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About the 2004 World AIDS Marathon
The 2004 World AIDS Marathon was truly a grassroots effort, with no paid staff whatsoever, and as with most first-time events, a symbolic victory more than a hugely significant fundraiser.
That it happened at all is a testament to Richard’s determination to help Africans with HIV/AIDS. Marathon runner Richard chose Kenya both for its world-class marathon runners, and because his partner organization, Planet Poz, had a 50-bed facility for Kenyan children orphaned by AIDS already on its drawing boards. As a father of three himself, Richard feels AIDS’ most helpless victims are those children whose parents have succumbed to AIDS.
Planet Poz, an AIDS organization based in New Mexico, very graciously allowed Richard to use its 501 c (3) status, as Richard’s own non-profit foundation was still going through its lengthy review and approval process.
With the assistance of Kenya’s Olympic Committee President, Kip Keino, the 2004 Marathon was staged in Mbita, Kenya on 4 December, 2004. Richard and his wife Jodi both ran the race, and thanks to proceeds from the race – which included a grant from Pfizer, Inc. – in combination with funds from Planet Poz, groundbreaking for the 50-bed Little Lambs orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya, took place on 26 March, 2005.
Technical assistance in staging the race was provided by the Chepkero Athletics Club – unknown in the US, but one of Kenya’s most famous track clubs. World figures including South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the UN’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis, and Illinois Senator Barack Obama, himself of partial Kenyan descent, all endorsed this event.
The pictures below tell the story -- Departure NYC, arrival 18 hours later at Nairobi Kenya, another one hour plane ride to Kisumu, a two-hour car ride to Lake Victoria, and a one-hour ferry ride to Mbita, Kenya. Final destination: start of the 2005 World AIDS Marathon.
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