90–90-90: A plan to end AIDS by 2020
Desert AIDS Project is becoming part of the solution with the help of “Ordinary people doing extraordinary things”
For the third consecutive year, Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) in Palm Springs, California celebrated World AIDS Day on December 1 by recognizing the contributions of four “Everyday Heroes” in the community: volunteer and fundraiser Larry Edwards; Linda Stevens of Desert Regional Medical Center; volunteer JoAnn Morford; and Mike Thompson, CEO of the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. Presented by NestEggg Group, Everyday Heroes salutes those in the Coachella Valley who have shown their dedication in helping to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
David Brinkman, CEO of D.A.P., told the crowd of 300+ that “We stand in solidarity with the 78 million people who have become infected with HIV and remember the 35 million who have died from AIDS.” A bold initiative, called 90–90-90, established by UNAIDS, has a simple and profound goal: to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.
As an organization that has long been on-strategy with their “Think globally, act locally” philosophy, D.A.P. continues to use the nation’s first HIV testing campaign, Get Tested Coachella Valley, to get to 90-90-90 benchmarks:
90% diagnosed — through free and confidential HIV testing
90% on treatment — through access to HIV treatment
90% virally suppressed — through comprehensive healthcare
Long before 90–90-90, Marv Sholl has been helping D.A.P. fight HIV for more than 30 years, both as a volunteer and a donor. Marv and his late wife Carol started a red ribbon club for their son Barry, who died of AIDS. Over the years, they lovingly hand-made and helped distribute more than 100,000 red ribbons as their expression that those who died or were living with HIV or AIDS should never be forgotten.
In recognition of his steady commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, D.A.P. board chair Steve Kaufer thanked Scholl and showed the crowd the new Marv Scholl Red Ribbon of Hope Award that would be presented to each honoree that evening. The awards were handmade by artists Linda and Charles Perkins, as smaller versions of the Red Ribbon of Hope sculpture they had already created to hang in the main hallway at Desert AIDS Project. Rededicated at D.A.P. on World AIDS Day in 2015, the gift of the sculpture was made possible through the efforts of Rick Pantele, a local art impresario and businessman who is a longtime survivor of AIDS.
Tom Truhe, one of the 3rd Annual Everyday Heroes event co-chairs, along with fellow D.A.P. board members Terri Ketover and Ann Sheffer, introduced Jason Graae to the crowd. Having himself witnessed the devastation of AIDS in his own circle of friends over the years, Graae was both touching and funny as he introduced each of the musical selections he sang throughout the evening, accompanied by pianist John Boswell.
Truhe returned to the stage to introduce Larry Edwards, telling the crowd that this was a man whose passion both for performing and for Desert AIDS Project runs wide and deep, saying “Larry’s performances as his alter ego, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, are purpose-driven. Diagnosed with HIV over 18 years ago, while living in the Deep South and all alone, he was told that he had a very slim chance of living another five years. Today, Larry says ‘I’m very blessed. My family is very supportive of all that I do. I have a wonderful and supportive husband and I am surrounded by wonderful friends. My outlook on life is optimistic and full of purpose.’”
With that lead-in, the crowd turned their attention to the first of four videos prepared for the evening by Trick Dog Films in the largest of the three screening rooms at the Camelot Theaters where Everyday Heroes has been held each year. For those who didn’t know Edwards or “Pinkie,” this was their opportunity to get a quick introduction to both.
While Pinkie is known as the Queen of Headdresses for the incredible creations of his husband Kevin Baar, Edwards has long been heading “Quilting with Pinkie” at D.A.P. The group most recently has been busy creating the Broadway Quilt, a project that took more than six months to hand-sew, and would be awarded that evening to one lucky winner. Accepting his award, Edwards said “My Everyday Heroes are the clients I see walking through the doors at D.A.P. They have picked themselves up and keep moving forward! As long as my health allows, I will be giving back.”
Carolyn Caldwell, CEO of Desert Regional Medical Center (DRMC) and a D.A.P. board member, introduced Linda Stevens, who has been working at DRMC as Community Relations Coordinator for the last eight years of her 25 years there. After listing the many large events Stevens has organized both for DRMC and on a volunteer basis, Caldwell said “She is usually the one behind the scenes coordinating everything. But she’s also at the door to greet you when you arrive and at the door again to thank you for coming when you leave.”
Following the second video, Stevens told the crowd “Desert AIDS Project has become a big part of my life and I have many wonderful friends at D.A.P. I’m pleased to have been involved with Get Tested Coachella Valley from the start. Desert Regional made a huge financial contribution to Get Tested and I had the pleasure of working with former president Bill Clinton’s team when he came to D.A.P. to help launch this very important HIV testing initiative. I’ve been tested — and I hope everyone else will be too.”
