The Truth... In Memory of Bruce Mullan

Bruce & his wife Catherine were one of the initial grieving families that came together to found "TOGETHER for Caring" which served as the foundation upon which they and the No Ky HIV/AIDS Care Region Coordinators built AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky. I attended the Memorial Community Dinner on Tuesday Evening...

Subject: Re: [RainbowNews] Digest -AVOC "Rollin' On The River.8/29
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 19:18:02 -0400
From: "Michael W. Connett" <mconnett@fuse.net>
Organization: "The Michael W. Connett-'LIVING' Trust"

How fortuitous that these two items appeared together!
One of the things that I have come to realize along my Journey is that the talents with which I was blessed (an ability to write/communicate) were given to facilitate my purpose or "calling" in this life to teach/educate. That was a real and truthful motivation for my decision to join The Christian Brothers upon my graduation from Newport Catholic High School. The real but less truthful motivation was my attempt to escape the intolerance of my family and society by finding a "Respectable" closet to reside in. That being said, here is the lesson I want to share with you:

"THE TRUTH ABOUT 'AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS'

IN GREATER CINCINNATI"

(ASO's-both professional and Community Based Organizations/CBO's)

In a nutshell it is this: that the same kind of very real TENSION (although largely unspoken) that exists between a smaller/less known organization and a larger/very well known one as cited in the article by Doug Ireland, exists between the Three major players in AIDS Services here. AVOC is the larger and more well known organization that like the HRC, operates primarily in one area/state, gets all the recognition and manages to raise the great majority of Community Based Funding. However, they have evolved into a Professional ASO under contract with the State of Ohio to administer case management, education and prevention activities - thereby trying to wear two hats at once as both a Professional ASO and a Volunteer-driven CBO. Conversely in the same geographic area yet another state, we have two existing organizations (AVNK-the CBO & NKIDHD AIDS Care Management Program-the ASO) that like the Oregon group are smaller and less well known, each wear only one hat and struggle to meet their clients needs in the shadow of AVOC who like the HRC only dispenses to them the scraps from their bountiful table. Case in point: For the last three years I have been trying to get assistance from the PAWS program for my faithful canine companion-Moses. This last Sunday, through the perseverance of my Case Manager-Vicki Simon and the defiance to AVOC's exclusionary preferences by the VOLUNTEERS that run the PAWS program, I was able to participate in the free Vet Care Event at the SCPA and get Moses caught up on the shots that he was a year overdue for. I am deeply grateful to all involved in making this event and my participation in it possible!!!

As Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis says in his recent book - "For The Life Of Your Dog": "Dogs have always been important players in my life. Sometimes I think I may even owe them my life. Living with HIV, I have come to know personally and intimately the exquisite power of the human/animal bond. I don't need scientific research studies to tell me that when you share a special relationship with animals-in my case dogs-your outlook improves, you enjoy a more fulfilling life, and most significantly, you are better equipped to heal and fight off disease. There seems to be a direct link between the human/animal bond and the human immune system, and I have been a beneficiary of that link."

There is no doubt in my mind as well, that having Moses by my side the last 5 years is a major reason why I have been able to survive living with HIV. In talking to several of the PAWS volunteers, I learned that last Sundays Vet Care Day was made possible and organized solely through their efforts and the generosity of the Veterinary professionals who donated their time as well as the necessary vaccines and supplies. To my complete surprise and chagrin I learned that although the PAWS Program operates as a service under the AVOC umbrella, they receive no budget or direct financial assistance from them for their operation. Except in the case where a donation is made to AVOC specifically designated for the PAWS Program. Over the last eight years that I have been living with HIV, from the beginning in CincinNASTY and now in my native No. Ky., I have come to realize the inequities that currently exist. Although there exits this great disproportion between the amount of Community Based fundraisng received by AVOC from Northern Kentucky and the amount of programs and services then returned by AVOC to the Northern Kentucky clients, I have been ignored, muzzled or discredited when I have tried to be vocal and raise awareness about it. But AIDS is FAR FROM Being Over...Although there is no cure or vaccine in sight, people continue to be infected and then are living longer putting a strain on all the available resources. IT IS TIME for unnecessary strains on our resources like the one presented here, to be recognized and rectified!

