Day 1
Sunday Jun 5th
Rita Rockett
Our first day’s tribute and dedication is to a local legend and hero, Rita Rockett
Back in the late 1980’s in the dark days of the AIDS crisis an angel who became a positive light in the darkness entered history. San Francisco LGBT activist and Castro denizen, Rita Rockett was introduced to Ward 5B, the AIDS unit at San Francisco General Hospital while visiting a close friend who’d been hospitalized. She quickly and unfortunately recognized a sea of faces there. She felt instantly compelled to act. Inspired by the patients and the work the nurses were doing, she solicited permission to take the then radical step of holding a holiday party in their honor. Though her friend didn’t live long enough to attend, the overwhelming gratitude and joy it inspired within the ward propelled her to enlist a team of volunteers who hosted and brought in weekly brunches and entertainment for 18 years. During that period, Rockett gave birth to two happy and healthy boys. She went on to become nationally recognized for her advocacy, with the City of San Francisco naming a day in her honor. Here is a wonder tribute to her from local bay area station KPIX.
We are so grateful to and in awe of Rita and her amazing legacy.
Day 2
Monday Jun 6th
Sandy Mama Reinhart
Eric and I recognize and dedicate day 2 to our dear friend “Mama”.
The first to call her "Mama" was a popular drag persona "Ernestine". Robert Sastini and Mama were in the Phoenix, (San Francisco's Castro District), over 18 years ago and Ernestine commented something to the effect of "you must be my "Mama". There in that bar, a family tradition would be born that neither knew would flourish into the "Mama's Family" that now exists. As time went on, there appeared, without a real plan, gold shiny pins on the first 10 members, who were active in the community either by titles they held or their volunteerism.
The pinning ceremony became quite an honor and usually the person didn't know they were about to be pinned. So the true looks of surprise honor and tears were a guarantee every time.
Eric and I participated in so many fundraising and volunteer events with Mama. The annual Breast Cancer Emergency fund dinner, Leather walk, and countless other events in the bars of San Francisco with our wonderful gay family. Thank you Mama for all you have done and continue to do
Eric “Mama’s butt boy”
Mike “Mama’s gadget”
Day 3
Tuesday Jun 7th
Lenny Broberg
Day 3 is the day we recognize and celebrate another amazing San Francisco legend our dear friend Lenny Broberg.
Over the past many years, Lenny has been honored by mayors, the board of supervisors, and state legislators. For his tireless efforts in the non-profit world, he has received significant recognition from the AIDS Emergency, Shanti, Positive Resource Center, STOP AIDS, Pets Are Wonderful Support, Transgender SF, Imperial Court, Ducal Court, SF Gay Men's Chorus, Pride Alliance ( SF police officers' LGBT organization ), Golden Gate Guards Motorcycle Club, and Alameda County Leather Corps. He has been named Officer of the Month by the SF Police Department, Most Valuable Player by the Gay Softball League, and Man of the Year by the Pantheon of Leather.
Lenny is also very known for his volunteer efforts, masterfully emceeing and auctioning for the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ), Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ), Wild Aid, Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter, Rotary Club, and urban community service agencies. He has co-anchored the live television coverage of the SF Pride Parade for several years. He is a truly wonderful and amazing person who has given tirelessly to our community for decades.
Most importantly for Eric and Mike, Lenny was our celebrant and performed our wedding in 2008 in San Francisco city hall. A truly magical day.
We love you Lenny !
Day 4
Wednesday Jun 8th
The Nurses of Yale New Haven
Marge Meglin and the Nurses of Yale New Haven Hospital’s HIV/AIDS unit, 5-5.
This tribute was written by Eric as he was a part of this team early in his nursing career.
In 1990 I graduated with my nursing degree and landed my first job at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Infectious Disease/HIV/AIDs unit; hired by my first nurse manager, Marge Meglin.
I recall AZT being the only drug approved for treatment at the time, and the diagnosis, at that time, was grim. I worked evening shift with a mix of new graduates, foreign recruits [Ireland and Canada], and a few seasoned devoted long termers. This group of beautiful people were all committed to providing loving and hopeful care to our patients. Our unit had 29 beds and was full every day: patients with sepsis, pneumonia, brain infections, meningitis, and many other serous and scary diagnoses.
It was a hard first job physically and mentally. There was a rapid learning curve for a new nurse; we had to know isolation protocols, we gave a ton of IV medications and blood products, and even had ventilators on our non-ICU ward. We ran all night with our 5-7 patients, making sure they were comfortable and felt safe and secure. We gave backrubs. I recall our retired army nurse, Gee, would get upset if someone gave a backrub with gloves. “People need to be touched”.
There was the emotional impact. Some patients would be with us for months and became part of our family. I recall squirt gun fights with 60 cc syringes between the nurses and patients [Marge…you’re not supposed to know this]. It was great seeing our patients heal and be discharged with hope, but sad to see them return months later with a new infection or for terminal comfort care. It was rough seeing young people, my age at the time, from all backgrounds suffer and die so young [25-28 mostly]. Many of us spent weekends attending funerals and comforting grieving families, partners and loved ones on our days off.
As rough as it was, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. Our 5-5 family took care of our community and we cared for and took care of each other.
This team and experienced provided the foundation of my nursing career and I couldn’t be more grateful to Marge and 5-5.
Here are just a few of the names I remember; Marge, Lorene, Shelly, Kathy, Gee, Mary x 3, David x 2, Tracy & Tracey, Susan, Patrick,
Day 5 – Red Dress day
Thursday Jun 9th
Donna Sachet & Gary Virginia
Donna and Gary are two local legends and heroes here in San Francisco. The list of their contributions, dedication, and unending support the the HIV/AIDS community is never ending. They inspire so many of us in so many ways.
