about AIDS
Fri., Sept. 26, 1997
In early November, HIV+ women from central Texas will have the opportunity to come together at a retreat center on the banks of the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country west of Austin. They will share their experience of living with HIV disease in a safe, nurturing environment away from the cares of daily life. Attendees will have the choice of participating in educational workshops, support groups, and activities for fun and relaxation -- and time to do nothing at all.
The retreat, an activity of The Women Rising Project (formerly known as the HIV+ Women's Project) is a collaborative effort of a diverse group of women living with HIV disease and women active in health and social service. The 1997 retreat, like the first one in April 1995 and the second in November 1996, is a weekend getaway modeled on retreats created by the California organization, WORLD (Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Disease) founded by long-term survivor, Rebecca Denison.
Participation at the Retreat is open to all women living with HIV disease in Central Texas. Confidentiality is assured. The $50 fee provides two nights lodging, all meals, and transportation. Some financial assistance will be available. Spaces are limited and registration is required. Call Sylvia Lopez at ASA (406-6402), Trish Shaw at Informe: SIDA (472-2001), or Sheally Engebretson at the C.A.R.E. Program (473-2273, x115) for a registration application and more information.
The 1995 and 1996 retreats were made possible in part through the generous financial and in-kind support of local community and business organizations and local HIV/AIDS service providers. Since so many women living with HIV are struggling with limited resources, the Project is seeking sponsorship for women who might not otherwise be able to take a much-needed break.
Previous attendees have described the retreats as an opportunity to escape everyday demands, a time to learn, to rest, and to share conversation about what's hard, what's good, and what helps with other women living with HIV. Women who have attended the Central Texas getaways echo the words so often expressed by WORLD's Rebecca Denison: "You are not alone."
Sylvia J. Lopez
Coordinator, The Women Rising Project
