Monthly E-Newsletter for

May 2010

Dear Friends,

We hope you enjoy reading this latest news from TIHAN, and discover at least one way you can make an important difference in someone's world.

1. An Evening of Treasures to Help TIHAN Make a Difference

Tickets are now on sale for our grandest event of the year: Treasures for TIHAN, our 13th annual live and silent auction event. Tickets are $40 each, or bring a friend and save by purchasing two tickets for $70. (Tickets on the day of the event will be $50 each.) 

We have a great variety of items for you to bid on, all donated by caring businesses, artists, and individuals. Gift certificates for dining, trips around the state and the US and Mexico, home furnishings, ceramics and artwork, golf packages, concert and theater tickets, personal services with spas and massage therapists, and more. 

The event takes place on Saturday, May 22 at 4:00pm at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park (Alvernon Way, south of Broadway), and will feature music, entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, and live and silent auctions, with our celebrity emcees Jennie Grabel from 92.9 The Mountain and Arizona Daily Star editorial cartoonist David Fitzsimmons. 

This promises to be a great event for a great cause, so get your tickets now and join the fun! For more information, to purchase tickets, see the event sponsors, and more, click on "Treasures for TIHAN."

2. Many Lights for Human Rights – Sunday's AIDS Candlelight Memorial

Join Tucsonans this Sunday, May 16, at the 27th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial at Himmel Park!

The event will take place at Himmel Park (one block south of Speedway, two blocks east of Tucson Boulevard). Arrive at 5:30pm to view the Tucson AIDS Ribbon, HIV/AIDS Timeline, and AIDS Memorial Quilt panels. Beginning at 6pm, speakers, musicians, and dance performers will lead up to the candle-lighting at 7:30pm. 

Faith leaders representing a variety of traditions will participate in this interfaith event. The Memorial event is family-friendly, and all are encouraged to attend. TIHAN's executive director Scott Blades will be this year's keynote speaker, and we will honor those who have been affected by HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. If you wish, please bring a photo of a loved one you are remembering. For more information, please contact Natalie Brown, natalie@tihan.org or 299-6647.

3. Free Information and Forms from the Office of the Arizona Attorney General on Life Care Planning: Advance Directives / Health Care Directives / Living Will (in English and en español)

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard provides an important online resource to help Arizonans ensure that their wishes are properly recorded about who will manage their affairs in the event of an emergency. Information and the following resources are available at www.azag.gov/life_care:

Life Care Planning forms with instructions:

1. Durable Health Care Power of Attorney

2. Durable Mental Health Care Power of Attorney

3. Living Will (End of Life Care)

4. Letter to My Agent (Representative)

5. Pre-Hospital Medical Directive (Do Not Resuscitate) (must be printed on ORANGE paper). Click here to find out if you should complete a DNR Form.

4. TNT – Walk-In on Tuesday Evenings 5:30-8:00PM at the TIHAN Office and We'll Have Projects for Volunteers to Work On

If you are interested in volunteering, but are unable to help during our regular office hours, please stop by on Tuesday nights for our TNT evening volunteer hours. It's fun, easy, and open to everyone—no training required! Stop by the TIHAN office any Tuesday for an hour or two anytime between 5:30pm-8:00pm, and we'll have a variety of projects you can help with. No experience required, just a willingness to help. It helps us to know ahead of time that you might be coming (299-6647), but it's not required. Stop by and say hi and help us make a difference!

5. Learning about Local Resources for Those Living with HIV

Want to learn more about Local Resources for people living with HIV/AIDS? Come to our upcoming free Continuing Education session, which takes place on Thursday, June 3, 6-8 pm at TIHAN, 1011 N. Craycroft Road, #301 (south of Speedway). Representatives from community agencies will speak about local resources for related to HIV treatment and prevention. Call 299-6647 sign up.

TIHAN continues to offer FREE Continuing Education workshops to volunteers. Contact Natalie Brown at 299-6647 or natalie@tihan.org to sign up! Registration is appreciated, but not required. We ask all volunteers to attend at least three workshops each year in order to stay up-to-date. All workshops are subject to change.

6. Partner Spotlight: Interfaith Community Services

TIHAN is one of many interfaith caregiving organizations across the state and country. Interfaith Community Services (ICS)—www.icstucson.org—is one of the sister organizations with whom we partner right here in Tucson. What do TIHAN and ICS have in common? We have similar missions and we share many donors and volunteers. What is the difference? TIHAN focuses on serving the needs of people living with HIV, and ICS focuses more broadly on serving seniors, disadvantaged people, and disabled individuals.

