Kile Ozier, Board Member

Dear Friends of the Grove -

I remember the very first memorial service I experienced there. It wasn’t yet even officially the AIDS Memorial Grove. We, my friends and I, were aware that this place was happening, and, when our dear friend Mike died, there was no other place we’d consider gathering to remember him.  These were such awful, clouded, dark days in San Francisco. Men were disappearing within weeks of being diagnosed…a virtual death sentence, almost every time. Guys would come from receiving their diagnosis to find their possessions on the street in front of their homes, evicted by terrified roommates.

We lived scared, most all the time. A previously-unnoticed freckle could spark panic, an insidious terror that underscored our lives as, day after day, our friends withered and blew away before our eyes. It was an act of bravery to hold, hug or kiss someone with AIDS; it was an act of activism.

Mike — he was dashing, handsome, smart, funny, a leader among many in San Francisco.  The head of sales and catering for a prominent San Francisco hotel, he came from an even more prominent Marin family, a family who swept him from the City to the family home in Marin and would allow none of us to visit him; would not even acknowledge that he had AIDS, or even that he was gay. None of us were permitted to say goodbye.

So, one grey, early morning, about thirty of us crept and clambered into the Grove and gathered by a fallen tree at the head of what was, at the time, a dried-up creek bed. We climbed over and through bramble and bush to get to the site for our memorial and, as the sun began to shine through the tangle of overhead branches, we began to share memories of our lost friend, another of hundreds – then thousands – we were to lose just here in San Francisco through the first years of the plague.

The Grove — long before it was a national memorial it was simply a forgotten dell in Golden Gate Park where an overlooked and dismissed population could gather and remember. In that public intimacy we shared, we found comfort.

Years later, the power of the Grove was brought home to me again on another early morning, as I took another dear friend to see it for his first time. A restaurateur, I wanted him to take on the sourcing and organization of food for the volunteers on the monthly workdays.  Without telling John where we were going, we drove to the park, talking and catching up as I parked and we walked in the morning quiet down the unmarked portal pathway to reach the meadow. As we entered the broad, quiet green space, John put his hand on my arm, stopping me; he looked me right in the eye. In a whisper, he said, “…Kile, is this the Grove?!”  Yes, it is.  Quiet for a moment, he said, “…what do you want?” I told him. He said yes. The Grove did the compelling asking simply by being there.

Today, the Grove is the National AIDS Memorial. Evolving to embrace our mandate as the sole, nationally-designated AIDS Memorial, our responsibility to articulate and address what has and continues to happen through the devastation of this plague is heightened with each passing day. This memorial must embrace and nurture those dealing with immediate and ongoing loss; it must also articulate, for those who were not there, the bleakness and devastation that decimated a generation. Finally, this Grove must serve as reminder and acknowledgment that we and those awful, dark times are not forgotten – a heady responsibility.

There are so many stories to tell and to represent. With this missive, I share the smallest portion of my own experience. I go often to the Grove and quietly remember the man who gave to me my own experience of unconditional love. Each of you will have your own tapestry of memory around the plague and this place.  And, with the passing of time, even those who have not yet experienced such loss must be touched by the Grove.

I share my personal stories to invite your ongoing and renewed financial support. Simply put, I write on behalf of the board of directors in outreach and appeal for personal contributions to support the growth and evolution of the Grove into the National AIDS Memorial it has been designated. As your hearts are open, we ask this of you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices at 415-765-0497.

With thanks,

Kile Ozier, Board Member

We were delighted that Leader Nancy Pelosi joined us at our Community Volunteer Workday on Saturday, April 21st. Her visit to the Grove commemorated her twenty-fifth year as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Pelosi was first elected to the House in 1987 to represent California’s 8th Congressional District, which includes most of San Francisco. In 2002, she made history when she became the first woman elected to lead a major political party in Congress; in 2007 she became the first woman elected Speaker of the House.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In her first speech to the Congress in 1987, Nancy Pelosi famously said she came to the House of Representatives to fight AIDS. In those days, some people suggested that she might not want to become identified with that particular cause. But Pelosi wanted to share what San Francisco had learned about prevention and care with the rest of the country, referring to the “San Francisco model of care.”

