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IN Step • LCBT Wisconsin's Community Newspaper • Founded in 1984 November 25, 1998 • Vol. XV, Issue XXIV • $2.95 outside of Wisconsin SECTION ONE: SPECIAL REPORT: Questions Raised About AIDS Network Feature: Friendly Skies? Selecting a Gay-Friendly Airline PLUS: The Latest Dish • Qups E Quotes • Legally Speaking and Much More! SECTION Q: HAPPY HOMO DAYS: Holiday Shopping Guide Television: In The Life • PLUS: Holiday Gift Books MUSIC REVIEWS: (her, Bryan Adams The (lassies • Ethan Green • The Casual Observer • Keepin' iN Step with Jamie • The Guide b - Be A Force for Change Wo d A DS Dcy Dec 1, 1998 ,P4 . Q: what is modern...? Toast! Interiors, you could hire another interior design firm, but isn't there enough gingham in the world already? From simple consultations to complete project management, we can help turn your home into your dream home. A • ca c• 0 SP Interiors Award Winning Interior Design (414) 403.8781 (414) 403.8789 a 41 sr • 4. 0 •••• 4Remooll los DISTINCTIVE GIFTS ARGOSY, LID Gi f ts of Di st i nct ion • I & DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES GALLERIA WEST • 18900 W. Bluemound Road • Brookfield, WI 53045 • 821-6900 Open: Mon. & Tues.: 10am-6pm, Wed.-Fri.: 10am-8pm, Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 11 am-4pm P14 Questions Raised About AIDS Network Milwaukee LGBT kinds of services, and are those services available in the Community Center community," Mowry said. "I certainly can say that I hear Defenders Say the Madison a lot of questions in the community, and what I do is refer them to AIDS Network." Mowry is now president of the to Organization is on Target, board of Rodney Scheel House, which provides low-cost Opens But Others Doubt housing for people with HIV and AIDS. She left her position at AIDS Network in 1995 for health reasons. its Ability to Lead Mowry said that it is not only important for an AIDS Packed House services, service organization to be effective at providing by William Attewell Special Report by Christopher Ott but to be a publicly recognized leader. "People want an service organization that is not only going to provide of the IN Step staff of the IN Step Staff AIDS the service that needs to be done but is going to be a leader Milwaukee — Over 400 people crowded into Mil- Madison — Ask around and you'll find a variety of advocating. People with AIDS, people with HIV disease, waukee's LGBT Community Center for a Grand opinions about AIDS Network, the primary provider of people who are considered to be at risk still face discrimi- Opening on Nov. 10. The enthusiastic crowd was services to people with AIDS and HIV in a 1'3-county nation and hate in this community today, and who's going treated to a parade of local gay and non-gay dignitaries area that includes Madison, Janesville and Beloit. While to stand up if it's not the AIDS service organization?" including Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, County many praise AIDS Network, there are concerns that the Eric Engstrom, who served for four years as the first Executive Tom Ament, Alderman Mike D'Amato and 13-year-old organization has become less effective, there executive director of the Minnesota AIDS Project and Alderman James Witkowiak. is uncertainty about its current efforts, and there is open now works as a consultant on public health issues includ- "I thought the grand opening was very well done. speculation that the time has come for AIDS Network to ing AIDS and HIV for Richard P. Keeling & Associates, It was -interesting that the polticians were all there and merge with the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin. based in Madison, said that AIDS Network's low profile they all looked comfortable. I think it is a very good ARCW is the AIDS service organization for the rest of in the community has meant a lack of effectiveness and the state. direction. Engstrom said these problems are compound- Kevin Baird, AIDS Network's director of administra- ed by what he sees as a lack of accountability. "Nobody tion, is quick to defend the organization. seems to notice, and that's what's so amazing to me." Baird admitted that AIDS Network may not have Engstrom believes that one of the most important done a good enough job recently of publicizing its work. things an AIDS service organization can do today is "We never ring our own bell," Baird said. But he also "playing the systems-advocacy role. That means staying emphasized that the organization is in an "incredibly in constant contact with all the different parts of the financial stable" position and provides a wide range of community, develop- community, sharing that with the ire services appropriate to this stage in the AIDS epidemic. ing and enhancing community consensus about what the AIDS Network has 21 full-time staff, and