Key West AIDS Memorial

Just a somber reminder that 1 December 2021 is World AIDS Day and we the board members of the Key West AIDS Memorial are hopeful that we will have a live in person ceremony this year. In the mean time I wanted to share this with everyone that the deadline for submission of names to be included on the memorial this year is 15 October. You can do this online here at keywestaidsmemorial.org and you can also make the suggested donation for inclusion as well. If need be please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or any one of our amazing board members should you need any assistance.

Traditionally, our local World AIDS Day commemoration includes a candlelight march from City Hall to the the foot of the Edward B. Knight Pier.

The Memorial was the first of its kind, funded with private donations and dedicated in 1997, to honor the terrible community loss.

For all of us, life has changed. This year, the all-volunteer Friends of the AIDS Memorial (FOAM) have chosen to adapt with it.

I am very proud to serve as the President of this outstanding Board of Directors. The dedication of my fellow board members is unsurpassed. Rodney Ross from AH Monroe was kind enough to bring his talents to us with a script which he developed from Lt. Joe Tripp's concepts and his storyboard. Tim Dahms came forward and in a very short period of time put together a virtual ceremony if you will that tells a simple story of a very complicated era, journey and outcome.

We remember and honor the ten men being added to the Zimbabwe granite by Atlas Memorials:

Larry Kramer
Dennis W. Jaeger
Eric Pedersen
Thomas M. Griffiths
Robert “Rafael” Fernandez
Steven Lee Bond
Bruce R. Peele
Thomas A. Payne
Lysle T. McCown Jr.
Harold Frank Garner Jr.

Donations for upkeep and maintenance may be directed toward to the Friends of the AIDS Memorial, Post Office Box #188, Key West FL 33041.

Our virtual ceremony can be viewed at the link provided below.

https://youtu.be/y8siqC3SCy0