Leader Pelosi helped enact legislation to assist in housing of people living with HIV/AIDS. She pushed to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, which assists thousands of low-income people in getting care and treatment. Her efforts to prevent drastic cuts in care and treatment for San Francisco have resulted in the restoration of millions of previously cut dollars from systems of care that people living with HIV/AIDS rely upon for access to medications and primary medical care. She is committed to ensuring that care, treatment, prevention and research initiatives receive funding increases. Pelosi continues fighting to expand access to care as part of comprehensive health reform. She has also led efforts to fund the global fight against AIDS. If all of that were not enough, Leader Pelosi was instrumental in passing the legislation in 1996 that designated our local “AIDS Grove” as this country’s National AIDS Memorial.

Representative Pelosi has faithfully commemorated her milestone years in Congress by volunteering at the Grove. On both her 10th and 20th anniversary years in Congress, she planted commemorative trees. Today, both these trees stand strong and graceful.

 Thank you Leader Pelosi for the honor of commemorating yet another milestone year in Congress with us at the National AIDS Memorial Grove!

Ross Hayduk, an inspiring friend to – and volunteer of – the National AIDS Memorial Grove, is embarking on an incredible journey.  Inspired by the life of Dr. Tom Waddell (whose name was inscribed in the Grove in 2011), Ross became a Gay Games athlete in the 2002 and 2006 events, earning medals in Track & Field and Powerlifting.  After participating in a 200-mile cycling event in 2010 and a 218-mile hiking event in 2011, Ross decided to combine his passions for endurance events and fundraising by planning to hike the 2,184-mile Appalachian Trail in 2012 to benefit the National AIDS Memorial Grove. 

“I decided I could either traverse the Grove 7,688 times or hike 2,184 miles along the great American trail,” Ross jokes. “But as I hike, I will have a daily reminder of the beauty of this national memorial set in the heart of Golden Gate Park.”  Inspired by the message of healing, hope and remembrance, Ross is investing his personal resources, as well as six months of his life, into a long-distance hike to draw attention to HIV-related health issues.

“I believe we can overcome challenges to our health like HIV, substance abuse, and bipolar depression, especially with the support of non-profit HIV/AIDS service organizations.  But we must remember those who have gone before, who did not have the breadth of services available today.  The only reason I am able to hike over two thousand miles is due to the sacrifices made by those whose names are inscribed within the Circle of Friends.” 

Those interested in following his hike online may visit www.HikeRossHike.org.  Beginning in March in Georgia and ending in September in Maine, Ross looks forward to the adventure of a lifetime, trusting that his efforts will bring greater awareness to the National AIDS Memorial Grove in 2012. 

We invite you to support Ross’ hike by making a gift to the National AIDS Memorial Grove.

Congratulations to our 4 winners—Tania Sotelo, Nery Martinez, Stefany Zelaya and Nancy Rodriguez!

From left to right: Lisa Windesheim-Zigas, World AIDS Day Youth Ambassador (accepting award on behalf of Tania Sotelo), Nery Martinez, Stefany Zelaya and Nancy Rodriguez.

Read some of the essays below:

Tania Sotelo Essay

Nery Martinez Essay

Nancy Rodriguez Essay

Over 500 people celebrated the Grove’s twentieth anniversary at the second iteration of Light in the Grove on Nov 30. 2011. Franco Beneduce Productions and Jesse Dimond Design, the producer and designer of the event respectively, took a creative step up from their inaugural presentation in 2010.

The variety of light effects and dancing sprites evolved this year into a singular, elegant vision. The fountain of candles in the Circle of Friends led to a river of candles. These and Inflated light globes softly lit the entire Redwood Grove. The classical cello of Dan Reiter seemed to come from as many sources as the candlelight.

Copious Dance Theater interpreted the spirit of the Redwoods in front of a projection of flying birds. Under the protection of a 7,400-square-foot clear and heated tent, the celebration continued with food from Daniel Ripley Catering and music from harpist Natalie Cox. The program began with the entrance of a piper in full Scots kilt leading Grove Executive Director John Cunningham.

Last year’s honoree, Pat Christen, introduced Ambassador James C. Hormel. Ambassador Hormel was honored for his many contributions to the LGBT community, and especially for his support of the community response in the early days of the epidemic. It was also Ambassador Hormel who hosted the first event to raise seed money for the Grove when it was just the vision of a few people. Meg McKay sang a moving song, My Brother Lived in San Francisco, evocative of the days here thirty years ago.

This led into a finale on the south slope outside the tent by the San Francisco Flaggers. Spotlights first showed three individuals moving slowly to somber music. The music gradually became more energized and the lights came up to reveal more than a dozen performers on the slope.

At the World AIDS Day commemoration this year, the local unsung hero award was presented to the staff of San Francisco General Hospital wards 5A, 5B and 86, which became the medical centerpiece of “the San Francisco model. These units were the first of their kind and were staffed by committed individuals at a time when the risks of transmission were not yet understood.

