Hundreds of participants will gather at the Rhode Island State House in Providence on Sept. 28 for the annual AIDS Walk for Life. Leading them through the 2.5-mile course are Guy Abelson and Roz Rustigian, two veterans in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They’ve been activists since the epidemic became an identified public health crisis in the 1980s.
"As leaders of the Walk, Guy and I will not compete, but rather collaborate and hope to have the strongest team in the history of this event!" said Rustigian. "We’re putting a challenge out there, and hope many will try to beat us!"
Abelson has served on AIDS Project Rhode Island’s Board of Directors for more than 20 years. Rustigian is the owner of Rustigian Rugs in Providence and is a former Board Member of APRI. Abelson and Rustigian have helped raised thousands of dollars for HIV/AIDS prevention and education efforts over the years.
The theme for this year’s Walk for Life, emceed by NBC 10’s anchor and health reporter Barbara Morse Silva, is: Prevention is the Solution! Reflecting that theme, there will be free, anonymous rapid HIV testing available. Participants can also look forward to free chair massages, Starbucks coffee, food and other giveaways at this rain or shine event.
Benefitting AIDS Project Rhode Island, a division of Family Service of Rhode Island, along with various partner agencies, the AIDS Walk for Life is the area’s largest event dedicated to raising awareness a
