Would you like to memorialize someone who was lost to HIV/AIDS?

Contact us via email at info@AIDSTrailToACure.org to find out how.

This annual event is held (rain or shine) on the Katy Trail along the Missouri River–a relatively level course though a the scenic Missouri River valley.

The event features activities for the sedentary to the athletic among us–and this year, a half-marathon has been added, with timing provided by Ready, Set, Results!

This event offers several distances to choose from, and all routes are round trip, so you end up where you started, at the Rocheport Trailhead of the Katy Trail.

The big event is planned to end at 2:00 pm so that all participants can join their family, friends, and supporters at Les Bourgeois’ A-Frame winery atop the bluffs in Rocheport. The post-event celebration features food for participants, a silent raffle, live music, and lots of fun and libations.

All of the relevant details are included in the TTAC_Event_Participant_Packet_2012 (PDF).

To register and begin fundraising for the cause, visit our fast and convenient online registration page. Funds raised by Trail to a Cure are passed along to our beneficiaries: amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research; Bond Life Science’s Center HIV/AIDS research projects at MU; and Rain of Central Missouri.

Whether you are a super-fit athlete or someone who enjoys potato chips for breakfast, you are welcome on the trail. And given the Cinco de Mayo date and the fact that this is our fifth anniversary, there are sure to be lots of surprises!

Have questions? Comment below, ask them on our Facebook page, or email us at info@AIDStrailtoacure.org — and we’ll see you on the trail!

Enjoy tempting menu items from the lunch or dinner menus–items like the P.B.L.T., pork chop, pulled pork, pizza (things that start with “P” are all good!), one of their awesome appetizers, or their vegetarian-friendly polenta plate–that’s creamy polenta cakes covered with a summer vegetable ragout and fresh chevre. It starts with “P”–just saying.

Great beers brewed on-site and great food–what more could you want? Okay: dessert!

Take a F2FA Flyer with you, and give it to the friendly staff there.

Then they will donate 15% of what you spend to Trail to a Cure–this helps ensure that 100% of the participant-raised funds at the annual Trail to a Cure Ride/Walk/Run goes to our beneficiaries to support their work fighting HIV/AIDS.

You can feel good about doing something we all have to do: eat!

And hey–why not follow them on Facebook? And us?

Thank you for supporting Trail to a Cure!

P.S.:  Need a reminder? Try RSVP’ing via our Facebook event!

AIDS Quilt panels will be on display at Firestone Baar Chapel of Stephens College Monday, November 28 through Thursday, December 1. The chapel will be open to the public from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Jannis Evans, African American HIV/AIDS emergency response coordinator and member of the Missouri Office of Minority Health’s Minority Health Advisory Committee,  will present “HIV 101″ on Monday, November 28 at 5 p.m.

“Reflections,” a public viewing of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be held  Tuesday, November 29 3 to 8 p.m.

“A Personal Story: Reflections about living life with HIV” will be presented Wednesday, November 30, at a time to be announced.

On Thursday, December 1, at 5 p.m., Columbia will observe World AIDS Day with a candlelight vigil at the intersection of College Ave. and Broadway. The vigil will be followed by a Service of Remembrance at 6 p.m.

Trail to a Cure invites the public to participate in a Feast 2 FIGHT AIDS fundraising event at La Siesta Mexican Restaurant at 9th and Walnut Streets after the service or anytime on Thursday, December 1. Participants must bring a flyer to the restaurant and fifteen percent of what is spent will be contributed to Trail to a Cure.

Questions regarding the World AIDS Day observance events may be directed to Dustin Hampton at dthampto@gocolumbiamo.com or (573) 874-7285.

The holiday season is upon us, and the chef in your family is cooking nonstop. Mark your calendars for several opportunities to lighten the load of said chef (and give everyone a break from the leftover parade) by eating out at one of CoMo’s locally owned and operated restaurants.

It’s a great time to take a friend out to eat for the holidays, grab some carry out/catering for your event, or pick up a gift/gift card from the restaurants.

Feast 2 Fight AIDS events are dining-out fundraisers. All you do is show up at the venue at the time of your choosing during normal business hours (with 10 of your closest friends in tow, we hope!), bring the F2FA Flyer for that month’s F2FA, and present it to the server/cashier when you pay. Then the nice restaurant owner sends Trail to a Cure a check for 15% of what you and your friends spend on food, libations, gift certificates! Easy peasy! And it’s for a nonprofit that has raised $52,000 towards the fight against HIV/AIDS in the last four years!

November’s F2FA is at Smokin’ Chick’s BBQ every Wednesday (there are 5 of them, so there are 3 more opportunities)! Here’s the flyer! Try the pulled pork, pictured above. Good eats are calling your name! And they have spice rubs and more for sale (stocking stuffer?). And it’s not everyplace that the folks whose name is on the marquee actually wait on customers. Chick and Lissa take good care of their patrons.