The group was introduced by Grove Board member Marcy Fraser – herself one of those pioneers at General – and was represented by Diane Jones. Over 80 individuals were present to reunite with their fellows and receive the applause and recognition of the other five hundred attendees.

The Leadership Award recognized the advances in public policy and program funding made by the Clinton administration and President Bill Clinton’s international work to abate the epidemic. While the president was unable to attend in person, he acknowledged the recognition in a video statement.

After President Clinton’s video address, the winners of this year’s World AIDS Day Youth Scholarships took to the stage. Each winner read an excerpt from his or her essay to an audience of 500 people and were presented with awards. The National AIDS Memorial Grove Youth College Scholarship Program is an essay contest open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. The purpose of the Youth Scholarship Program is to engage youth to explore the ways they are touched by HIV/AIDS and the National AIDS Memorial Grove by submitting an essay of up to 750 words, which is judged by a panel of experts from the community. This is the third year of the Grove’s World AIDS Day Youth Scholarship Program.

Bishop Yvette Flunder closed the program with a specially adapted rendition of “Somewhere.” Her appearance has become a recent tradition of the World AIDS Day program in the Grove. Following the program, names of those added to the Circle of Friends in 2011 were read aloud.

The day concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the The Falls. This restoration of one of the original Victorian waterfalls is located at the west end of the Grove and is dedicated to the memory of Frances McCormick. It brings flowing water back to Dry Creek and adds burbling water sounds to the calls of birds along the tranquil path leading to the meadow.

The event ended with the traditional soups of Daniel Ripley and countless informal conversations among friends and colleagues. As people drifted away, volunteers began the job of dismantling the site. As always, nothing that happens in or with the Grove would be possible without the dedication of the many people who have found themselves drawn to participate together in whatever ways to make it happen. Thank you to each and every selfless Grove volunteer!

Over twenty years, the Grove has been fortunate in a great many ways – friends, supporters, volunteers. Over the 36-hour period of our two events, the forecasted wind event which wreaked havoc in several parts of the state did not visit the Grove.

At the World AIDS Day commemoration this year, the local unsung hero award was presented to the staff of San Francisco General Hospital wards 5A, 5B and 86, which became the medical centerpiece of “the San Francisco model. These units were the first of their kind and were staffed by committed individuals at a time when the risks of transmission were not yet understood.

The group was introduced by Grove Board member Marcy Fraser – herself one of those pioneers at General – and was represented by Diane Jones. Over 80 individuals were present to reunite with their fellows and receive the applause and recognition of the other five hundred attendees.

The Leadership Award recognized the advances in public policy and program funding made by the Clinton administration and President Bill Clinton’s international work to abate the epidemic. While the president was unable to attend in person, he acknowledged the recognition in a video statement.

After President Clinton’s video address, the winners of this year’s World AIDS Day Youth Scholarships took to the stage.  Each winner read an excerpt from his or her essay to an audience of 500 people and were presented with awards.  The National AIDS Memorial Grove Youth College Scholarship Program is an essay contest open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.  The purpose of the Youth Scholarship Program is to engage youth to explore the ways they are touched by HIV/AIDS and the National AIDS Memorial Grove by submitting an essay of up to 750 words, which is judged by a panel of experts from the community. This is the third year of the Grove’s World AIDS Day Youth Scholarship Program.

Bishop Yvette Flunder closed the program with a specially adapted rendition of “Somewhere.” Her appearance has become a recent tradition of the World AIDS Day program in the Grove. Following the program, names of those added to the Circle of Friends in 2011 were read aloud.

The day concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the The Falls. This restoration of one of the original Victorian waterfalls is located at the west end of the Grove and is dedicated to the memory of Frances McCormick. It brings flowing water back to Dry Creek and adds burbling water sounds to the calls of birds along the tranquil path leading to the meadow.

The event ended with the traditional soups of Daniel Ripley and countless informal conversations among friends and colleagues. As people drifted away, volunteers began the job of dismantling the site. As always, nothing that happens in or with the Grove would be possible without the dedication of the many people who have found themselves drawn to participate together in whatever ways to make it happen. Thank you to each and every selfless Grove volunteer!