its services problems are. Communication is the most fundamental include prevention counseling and education, HIV care component of that work," Engstrom said. "I think AIDS through the Madison Community Health Center, and a Network has utterly failed in that regard." needle-exchange program for intravenous drug users. "At this point in the epidemic, we pretty much know few of the hundreds who turned out for the Grand Opening. Photo: Jamie According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Regulation and who's at risk for HIV, and how to target prevention pro- Just a Licensing, AIDS Network's total revenue for its 1997 fis- grams, but we also have to continue to do the communi- beginning," said Eldon Murrary of Senior Action in a cal year was $1,543,933. Its total expenditures were only cations work that shapes the community response and Gay Enviornment (SAGE). slightly higher, at $1,551,904. Eighty-two per cent of the pulls the community along," Engstrom said. "I've heard The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is locat- organization's funds were spent on its charitable purpose people make jokes about AIDS Network and complain ed at the Downtown Warehouse building at 170 South — the same figure as for ARCW. about the dissolution of the volunteer network, complain 2nd St., and has leased 4,000 square feet in the building. Kathy Bell, administrative program manager for the about the lack of leadership, but nobody's had any pub- "We feel very positive about the Community Center," University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics HIV care lic dialogue about what we need and whether AIDS Net- said Ery Uecker of the Brady Fast STD Clinic (BESTD). program, praised the quality of AIDS Network's work. "I work fulfills that role." "I think they have made a purse out of a sows ear." have never been dissatisfied with the services that AIDS Baird said that some of AIDS Network's efforts may It was a pledge from Ross Walker and Ery Uecker Network provides," Bell said. "Their case managers are have gone unnoticed by traditional supporters, such as in March of 1996 to donate $1,000 as seed money for hard-working and committed to their clients." members of the gay community, because the organization a community center which launched the current effort Doubts about AIDS Network's effectiveness, howev- has begun greater collaboration with religious organiza- and the BESTD Clinic has recently signed a sub-lease er, do not focus on the quality of what the organization tions such as the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Baird for one of four offices in the new facility. does. Instead these concerns — some of which have been said that faith communities are often in a better position Other Tenants who have signed a sub-lease to rent expressed or corroborated by sources who asked to to offer and support prevention and HIV-related health office space in the Community Center include; The remain unidentified — center on whether AIDS Net- services among racial minorities and the poor. AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW), The work has a high enough profile to be a community leader, Addressing concerns about AIDS Network's volun- Cream City Foundation (CCF) and The Lesbian and whether in the long run a mid-size AIDS service teer program, Baird said, "With the changing nature of Alliance of Metro Milwaukee (LAMM). Additional organization like AIDS Network can survive. the HIV epidemic, the need for volunteer services has cubicle space has been rented to American Express A Question of Leadership drastically changed." The greatest need, he said, is now Financial Advisors and Wisconsin Cream City Chorus. for volunteers such as attorneys and nurses with "highly Regular hours of operation for the Community Cen- MaryAlice Mowry, who served as AIDS Network's specific skills." ter are expected to begin in early January. Organizers say executive director for three years until 1995, said she rec- they expect the center to be open to the public in the late ognizes that it is difficult for AIDS Network to make its "Our volunteer program doesn't have a very high pro- afternoon and evenings on a daily basis once the center efforts known and to get credit for them. "It is an onerous file, but that is on purpose," Baird said. "The goal isn't to has officially begun operation. task for a nonprofit... to be able to define all of what their be a media relations piece, it's to match people with the "Volunteers will be the backbone of keeping the cen- mission is and who it is important know about exactly skills to the needs." Baird said a request to AIDS Net- work for volunteer help has never been ter open," said Community Center sppokesperson what the services of the organization are," she said.

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