences a range of emotions while fundraising for a sickness that has taken and affected countless lives, some of whom he knew—he pedals for them.
“I think about all the people who we have lost over the years, and I’ve known quite a few. I think about the struggles of the folks that I know who are still living with the virus,” Robinson said.
Pedaling along Lake Ontario, Robinson also reflects on his own experience coming of age during the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
“I think about the struggles that I’ve gone through myself as a young man coming of age during that time when you’re supposed to be experiencing all these wonderful things in life and all of a sudden, [the] concept of being sexually active as a teenager became equated with death,” Robinson said.
A ceremony is held on day four of the bike ride allowing participants like Robinson to share why they’re participating in the event. The ceremony is a celebration of LGBTQ+ communities’ resilience and widespread .
“We frame it as a ceremony because we are celebrating the resiliency of our community and the fact that so many people are still here,” Robinson said.
Robinson doesn’t want the physical aspect of biking or fundraising to deter those interested in the rally. Leading up to the event, there’s a training program for participants to aid with the intensity of the ride.
“I would encourage anybody interested to reach out,” Robinson said. “ing this event will change your life.”
Robinson is still accepting donations for the rally on The Friends For Life Bike Rally website.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].