Aid for AIDS of Nevada Hosts 22nd Annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas at UNLV on April 15
Penn & Teller Serve as Grand Marshals for 11th Consecutive Year
Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) hosts the 22nd annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus on Sunday, April 15 at 8 a.m. Penn & Teller, the iconic entertainment duo, will serve as Grand Marshals for the 11th consecutive year and will host the Penn & Teller Challenge, which promises to match all monetary funds raised by pledges and donations to AFAN.
“Our organization is always overwhelmed by the massive volume of support the Las Vegas community puts behind the annual AIDS Walk,” said AFAN Executive Director Antioco Carrillo. “Penn & Teller are the main driving force behind that support, and their passionate commitment to AFAN has been immensely helpful to the organization. We are honored to continue our relationship with Penn & Teller for yet another amazing year and eagerly await the 2012 results of the always successful Penn & Teller Challenge.”
Participants may register for the AIDS Walk as individuals, join an existing team or start their own team. Registration is free, but a minimum donation of $50 per person is encouraged. To register, please visit AFANLV.ORG. To join the Penn & Teller Challenge, click here and follow the Penn & Teller Challenge link to ‘Join Our Team.’
Hosting the event for the fourth consecutive year is 8 News Now Anchor Chris Saldana. Saldana will be joined by CBS Radio personalities Mark & Mercedes In The Morning of MIX 94.1, Lauren from Chet Buchanan & The Morning Zoo on 98.5 KLUC and Dustin In The Afternoons on X107.5, who will all serve as co-hosts throughout the day. This year’s walk will also feature a variety of entertainment including the cast of Fantasy from the Luxor Hotel & Casino, Thunder from Down Under from Excalibur Hotel & Casino, DJ Axis, the cast of Las Vegas’ own youth glee club On with the Show and more.
For more than 20 years, AFAN has hosted the AIDS Walk with great success and led the community to recognize the disease that has now grown to be a worldwide pandemic. The event serves as AFAN’s largest fundraiser of the year, providing funds for programs to assist and educate more than 3,500 men, women and children infected with HIV and AIDS in southern Nevada. More than 8,500 walkers participated in last year’s event, raising more than $461,000. The Penn & Teller Challenge raised more than $219,000 of that total. AFAN’s 2012 AIDS Walk goal is to break all attendance, community involvement and fundraising benchmarks from previous years.
In addition, the AIDS Walk serves as a unique opportunity for both local businesses and large corporations to come together and get involved as sponsors. Sponsors of this year’s walk include QVegas, Findlay Cadillac, Audi Henderson, Lamborghini Las Vegas, Nestle, The Apothecary Shops, Caesars Entertainment, Valley Press, 8 News Now, CBS Radio, Vegas Seven, Outdoor Promotions, Clear Channel Outdoor, Rubio’s, Walgreens, Jamba Juice, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Lobster ME, Daily Kitchen & Wellness Bar, I Love Burgers and Yelp. These partnerships range from monetary donations to providing prizes for the top walkers and more. The success of the AIDS Walk would not be possible without the support of local businesses. Sponsorship opportunities are still available and can be found here.
Following the closing ceremonies of the AIDS Walk, a Food Truck Round-Up and picnic will be held on the UNLV campus. Ten food trucks, including Tasty Bunz, Sin City Wings, The Rusty Pickle, Grouchy John’s, Chi-Town Hustler, The Red Neck Kitchen, Roamin’ Dough, Fat Daddy’s Ice Cream, BBQ Boy and Charlie’s Lunch, will be on hand to serve the thousands of hungry walkers.
About Penn & Teller
The outrageous duo, Penn & Teller are known for their unique blend of comedy and magic. Their show has been a Broadway hit around the country and now found a permanent home in Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. Penn & Teller perform in the Rio’s Penn & Teller Theater nightly at 9 p.m. Tickets are priced at $95/$85/$75 (plus tax) and are available through the Rio Box Office at (888) 746-7784. For more information, please visit www.pennandteller.com.
About AFAN
Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) was founded in 1984 and is the oldest and largest AIDS service organization in the state of Nevada. 2009 marked AFAN’s 25th anniversary of practicing its unyielding commitment to the community by providing unparalleled health expertise, support and advocacy for adults and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in southern Nevada. Over the years, AFAN has created various programs that offer consistent and comprehensive assistance including direct client service programs, food programs, prevention and education programs and community outreach. As part of AFAN’s mission, these client service programs assist in enhancing the physical health and psychosocial wellness of the individuals they serve, while promoting dignity and improving the quality of their lives. For more information, please visit www.afanlv.org.
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