I know a vast number of people  are out in the world doing great things to better the lives of others.

Today in downtown Raleigh at the offices of Cherokee Investment Partners, I spent ninty minutes with one of them.

Andrew Warren is a man with a powerful vision to help people with Aids in Ethiopia.  He is project director for an organization that is providing AIDS care and  treatment to approximately 400 families in Adis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.

I was among an eclectic group of Triangle residents invited to hear about how Andy’s taking on HIV/AIDS in Adis.  Among other things, Andy explained to us that the project works because he and his team are really in touch with people’s lives.  They help the whole family. I mean, they do everything from washing and dressing people with the disease, to making sure they stay on their drugs and take them properly.

He enlists the help of U-S trained medical workers, volunteers, and community mobilizers to make it happen.

There is no question that life in the shadow of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is brutally difficult.  There is no way to sugar coat that stark reality.   Andy did make it clear though that because of drugs known as anti-retroviral cocktails , HIV is more manageable.  People are getting healthy and hopeful for their own futures.

I have a feeling that when he finished his presentation, which was warm and conversational, we all felt that getting involved with his project would be not only forever life changing for people in Addis Ababa, but for us as well.

The person who brought us all together is Lyston Peebles.  He is an incredible man of faith and compassion.  He told me today that he is now 60 years old, and that he has pledged to spend the rest of his life responding to global poverty.

I am moved and inspired to help him.

To learn more about some of what Lyston’s up to in the world,  I would encourage you to visit this website:

www.cherokeeeducationprogram.org

This Saturday, June 9th I will join thousands of runners and walkers at Meredith College for the Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure.

I am running for the men and women diagnosed with breast cancer who can not run. I am running to raise awareness and money for prevention, research, and care.

Last year I walked and ran the 5k course because I was still nursing a knee injury. Not this year. I’m healthy and strong and pumped to go the distance… running all the way.

The Triangle Race is unlike any other 5K you’ll ever experience. There is so much emotion wrapped up in this one. In the span of four hours, you’ll feel sorrow, joy, inspiration, unspeakable awe.

I love this race and the work of the volunteers who produce the event so successfully year after year.

In the past, I have served on NC Triangle’s board of directors. I also emceed the festivities from the central stage when my station secured the coveted status of Media sponsors over the years. This year my station has won back sponsorship from a competing television station in this market. I couldn’t be more proud. WRAL could not find a bigger cheerleader, advocate, drum major for the fight against breast cancer than me. While my role in the promotions leading up the big event has been smaller than I could ever imagine, my enthusiam for Saturday’s Race has not been diminished one bit.

So, I will run Saturday morning with passion and joy…. that I am healthy… and that I support a cause that touches everyone.

There is still time for you to register, if you’d like to join this fight. It’s an experience you can support just by showing up as a spectator on Saturday morning. Hope to see you there!

For more info: check out the website…
www.komennctriangle.org