When you visit downtown Bracebridge on Wednesday, Dec. 1, you will find dozens of red scarves tied to lampposts and trees.
The Muskoka Grandmothers to Grandmothers, in partnership with Muskoka Pride and the Gilbert Centre, are recognizing World AIDS Day with the Red Scarf Project.
Volunteers will gather at the Rene Caisse statue at 3:30 p.m. and then distribute the red scarves throughout the downtown. The red scarves represent the HIV/AIDS red ribbon and have been knitted and crocheted over the past year by community volunteers.
The Muskoka Grandmothers to Grandmothers was formed in 2009 and supports the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which fights AIDS and homophobia in Sub-Saharan Africa. The group was formed in to mobilize support in Canada for grandmothers in Africa as they struggled to care for millions of children orphaned by AIDS.
The goal of the Red Scarf Campaign is to bring awareness of the 63,000 Canadians living with HIV/AIDS and nearly 37 million people worldwide.
Members of the public are invited to help themselves to one of the scarves and are encouraged to share the information to help raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in our region.
Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 is recognized as Canadian HIV/AIDS Awareness Week. It is an occasion to raise awareness surrounding HIV/AIDS issues nationally and culminates in the international observance of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.
The Bracebridge Waterfalls will be lit up red on Dec. 1 in recognition of World AIDS Day.
For further information on the Muskoka Grandmothers to Grandmothers, visit their Facebook page.
