World AIDS Day was celebrated in Fall River on November 30, 2007, with a candlelight vigil at Gromada Plaza in front of Government Center. Dozens of people showed up on the cold night to recognize the toll that the disease has taken and to renew efforts to prevent the spread of both HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. There have been 357 people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Fall River, and there are currently 226 persons living with AIDS  in the City.  Eleven local organizations, including Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Citizens for Citizens Family Planning, the STEP Outreach Center and Steppingstone Inc., assisted in planning the two-day event which included a flag-raising and balloon launch at noon pm Wednesday, a red ribbon event in Kennedy Park on Thursday, an AIDS educational conference and HIV counseling and testing on Friday morning, and the candlelight vigil and dinner Friday evening. Following remarks by Project Aware Director Robert Hitt, participants marched down South Main Street to the headquarters for the Sociedade Cultural Acoriana, where a celebration included and awards ceremony and a free buffet. Click here to read the Herald News article about the event. For more information, contact the STEP Outreach Center at 508-235-1012 or Robert Hitt at 508-324-7766, Ext. 3253.
 

(Top row, left) Steppingstone outreach worker Tiffany Cordeiro gets help lighting her candle from AIDS activist Tobey Shea. (Top row, center) The flagpoles at Gromada Plaza display the world AIDS ribbon. (Top row, right) Project Aware Director Robert Hitt asks for a moment of silence to remember 131 persons lost to AIDS-related causes since it’s first diagnosis in the early 80’s. (Middle row, left) CFC Family Planning peer leaders Sarah Jeffries, Anne Medeiros, Jessica Pereira and Leidyelly Gonsolves chat before the awards banquet. (Middle row, right) Kelly Turner, April Humphreys and Jennifer Shedd look over some of the printed materials on display. (Bottom row, left) Community Liaison for Mayor William Whitty Jason Silva and Connie Rocha-Mimoso, the assistant program coordinator for HIV/AIDS programs for Seven Hills Behavioral Health, presents Jezuino Mendes, TWIST educator with a recognition award. (Bottom row, center) Joao Santos, Vice-President of the Sociedade Cultural Acoriana was presented with a special recognition award for the Society's support. (Bottom row, right) TWIST staff member David Woods and Joseph Frias joke with fellow staff member Maria Mendes prior to helping serve the evening meal to over 200 participants.