SAAF nets large donation for testing
QSanAntonio, June 28

The San Antonio AIDS Foundation received a $15,000 grant from the St. Lukes Health Ministries which will be used to underwrite the cost of providing free HIV tests to the public. The check was presented to SAAF on June 27 by Mike Manuppelli. David Ewell, Executive Director of SAAF and Jill Rips, Deputy Director of SAAF, were on hand to accept the check.

SAAF observes National HIV Testing Day
QSanAntonio, June 13, 2008

The San Antonio AIDS Foundation announced this week that it would observe National HIV Testing Day on June 27. SAAF will offer free 20-minute testing, the cost of which will be underwritten by a $15,000 grant from St. Luke’s Lutheran Health Ministries.

"HIV infection is on the rise in many unexpected demographics," says Vanessa Gonzales, a SAAF HIV educator. "The senior citizen population as well as teenagers and the African American Community are significant in the current number of new HIV/AIDS cases."

"San Antonio is a ‘late to care’ community, which means that people are being diagnosed with advanced AIDS without knowing they were even infected with the HIV virus," says David Ewell, SAAF’s Executive Director. "People find out in emergency rooms when they are admitted for pneumonia, rather than testing early in their infection and taking preventative measures. Based on a local needs assessment of San Antonio, nearly 25% of individuals are diagnosed in local ER’s."

SAAF will offer the free testing on June 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and throughout the year on Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., and 9:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. on Fridays. The 20-minute test, which involves a quick swab of the mouth, is free, and minors do not need parental consent. For more information about National HIV Testing Day hours and details, call SAAF at 210-225-4715 or visit www.txsaaf.org.

Crystal Stone demonstrates a guitar at last year's auction for the SAAF Walk for Life, and at the 2007 Walk for Life with SAAF staffer Sylver Rios (left in photo).

SAAF fundraiser organizing Walk for Life auction
QSanAntonio, June 7, 2008

Crystal Stone remembers back to 1991 when she participated in her first AIDS walk in her hometown of Philadelphia. "I told myself to get involved in something and not wait for it to hit home and then get involved. I walked, made some friends and shed some tears and we raised a lot of money for HIV/AIDS," she says.

Seventeen years later, Stone is still raising money, and doing it well. Last year she raised over $4,000 for the San Antonio AIDS Foundation’s Walk for Life. In the past six years, she’s brought in over $27,000 in donations to SAAF.

Stone is a former on-air DJ and now an account executive for Magic 105.3 in San Antonio. She is also the proprietor of C. Stone Entertainment who can often be seen around town spinning the tunes as a DJ at local clubs. In addition to raising funds for SAAF, she also has served as emcee for the WEBB Party and the Walk for Life.

One of Stone’s motivations in her continued commitment to fundraising was sealed when her sister Jo-Ellen was diagnosed with AIDS. "When we were told that Jo had AIDS we were also told that she had six months to a year to live," she told QSanAntonio. "Well we were blessed in a wonderful way. Due to the efforts of many people who donated their time and money, Jo-Ellen lived five long years. I have seen personally how your donations work. Jo was able to have food delivered to her home, assistance with her rent and help paying for her medication." Jo-Ellen died on June 7, 1996.

Over the past six years, Stone has organized an auction timed to coincide with SAAF’s Walk for Life, which this year is slated for September 27. Last year, the featured auction items included guitars signed by famous recording artists. This year the auction will be held on September 12 at the Bermuda Triangle.

Stone is putting out a call to businesses and individuals requesting items for this year’s auction. She can be contacted (210) 722-3745 or crystalstone@djcrystalstone.com. "I’d like to beat my total from last year," she says. "Hopefully with everyone’s help we can do that."

Fashion designer Jack Mackenroth and "Bold and the Beautiful" actress Heather Tom. The sketch is of a dress Mackenroth will design for Tom which she will wear to the Daytime Emmys and which later will be auctioned off to benefit three AIDS charities.

SAAF to benefit from "Project Runway" dress auction
QSanAntonio, May 23, 2007

The San Antonio AIDS Foundation will be one three U.S. AIDS charities to benefit from the auction of a dress designed by "Project Runway’s" Jack Mackenroth which Emmy-winning soap opera star Heather Tom will wear to the 35th Annual Daytime Emmys on June 20. The two other auction recipients are the American Foundation for AIDS Research and the National Association of People with AIDS.

The auction is collaboration between Mackenroth, who is HIV positive and who appeared during "Project Runway’s" fourth season, and Tom who stars on the daytime soap opera, "Bold and the Beautiful."

"This disease is not over yet," Tom says. "Too many people avoid getting tested and taking care of themselves due to fear," she said in an interview on beanstalkbiz.blogspot.com. The auction is planned to coincide with National HIV Testing Day on June 27.

David Ewell, executive director SAAF, says he’s very pleased that the auction will help bring more funds to the agency. "Not only are we benefiting from the auction, we are getting national attention for the one of a kind client services we offer to people living with HIV/AIDS in South Texas," he told QSanAntonio.

The dress will be auctioned immediately after the Daytime Emmys on June 20. Those interested in participating in the auction should to ClothesOffOurBack.org to bid on the gown.