In observation of October AIDS Awareness Month, the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit Quilt Project Gold Coast (QPGC) will hold its 2nd annual AIDS Memorial Procession, 4-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.
The walk is also known as the Procession of Quilts, and all are invited to participate by gathering before 4 p.m. at the corner of Anapamu and Anacapa streets. The march will proceed to State Street and finish up at Santa Barbara City Hall for a display and short program to remember those who have died from AIDS complications.
The local 501(c)(3), which has completed dozens of quilt panels honoring those lost to AIDS, will assign a quilt panel to teams to carry in the procession.
“The numbers of new infections in the counties of Santa Barbara and Ventura are on the rise,” said Keith Coffman-Grey, QPGC Board president and co-organizer of the walk.
“We hope to repeat the success of last year, where hundreds of people saw the procession and are reminded that the disease is still in our community, and people are still getting sick and dying of AIDS in the Gold Coast,” he said.
At the front steps of City Hall, walkers will bring the quilts and set them on the greens at the Anacapa side for a short program, which will include a message from Coffman-Grey and a period of silent reflection.
For more, contact QPGC, 805-569-0561, email quiltprojectgoldcoast@gmail.com, or visit www.quiltprojectgoldcoast.org.