With Best Regards & HOPE for the Future,
Michael

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Though I am often reluctant to attend their events these days, this was one I could not miss as I will always remember AVNK as the Family that welcomed me back to No Ky two years after I found out I was HIV+ in 1991 –& yes, I always like to drop the fact that it’s the same year as the "Magic" started!
It made me think of Bruce & Catherine, Judy –my old St Bernard’s grade school teacher with an adopted gay son (whose wedding, Southern Food Service ala Me catered!), Gail, Alice and the many others whose names escape me ... I’m sure they’re on a card somewhere in the boxes and files thru-out The HIVe! Thankfully, my MOM went thru the trauma of my “official” Coming OUT back in 1978, so it was great to find a group that she could now take some comfort with. Wally, as well while he was still here...

I knew that Catherine would be present and to my delight; so were Fr. Herman, Bob Keck & Alice... Sadly, many of the other old timers who have  also distanced themselves were not; especially Judy and Cathy Kunkel-Mains. I found it most interesting that in his opening remarks, President Mike Connolly remembered Bruce as "a pain in the ass" with whom he often locked horns! When I had the opportunity to speak, I explained my presence & why it was important to me by saying "as someone else Mike probably considers a pain, I couldn't, wouldn't have missed this opportunity to express my gratitude to Bruce & Catherine as well as the entire AVNK Family of yore..."

So, in honor of Bruce & I's kinship in locking horns; I'm gonna give y'all the 411 on our current TRUTH ABOUT 'AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS' IN GREATER CINCINNATI...

Our beloved AVNK, rather than living up to the hopes that they'd be the active and effective Non-Profit they were modeled after; has been morphed into "The ISQCCBE's AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky" under the direction of current President Mike Connolly, who also happens to be the Treasurer & Webmaster for "The Court"! The evidence:

• AVNK has still not learned to do effective Public Outreach & FUNdRaising; relying on designation as an "Official Court Charity".
• They still have not restored their website nor embraced the New Social Media as urged by AIDS.gov & the National HIV/AIDS Strategy ( one of the things that I have "busted his chops about")
• Monthly Dinners & Events are no longer posted to public Community Calendars in local media.
• They have a substantial chunk of change in the bank they're sitting on; at a past dinner I heard Pres Connolly remark to my Case Manager that "We just don't have a clue what to do anymore..."

AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky (AVNK) in Florence was founded in 1990 and seeks to understand and address the emotional, educational, social, spiritual and physical needs of the people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, partners, friends and caregivers in Northern Kentucky and surrounding communities. AVNK strives to raise public awareness of HIV/AIDS and related issues and promotes education, mobilization, prevention and advocacy. AVNK provides services including three support groups, a monthly dinner/social, healing weekends, respite care, emergency financial assistance, memorial services, outreach to minority communities and World AIDS Day services.

Charity Contact Information
Name: AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky
Address: 314 War Horse Place
  Crestview Hills, KY 41017
Phone: (859) 261-2143
Web Address:  

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comment                

Despite written BBB of Cincinnati requests in the past year, this organization either has not responded to BBB of Cincinnati requests for information or has declined to be evaluated in relation to the BBB of Cincinnati’s Standards for Charity Accountability. While participation in the BBB of Cincinnati’s charity review efforts is voluntary, the BBB of Cincinnati believes that failure to participate may demonstrate a lack of commitment to transparency. Without the requested information, the BBB of Cincinnati cannot determine if this charity adheres to the Standards for Charity Accountability. A charity's willing disclosure of information beyond that typically included in its financial statements and government filings is, in the Alliance's view, an expression of openness that strengthens public trust in the charitable sector.
The BBB of Cincinnati reports on national charities and determines if they meet 20 voluntary standards on matters such as charity finances, appeals, and governance. The BBB of Cincinnati does not evaluate the worthiness of the charitable program. 
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"Board of Directors Meeting - Tuesday, October 25, 2011: The next ISQCCBE Board of Directors and General Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Covington at 7 PM. We will be electing the next Member at Large. Nominees are Dennis DeClaire and Ken Brawner. Come out and cast YOUR vote!!"
Ms Connelly couldn't wait for the AVNK Dinner to end & shuffled us all off. That's really sad that he's co-opted Trinity's generosity & support for AVNK into a meeting place for the Court!

To add insult to injury; I had announced our planning efforts for "World AIDS Day @ The World PEACE Bell" and the goal of connecting it to an AIDS Memorial Quilt Display that would run through the 1st Weekend of NATIONAL HIV/AIDS Awareness Month... In response, I was asked to keep them in the loop; yet when I gave him copies of Quilt Display Info & Application he proceeded to advise me that there wasn't enough time & it probably couldn't be done!

Well, I know better & working with the NAMES Project Foundation and several other CommUNITY RED Ribbon Partners; I'm Happy to report that it will be done! This ones for you, Bruce...