At our April 16 Community Volunteer Workday, the Grove was privileged to host a group of twenty-five youth from Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church’s Junior High Ministries. The youngsters were part of a much larger movement of students and youth groups all over the world making an effort to fight hunger and save lives by participating in World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine program. These students had chosen to spend the final four hours of their 30-hour fundraising fast—working at the Grove.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students participate in this fast, going without food for 30 hours. They experience hunger firsthand to help feed and care for hungry children. They learn what it takes to stop hunger by raising monies to help feed and care for tens of thousands of children all over the world. Their eyes are opened to a world of hunger and hope, and their minds are filled with the understanding needed to fight poverty and injustice.

Supporters of the Grove are building an endowment to help ensure its ongoing care and maintenance. We believe that all government funding designated for HIV/AIDS should be used for direct services. Therefore we continue to rely primarily on private funding, gathering support from individuals, foundations and corporations to accomplish our mission.

There are many ways to give to the National AIDS Memorial Grove. Donations are made for many reasons, some in memory or in honor of loved ones. The Grove’s Ensure Remembrance Campaign provides gift and recognition opportunities for individuals, corporations and organizations helping to finish site improvements or to reach the endowment goal for the perpetual care of the Grove.

National AIDS Memorial Grove
P.O. Box 2270
San Francisco, CA 94126-2270

You may download the donation form and print it out if you wish to send it in with your gift. If you do not use this form, and your gift is in memory or in honor of someone, please make a note in the corner of your check or include the information on an attached sheet of paper.

If you would like us to notify others of your gift, please give us their name and address as well. For gifts in memory of, or in honor of, someone, we will send an aknowledgement stating that the gift was made in honor of, or in memory of, whomever you choose.

For donations to the Circle of Friends, please download the donation form and completely fill out the box on the right side and mail to the office with your payment.

All gifts to the National AIDS Memorial Grove are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

There are many ways to give to the National AIDS Memorial Grove. Donations are received in memory of or in honor of loved ones. Others contribute by becoming Workday sponsors. The Grove’s Ensure Remembrance campaign provides gifts and recognition opportunities for individuals, corporations and organizations helping to finish site improvements or to reach the endowment goal for the perpetual care of the Grove.

The following list identifies Ensure Remembrance campaign features and donors:

Features in bold are still available to be funded.

Please call the Grove office at 415-765-0497 for further information.

Opportunity, Gift, Donor(s) and Description

Dogwood Crescent—$200,000
Funded by
Alvin H. Baum, Jr.
William F. Clark
Laurence A. Colton & John W. McCoy
Ayse Manyas Kenmore
The Russell-Shapiro Family

Fern Grotto—$100,000
Funded by Kevin McAree and co-sponsor Wells Fargo
Circular gathering area at western end of Grove

Meadow Overlook—$125,000
Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund

Crossroads Circle—$100,000
State of California; Recreation & Parks Department; Environmental Restoration Grant 2001

North Creek Trail
Northern trail through the Oaks running from the Crossroads Circle to the Fern Grotto

South Creek Trail
Southern trail through the Oaks running from the Crossroads Circle to the Fern Grotto

Main Portal—$100,000
Steve Silver & Beach Blanket Babylon

South Portal—$75,000
Terry K. Watanabe

Pine Crescent—$75,000
Gap Foundation

The Meadow—$75,000
A. Spencer Andrew Foundation

West Portal—$100,000
The Donald O. Collins Foundation

Dogwood Dell—$50,000
Madeleine H. Russell

Woodland Path—$50,000
Academy of Friends

Dry Creek—$40,000
In Memory of Stephen Marcus

Redwood Grove—$35,000
Chuck Holmes and Falcon Studios

Woodland Stream—$35,000
William Brinnon and Ron Dhein of Kahn & Keville

Winding steam bed of large cobbles connecting Dogwood Crescent to Redwood Grove

Fern Grotto—$30,000
Roof, Eidam & Maycock

Map Pedestals—$30,000 each
Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund Charles Schwab & Co. Family Fdn.

Information kiosks—which will be located near the West Portal (to be built) and between the Main and South Portals

Magnolias—Area surrounding the South Portal entrance to the Grove

Manzanitas—$25,000
Peter Lawrence Block

Redwood Knoll—$50,000
Peter Lawrence Block

Maples Center—$15,000
Timberland Company

Maples East and West — $30,000
Forest Creatures Entertainment

Pines Center — $15,000
Rory Snyder and Katherine Lightfoot

Pines East—$15,000
Margaret Hess/Don J. Olivier Trust

Pines West — $15,000
MeMe Pederson in memory of Jay Luque, A Gentle Soul Who Lives His Life to the Fullest

Oaks North—$15,000
James and Chris Clark

Oaks South $15,000
Sara Sanderson and Eric Weaver