PHILADELPHIA — January 13, 2009 —

Dear Friends:

On behalf of AIDS Fund, Broad Street Ministry and Sapphire Fund, we would like to thank you for making our community's 3rd Annual World AIDS Day commemoration a success.

Even a cold, rainy Monday night in December, could not dampen the enthusiasm of the evening's speakers, performers and community groups. Throughout the evening nearly 350 people attended the event. When describing the night, we heard words like: inspired, renewed, moved, touched, energized…feelings many of us shared.

However, one word that AIDS Fund, Broad Street Ministry and Sapphire Fund want to make clear is THANKFUL.

We are thankful for a community invested in this event: thankful for the 23 community groups participating in the informational fair; thankful for the agencies that provided testing and counseling; thankful for the diverse, powerful speakers - like William Brawner and Mayor Nutter; thankful for the many performers who filled our evening with poetry, theatre, dance, music and song; thankful for the corporate sponsors - like Olive Garden, Orasure, Powerade and Vitamin Water - who provided evening refreshments; thankful for the attendees who filled our halls and supported this event; and thankful for the volunteers, without whom this event would not happen.

As we noted last year, this community event creates a visible presence, reminding us that the HIV/AIDS crisis continues while honoring the legacy of those no longer with us.

So…to all who became a part of this evening: Thank You. And, we hope to see you December 1, 2009!!

Robb Reichard -- Bill Golderer -- Wayne A. Hamilton

AIDS FUND -- Broad Street Ministry -- Sapphire Fund