December’s is on a THURSDAY–it’s on December 1 (not Dec. 7, which would be our typical 1st Wednesday F2FA), which you know, of course, is World AIDS Day. F2FA is conveniently scheduled for La Siesta Mexican Restaurant downtown, so it makes a great complement to the WAD activities  going on in the downtown/Stephens area. Here’s the flyer! We’re looking forward to chiles en nogada, but there is a lot of great food (and Dos Equis on tap and MARGARITAS!) on the menu. “Los hermanos Guillen” and Paco and their crew will take care of you. Watch the city/county health department Facebook page for details about the Columbia World AIDS Day observance.

January’s is at Shakespeare’s (one of our favorite venues)! It’s on Wednesday, January 4th, 2012. Both locations (or all 3 if the new south location is open by then). Here’s the flyer! The masterpiece, pictured above, is tasty, but let us recommend whole wheat crust, artichoke hearts, and pepper cheese (plus any additions you might prefer). Kurt’s crew will make sure you enjoy a slice of great pie–or more!

Please do TTAC (and these locally owned/operated establishments) a favor and print a few extra flyers for each event and pass them out to friends or colleagues.

And you HAVE marked your calendar for TTAC’s 5th anniversary Ride/Walk/Run event? We have added a half-marathon option!

It’s on Cinco de Mayo–Saturday 5/5/2012! Really. Mark your calendars. You don’t want to miss it! Maybe we’ll even have a unicycle rider wearing a sombrero! Registration and fundraising are opening soon!

Do you think Paco would lend this sombrero to Dean, our expert unicyclist?

And if you’re not following us on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter what are you waiting for?

Thanks for reading and passing along to anyone you know in Central Missouri who might also like food. If you’re on our website reading this, there are some nifty little sharing widgets just below these words. Use them, please!

Thanks for reading!

All you have to do is bring in one of our Feast_2_Fight_AIDS_Flyers (PDF), and Chick and Lissa and company will donate 15% of what you spend to Trail to a Cure. (And that flyer is 2-to-a-page for a reason–share half with a friend!)

Great ribs!

Great pulled pork!

Even a Memphis sandwich!

If you’re not sure what to order, try the brisket! Check out the entire  menu.

Why not support this locally owned small business while also helping cover the costs for Trail to a Cure’s annual Ride/Walk/Run in May (this year, it’s on Cinco de Mayo!)–making sure all the proceeds from that event that are raised by participants go to the cause.

Go ahead. You won’t regret it!

Locally, Rain of Central Missouri is receiving funding to support services for those living with HIV/AIDS in Rain’s service area. These funds fill important gaps that grants and other programs do not meet.

Also local to Columbia, Trail to a Cure has provided some funding to help support the HIV/AIDS research work at Bond Life Sciences Center on the campus of the University of Missouri. (If you aren’t familiar, be sure to check out the great work of Drs. Donald Burke-Aguero, Marc Johnson, and Stefan Sarafianos.)

And at the national level, Trail to a Cure has provided support to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

In only four years of existence, Trail to a Cure has raised $52,000 for its beneficiaries. That would not be possible without all of you, our event participants, fundraiser participants, business and individual sponsors and other partners. Thank you!

To celebrate, join TTAC folks at this month’s Feast 2 FIGHT AIDS at Broadway Brewery (July 6th). Be sure to bring the F2FA_Flyer!

And remember that next year’s event will be a big deal: it’s our fifth event and it’s on the first Saturday in May, which is Cinco de Mayo!

Enjoy tempting menu items from the lunch or dinner menus–items like the P.B.L.T., pork chop, pulled pork, pizza (things that start with “P” are all good!), one of their awesome appetizers, or their vegetarian-friendly polenta plate–that’s creamy polenta cakes covered with a summer vegetable ragout and fresh chevre. It starts with “P”–just saying.

Great beers brewed on-site and great food–what more could you want? Okay: dessert!

Take a F2FA flyer with you, and give it to the friendly staff there.

Then they will donate 15% of what you spend to Trail to a Cure–this helps ensure that 100% of the participant-raised funds at the 5th annual Trail to a Cure Ride/Walk/Run goes to our beneficiaries to support their work fighting HIV/AIDS.

You can feel good about doing something we all have to do: eat!

And hey–why not follow them on Facebook? And us?

Thank you for supporting Trail to a Cure!

P.S.:  Need a reminder? Try RSVP’ing via our Facebook event!

Wednesday, June 1st is no different–and this time, it’s at Room 38 in downtown Columbia.

They open at 11 am, so consider lunch, dinner, or happy hour.

Be sure to bring the flyer! Hand it to your server or bartender when paying your bill, and 15% of what you spend goes to Trail to a Cure. How easy is that?

Please share this info with your friends and plan to get together at Room 38!

There is a lot of good stuff on their menu, whether you’re going for food, drinks, or both.

For links, visit our sponsors page.