With a network of 53 member faith communities and more than 600 volunteers, ICS is celebrating its 25th year of service. ICS provides more than 49,000 services a year to over 36,000 people.

From the website of Interfaith Community Services (www.icstucson.org):

"Our name tells our story...

• Interfaith
  We share a common belief that our diverse faiths call us to serve those in need. We are enriched through the diversity of beliefs of our volunteers and recipients. Our services and volunteer opportunities are open and welcoming to all regardless of faith tradition. We remain true to our founding value of helping those in need with 'Love, Cooperation and Service.'

• Community
  Although our roots of support and services are in the northwest area of Tucson, our programs, volunteers, and supporters now extend to most of Pima County. Our partners represent the full community—individuals, agencies, corporations, foundations, City of Tucson, Pima County, and, of course, the faith communities.

• Services
  Our multiple services are often the 'safety net' that help our recipients remain or become stabilized, enabling them to lead independent lives. We are providing services for thousands of people in need."

7. Checking What You Know about HIV/AIDS—Test Question of the Month: What is the HIV risk factor for senior citizens?

Question: What is the HIV risk factor for senior citizens?

Answer: Sharing needles or having unprotected sexual activity puts people at risk for HIV, regardless of age.

"It's what you do that places you at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, not just your age, but you might want to know that in the United States the number of people age 50 or older who have been diagnosed with HIV is growing rapidly, and almost one-fifth of the people living with HIV in the United States are over the age of 50." (Project Inform, Aging and HIV - February 2010)

This increase is partly due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which has made it possible for many HIV-infected persons to live longer, and partly due to newly diagnosed infections in persons over the age of 50. As the US population continues to age, it is important to be aware of specific challenges faced by older Americans and to ensure that they get information and services to help protect them from infection. Many older persons are less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and therefore less likely to protect themselves. Many do not perceive themselves as at risk for HIV, do not use condoms, and do not get tested for HIV. (CDC February 2008)

8. Each One Teach One: Teach Others About HIV/AIDS and about TIHAN's Compassionate Response

Learn the facts of HIV/AIDS at the next TIHAN Speakers' and Media Training. Teach others what they need to know to end discrimination against people living with HIV and stop the spread of the virus.

Give presentations to volunteers and faith community members to increase compassion and decrease stigma for HIV/AIDS. All you have to do is attend TIHAN's Volunteer Orientation and then our Speakers' Training, stay up-to-date on HIV/AIDS information, and be friendly, outgoing, and reliable.

Our next Speakers' Training is Saturday, June 12, 9:00am to 5:00pm at TIHAN, 1011 N. Craycroft Road, #301. You will learn to share the facts about the disease and share your own story of being affected by HIV/AIDS. The cost for the training (covering materials and lunch) is $17 (scholarships may be available upon request). Please RSVP by calling 299-6647. For questions or more information, contact Natalie Brown at natalie@tihan.org or 299-6647.

9. Help Shape TIHAN's Educational Efforts!

Join us for our Education Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 8, 3:45-5:00pm in the TIHAN Conference Room. This committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month, and provides guidance for the educational programs of TIHAN. We're always looking for new members who want to make a difference and help increase understanding and education about HIV. If interested, please contact Natalie Brown, Director of Education & Community Relations, at natalie@tihan.org or 299-6647, ext 14.

10. We're Bonkers About Lee Levin!

Lee Levin is among TIHAN's most dedicated, knowledgeable, and reliable volunteers, assisting us with our information technology (IT). A retired IT specialist for the city of Tucson, Lee is always the first person we call when we are having trouble with our outdated computers at TIHAN. When he isn't fixing computer glitches, updating software, and deleting viruses at TIHAN, Lee dedicates much of his time to volunteering with other groups in the community, and also spends time improving his bowling skills!

Lee, thank you for your talents and generous contributions in support of TIHAN's mission—we are BONKERS about you!

P.S. Don't Forget You Can Win $1,000 Cash—Just Buy a $5 Raffle Ticket!

Raffle Tickets Now On Sale
(only $5 each)

2010 "Treasures for TIHAN" Raffle—a host of great prizes, including a grand prize of $1,000 cash! Tickets are only $5 each (or you increase your chances by purchasing 5 tickets for $20, or 15 tickets for $50). Tickets can be purchased online (click here), at the TIHAN office, by phone with a credit card (299-6647), or from your favorite TIHAN volunteer!

Raffle drawing will take place on May 22, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park. Winner does not need to be present to win. All proceeds benefit TIHAN and our compassionate interfaith response to HIV/AIDS.

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