Homie Gus Kenworthy Needs Our Help!

08 Mar Homie Gus Kenworthy Needs Our Help!

Last time we posted news about Telluride’s homegrown superstar, Gus Kenworthy, he was rubbing elbows with other stars in New York at the opening of Nordstrom’s Men’s Store. But today Gus, who won silver in Men’s Slopeside at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, has shifted his focus to helping others less fortunate. He has signed up for the 545 mile-long AIDS/ Life Cycle bike ride from San Francisco to LA , which takes place this June and pledged to raise $1 million for the cause. So Gus needs our help. Yes, the Telluride AIDS Benefit 2019 has past and was a great success, but the need for funds has not. And while there is promising news on the horizon that HIV/AIDS is curable, thousands of people still need help. Help Gus help them.

“With only a few months left before the ride I am still shy of $100k,” explains Gus. “No, there is no penalty or repercussions for me not making it to the goal that I pledged, but I don’t want to throw in the towel until I’m a lot closer to my goal then I am now. If I were to raise a few hundred thousand dollars I would be able to rest easy knowing that I helped improved the lives of a huge number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Do you think Telluride folks might want to help? All donations are completely tax deductible and 100% of the money raised goes to fight HIV/AIDS.”

Gus Kenworthy ready to roll. Photo, Maegen Gindi.

From the AIDS/LifeCyle website:

I just wanna start by saying thanks so much for not only putting up my harrassing social media posts but for actually clicking the link coming to my AIDS/LifeCycle page! Welcome!

Last June my good friends Dan Fox and Anthony Interrante rode in the ALC as part of the OutServe team and I went with a group of friends to cheer them on as they completed the ride. Being there you could actually feel the love and support permeating from the finish line as thousands of people completed the 545-mile-long ride signifying millions of dollars being raised to fight HIV/AIDS and better the lives of those directly affected. I was so moved by the experience that I signed for the 2019 ride that very day! I thought for a moment about how much money I could realistically commit to raising and decided I’d shoot for the stars and pledged to try and raise a million dollars!!!

That number is now looming over me and I’m realizing that no part of this journey is going to be easy. For starters I have literally never ridden a road bike. Like, actually truly literally never. I’m excited for the physical challenge though! The aspect I’m most nervous for is actually hitting my fundraising goal… That’s where YOU come in!!! I can’t tell you how much my face lights up each time I get an email saying that someone has donated to my AIDS/LifeCycle campaign. The services provided as a result of this ride mean the world to those who receive them and your support truly means the world to me! Every single dollar helps, so don’t fret if you can’t afford to make a huge donation – I’m not a size queen – I genuinely appreciate every single person that makes a contribution! And if you truly can’t afford to donate then that’s ok too!

Maybe you can consider reposting one of the fundraising pictures on my instagram with the link to my page to help spread the word? http://www.tofighthiv.org/goto/guskenworthy

Here’s a little more info about how your money will directly help the cause:

In the US alone there are over a million people living with an HIV+ status and many still contracting the disease without even knowing it. One way we can help is through educating people on safe sex practices and encouraging people to get tested regularly and knowing their status!

A $25 DONATION provides a Rapid HIV Antibody test at Magnet (a free community clinic located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro’s district)! Tragically over 75% of the HIV+ people in the US are living at or below the poverty line making access to life-saving medication near impossible.

A $125 DONATION can provide all the resources for one patient visit to Magnet. Another constant struggle for those affected is the horrible stigma that surrounds the disease and that we as a society perpetuate. Let’s spread facts, not fear!

A $500 DONATION will provide medical benefit counseling for 15 people which will allow them to obtain perscription drug assistance.

A $625 DONATION can provie a safe and stable housing situation for one HIV+ person for an entire month thanks to a partnership between the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

A $1,000 DONATION can put on two Stop AIDS Community Education Forums to help educate the masses about HIV/AIDS.

We are working together to make HIV/AIDS a thing of the past. Will you PLEASE (I made it bold, italicized and underlined it to emphasize that I’m low key begging you) support me by making a donation today? Thank you!