AIDS Help, one of the seven participating Agencies of The SMART Ride (TSR) 2016, was awarded $120,140.63 for its participation in the annual 165-mile trek from Miami to Key West.

TSR’s inception dates back to 1993, when it was known as BIKE It & B.E.A.R. It. Since, over $8,300,000 has been raised and returned to Florida organizations working with HIV/AIDS clients for direct services…the only one of its size to give back 100%.

At the January 14th check distribution party, 6 AIDS service organizations (ASOs) plus AIDS Help were recognized: Pridelines, Broward House, Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Metro Wellness and Community Centers, Miracle of Love, Inc. and Compass Community Center.

This disbursement, intended solely for the care of clients living with HIV/AIDS, represents critical stopgap money for needs not covered by in-house grants, including a neuropathy alleviation program (long term usage of HIV-medications often trigger this crippling nerve pain); pharmaceutical and specific dental needs; and emergency housing and utility assistance.

The enthusiasm and energy of riders and crew throughout Monroe County played a key role in the AIDS Help’s percentage of the total $1,073,880 generated.

The Mile Marker Team of 17 cyclists ranked as the #3 TSR team, having raised nearly $48,000 through family, friends, sponsorships and fundraisers. Other events, such as Saturday BINGO at Poinciana Royale, Sunday Tea Dances, Christopher Peterson’s ‘The Broads of Broadway’ and The Miss Firecracker Pageant helped complete the Agency’s participatory “buy-in” to the event.

“We work handlebar-to-handlebar with TSR management and the other ASOs to remind this state that there is still neither vaccine or cure for HIV and AIDS,” says AIDS Help Executive Director Scott Pridgen.

The state of Florida led the country in newly-reported HIV and AIDS cases last year with 7,208 new cases; statewide, there are 112,000 people with HIV or AIDS and 658 people with the disease in Monroe County.

In fact, Monroe County has seen a significant rise in new reported HIV and AIDS cases this year, going from four in the first nine months of 2016 to 21 during that same period.

Registration for TSR 14 is now open and the Mile Markers’ team goal is $75,000. For more information, simply go to thesmartride.org; or access The Mile Markers for SMART Ride 2017 on FACEBOOK or message Karen Frank-Noll, 2017 Team Captain, from that page.