Donna Sachet started her adventure in San Francisco over 20 years ago, and the City has applauded her fun-loving spirit, quick wit, and musical talent ever since. Accolades have come her way from four San Francisco mayors, the City Board of Supervisors, the State Legislature, and the esteemed Herb Caen. She co-chaired the SF GLAAD Media Awards for four years and has served on the Board of Directors of Positive Resource Center, Imperial Council, SF LGBT Community Center, and State Board of Equality California. Donna has served as national spokesmodel for Smirnoff Twist Vodka, co-anchored the live television coverage of the June SF Pride Parade for seven years, appeared on television's Bay Area Backroads, and was the first recorded drag personality to address the Commonwealth Club of California and to sing the National Anthem for a major league sports team at AT&T Park for the SF Giants. She was selected as a Community Grand Marshal for the 2005 SF Pride Parade and hosted cruises in 2007 with RSVP Vacations, including the historic all-Gay transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary II. Donna was profiled in the Pink Section of the SF Chronicle on June 22, 2008, appearing on the cover of the section and on the front page of the Sunday Chronicle... above the fold!
Gary Virginia says that he fell in love at first sight with San Francisco when he first moved to the city in the late 1980’s. That passion has helped to fuel many years of activism and charitable efforts in our community. If there is an event raising funds for HIV/AIDS services Gary is more than likely a part of it. Born and raised north of Pittsburgh, PA, Gary attended Duquesne University, where he later worked before taking on a job at the University of Charleston. That experience led to a position at San Francisco State University, and he has been in our city ever since. He has served as President of San Francisco Pride’s Board of Directors and is the founder of our local Krewe de Kinque (KDK). KDK is a social/charitable club that raises awareness and funds in the spirit of Mardi Gras with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and emergency needs. It is an all-volunteer organization has raised over $130,000 for 30 causes ranging from HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, LGBTQ asylum, local housing and hunger programs; to emergency relief for Oakland Warehouse fire victims, North Bay fire and flood victims, Hurricane Katrina, earthquake victims abroad, and more. Fundraising year-round as a “giving circle,”
But our favorite Gary and Donna event is the annual Pride Brunch. The Brunch, now in its 24th year, honors the Grand Marshals of the Pride Parade and benefiting Positive Resource Center.
On day 5 of the ride everyone on the AIDS Lifecycle wears creative red dresses and other fun attire. As we ride the highways of California, we all make what appears to be a big red ribbon, the ribbon dedicated to HIV/AIDS. Donna’s signature color is red so we dedicate Day 5 to our heroes Donna Sachet and Gary Virginia
Day 6
Friday Jun 10th
The Names Project / AIDS Memorial quilt
The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt or AIDS Quilt, is an enormous memorial to celebrate the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes. Weighing an estimated 54 tons, it is the largest piece of community folk art in the world.
The idea for the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt was conceived on November 27, 1985, by AIDS activist Cleve Jones during the annual candlelight march, in remembrance of the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone.[2] For the march, Jones had people write the names of loved ones that were lost to AIDS-related causes on signs, and then they taped the signs to the old San Francisco Federal Building.[3] All the signs taped to the building looked like an enormous patchwork quilt to Jones, and he was inspired.[4] The NAMES Project officially started in 1987 in San Francisco. At that time many people who died of AIDS-related causes did not receive funerals, due to both the social stigma of AIDS felt by surviving family members and the outright refusal by many funeral homes and cemeteries to handle the deceased's remains. Lacking a memorial service or grave site, the Quilt was often the only opportunity survivors had to remember and celebrate their loved ones' lives. The first showing of The Quilt took place on October 11, 1987 on the National Mall in Washington, DC, as part of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay rights. The Quilt was last displayed in full on the Mall in Washington, D.C., in 1996, a display that included a visit by President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, but it returned in July 2012 to coincide with the start of the XIX International AIDS Conference.
The Quilt is a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people lost to the AIDS pandemic which marks it as a prominent forerunner of the twentieth century shift in memorial design that moved towards celebrating victims or survivors. Each panel is 3 feet (0.91 m) by 6 feet (1.8 m), approximately the size of the average grave; this connects the ideas of AIDS and death more closely. The Quilt is still maintained and displayed by The NAMES Project Foundation.
On Day 6 of the ride in Ventura the ALC riders, roadies and volunteers hold a candlelight vigil on the beach to remember those lost to AIDS.
Day 7
Saturday Jun 11th
Dr Andrew Zolopa and Dr Sandra Valle / Stanford Positive Care
The Stanford Positive Care Clinic, was founded in 1994 by Dr Andrew Zolopa The clinic was created to provide adults living in the San Francisco Bay Area with access to HIV specialty care, HIV prevention services, as well as confidential STI testing, treatment, prevention, and education.
Dr Z was director for 20 years at the Stanford Positive Care Clinic, He has served nationally and internationally in multiple professional roles, including on advisory boards, as editorial board member or reviewer for medical and HIV specialty journals, and as adviser to the FDA and Institute of Medicine. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers, dozens of book chapters and articles, and is frequently invited to speak internationally. Currently he serves as Head of North American Medical Affairs at ViiV Healthcare, He is also currently Professor of Medicine in Infectious Diseases, Emeritus, at the Stanford University Medical Center in California. We also need to mention the Dr Z took time to found Blue Hall Vineyard and produced an incredible cabernet called Camiana.
After Dr Z left the clinic in 2014 he left many of his patients in the amazing care of Sandra Valle. Sandy has continued to provide personal, kind, caring true healing for all patients she helps in the clinic. Eric and I are part of the Stanford Positive Care team this year on ALC 2022 and are so very proud of all they do.
