Walking With The Tide

200-mile fundraising walk aims to raise $5,000 for ocean rowboat.

BROOKLYN, NY (I-Newswire) May 27, 2012 - Victor Mooney of Queens, New York begins a 4 day/ 200-mile fundraising walk that will take him thru parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Manhattan and Brooklyn on June 4. Mooney plans to walk up to eighteen hours a day. During breaks, the public will be invited to score a goal for an AIDS-free generation with a 2010 World Cup Match Ball, which has been donated by Federation International de Football Association (FIFA).

In partnership with the XIX International AIDS Conference that is scheduled from July 22 - 27 in the nation's capital, Mooney will do a coastal row from New York City to Washington, D.C. Afterwards, he'll train locally for a fourth bid to cross the Atlantic Ocean later this year.

HIV/AIDS has taken the life of Mooney's brother and left another one battling the disease. According to the CDC, about 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and 20 percent of them are unaware they are infected. There are 53,000 new HIV infections diagnosed each year in the U.S., and 14 percent of these infections occur in 13 to 25 year-olds. "My mission is to encourage voluntary HIV testing and increase awareness of this preventable disease", said Mooney.

Join us for the last mile at the Brooklyn Bridge where we march for an AIDS-free generation on June 7 @ 6pm. You can follow Mooney's journey at goreechallenge.com and facebook.com/goreechallenge.

About South African Arts International (SAAI)

SAAI mission is to inspire and train at-risk children all over the world; increase computer literacy levels; introduce principles of global business; facilitate worldwide cultural understanding; to provide scholarships, sponsor cultural events, artistic and educational seminars.