AIDS awareness fundraiser spreads its reach

While HIV continues to infect people all over the world, a different kind of contagion is spreading in the Rocky Mountains: a fundraising event for AIDS-support organizations both here and abroad.

Severs Against AIDS Day, a fundraiser in which restaurant staff donate their tips, was started two years ago at a small lodge on Bow Lake as part of a Banff-based HIV/AIDS awareness campaign called the Mountain Movement.

On Saturday, July 21, restaurants across the Rockies will take part in the event. Jasper got in on it last year when HIV West Yellowhead joined AIDS Bow Valley and the Mountain Movement in their plight, and this year Hinton restaurants will participate as well.

“God knows where this could go,” said Kelly Skehill, summer programmer for HIV West Yellowhead. “It started at this little resort in the mountains then expanded to Jasper... it’s pretty cool.”

Participating servers in Jasper will donate 50 per cent of their tips, with half the total funds going to HIV West Yellowhead and the other half to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a Canadian organization which aims to ease the pain of those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.

In 2007, Jasper servers raised about $6,000 between 25 participating restaurants, including a hefty donation of almost $1,000 from Karouzo’s servers which the restaurant matched.

Though HIV West Yellowhead would like to top that amount with the 10 additional participating restaurants this year, Skehill said the more important goal is to raise awareness in a way that’s easy for everyone to get involved.

“This isn’t just a fundraiser,” she said. “You can donate and volunteer while you work, and it feels good.”

Kyle Darroch, a server at both Karouzo’s and Earl’s, said Servers Against AIDS day is perfect for him because his busy, three-job summer schedule doesn’t give him a chance to participate in the fundraising events he would like to.

“I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t do it, because you’re basically get paid to volunteer,” he said. “And it’s just one night out of the summer, which is nothing really in the grand scheme of things.”

Not only is Darroch participating as a server this year, but he’s also helping to organize the day and has seen an enthusiastic response.

“Everyone’s really keen about it and want to help out,” he said, adding that servers at some restaurants have approached him to say though they’re not working, they want to get involved and will donate their tips from another day instead.

Darroch added that when patrons learn of the fundraiser, they’ll often tip more generously than the standard 15 per cent, so servers won’t miss out on a full night’s pay.

Diners can spot servers supporting the day as they’ll be sporting AIDS ribbons and some restaurants will have placards on their tables outlining the event. HIV West Yellowhead would like to thank all the servers as well as the participating restaurants, a list of which appears in this week’s issue of the Fitzhugh.