Event co-chair Terri Ketover came to the stage to present the third award of the evening because she’s personally worked with JoAnn Morford who has organized and supervised the set-up of the silent auction at the annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards for the last five years. Ketover commented that Morford, who has been married to her high school sweetheart Brian for 55 years, is “…tireless and talented. Currently, she volunteers at all D.A.P. fundraising events and in 2014 was awarded the Subaru Hero Award for her efforts with Dining Out for Life. During my years as chair of the 100 Women giving program, JoAnn volunteered at many of our events — everything from coordinating a jewelry show to assisting with our Women’s Empowerment Day for our female clients.”
When not busy with D.A.P., Morford is also a lead usher at both the Palm Canyon Theatre and at the Annenberg Theater, volunteers at the Palm Springs Art Museum, and at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala. Before inviting everyone to watch her video, Ketover concluded by saying: “How fitting that JoAnn ran Hallmark stores for many years. Their slogan is ‘when you care enough to give the very best’ and JoAnn cares enough about our community and our beloved D.A.P. to give her very best!”
Accepting her award, Morford said “I am proud to stand with D.A.P. whose programs and services are on the forefront of care for the Coachella Valley. I’m honored to be a part of this loving, caring community that supports organizations like D.A.P. because Desert AIDS Project reflects the very best of what we are as a community. Together, we will find a cure for AIDS.”
Ernie Santora, president of 1st Community Insurance Services, one of the evening’s award sponsors — along with Desert Regional Medical Center, Contempo Lending, and the Grace Helen Spearman Foundation and Steve Tobin — presented the final award of the evening to Mike Thompson, CEO of the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. Santora said, “Mike has more than 18 years of nonprofit leadership experience and has worked extensively as a leadership and organizational development consultant. Having worked with organizations like GLAAD, Equality Utah, and the Gill Foundation, his passion has been building mission-focused organizations.”
After his video played, Thompson spoke of his mother, their hometown of Broken Arrow, OK and the work his mother does with Arms Around Broken Arrow: “Every week, without exception, my mother, Grace Thompson — whose name describes how she lives her life — spends her day caring for those in her community. She, both literally and figuratively, wraps her arms around those in Broken Arrow who need love and support. It is her quiet example that taught me, and continues to remind me, to live authentically, honoring myself, and from that place, to give to others.”
Thompson called out the front desk volunteers at D.A.P., who greet everyone with a smile and a welcoming spirit, the certified HIV volunteer counselors and the PrEP navigators who do their part in ensuring a judgment-free environment for everyone. “Each of them is a hero to someone. Thank you to the everyday heroes in our community, who make this place an oasis in the desert, and thank you for considering me to be among them.”
Awards concluded, Ann Sheffer welcomed Larry Edwards back to the stage — as Pinkie Meringue Shimmer — to draw the winning raffle ticket for the Broadway Quilt. From bits of fabric from costumes worn in famous Broadway productions in New York City, the members of Quilting with Pinkie — Philip Heckman, Bill Stibich, Paul Sibley, Frank Wozny, Brian Rapin, John Luckett, and Larry Edwards — lovingly created this one-of-a-kind quilt, with its own provenance. Including proceeds of the Quilt raffle, Everyday Heroes raised $45,000 for client services at Desert AIDS Project.
Ironically, the raffle winner was Jeffrey Norman, who as director of communications and public affairs for the McCallum Theatre, is personally a big fan of musical theater and is, himself, a community theater actor. Norman recently completed a local run in “Casa Valentina” by gay actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein, telling the story of heterosexual men who meet at a country inn to enjoy a weekend of dressing like women — even as an incongruent homophobic judgment emerges from among some of them. Coming to the stage to accept his prize, Norman immediately gifted the quilt to Desert AIDS Project, on the condition that it be displayed for the enjoyment of anyone visiting.
After Graae sang his final song of the evening, Brinkman returned to the stage to thank all, including other sponsors Forest Lawn, Momentous Events, Lulu California Bistro, Kool Party Rentals, Signature Party Rentals, The Desert Sun, Trick Dog Films, and Sanctuary Palm Springs, as well as media sponsors The Standard, Gay Desert Guide, PromoHomoTV, and CV Independent. Brinkman delighted the crowd — and most especially, the evening’s honorees — by telling them that, once again, presenting sponsor NestEggg was gifting each awardee with a five-night stay in Hawai’i.
As everyone left with a smile, they joined the honorees for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts outside the theater on a beautiful, warm Palm Springs evening … wondering who D.A.P. might identify as the new set of Everyday Heroes on World AIDS Day 2017.
