SoKY’s Choice: Bowling Green community comes together to support people living with HIV
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Matthew 25 brought back a tradition Saturday with the first annual Bowling Green AIDS Walk, an event aimed at raising awareness about HIV and supporting people living with the virus.
The walk took place at Preston Miller Park as Matthew 25 celebrated 30 years of providing care and support to people living with or affected by HIV.
Rachel Trout, public relations and event specialist for Matthew 25, said 111 people registered to participate in the walk. Organizers also welcomed community resource providers and participants who wanted to show support for people affected by HIV.
Trout said the event gave Matthew 25 an opportunity to connect with people who may not know about the organization or the services it provides. She also emphasized the importance of addressing the stigma that continues to surround HIV.
The event also held special significance for Cyndee Burton, Matthew 25’s founder and retired CEO. Burton said the organization began as a small ministry group at Zion United Church of Christ in Henderson, where she saw a need for care and support for people living with AIDS.
Burton said the organization grew from a friendly visiting program and support group into a clinic that helped address gaps in access to treatment. Today, Matthew 25 operates in Henderson, Owensboro, Bowling Green and Evansville, Indiana.
Angela Comer, director of Bowling Green programs for Matthew 25, said the local clinic has expanded its staff and services in recent years. Comer said community support helps the organization continue serving current and future patients.
Matthew 25 provides services that can include HIV and hepatitis C testing, medication assistance, transportation, food assistance and housing support, depending on individual needs.
Comer said she hopes people leave the event knowing that help is available.
“The main thing I hope is taken away from today is just hope,” Comer said. “Just to know that we’re here, that there’s hope.”
Matthew 25 serves 37 counties across Kentucky and southwest Indiana. The organization says funds raised through its events stay in the communities it serves to support local patients.
