AIDS Walk Wisconsin and 5K Run raises more than $360K for HIV prevention, care, treatment

MILWAUKEE -- More than $360,000 was raised during the 30th annual AIDS Walk Wisconsin and 5K Run Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Summerfest grounds.

The grand total raised was $361,900 to support HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs throughout the state.

The event recognized individual walkers and runners, and also awarded three unique team competitions that challenged groups to raise funds for services offered at the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) HIV Medical Home.

The winner of the Raising the Bar Challenge (friendly competition among bars and nightclubs across the state) was Taylor's Milwaukee, raising $5,965.

This year’s Employee Resource Group Challenge (designed for LGBTQ professionals and their allies in the fight against HIV/AIDS) winner was the team from Northwestern Mutual, whose fundraising total was $6,541.

The top fundraising team overall was The ARCW Staff, Family and Friends team, raising $29,579.

The top individual fundraiser was Michael Bersch from Lake Havasu, Arizona, a Wisconsin native who has participated in this event for 14 years, who raised $8,182.

The Ryan Braun Challenge raised a total of $65,455. Milwaukee Brewers  Left Fielder #8 Ryan Braun and the Brewers Community Foundation matched gifts raised in the eight days leading up to the AIDS Walk Wisconsin & 5K Run.

Winners of the 5K Run were Tim Boeder (men) at 22:43, and Sarah Langford (women) at 21:09.

Organizers said over the past 30 years, more than 128,000 registrants have come from all over the state to participate in the walk and run that has collectively raised more than $13.5 million.