Hope in Fight Against Pediatric AIDS

A working family afflicted with HIV brought their personal thanks to the CWA family for providing them and thousands of others hope through continuous support of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Clay Meredith’s wife Susan, daughter Ally, 10, and son Mitchell, 5, have received emotional support and treatment through CWA’s charity of choice since they learned they were HIV positive shortly after Mitchell’s birth. Ally suffered a stroke then, and Mitchell was placed in intensive care for six weeks. Meredith, an electrician, said the Foundation steered his family to the right doctors and that for them life today is “relatively good.” Repeatedly interrupted by applause from the delegates, he told them, “If wasn’t for folks like you who so generously get into your pockets, your ashtrays, wherever the money comes from, and gives to these folks, I would not have any hope.”

CWA Sec.-Treas. Barbara Easterling announced that 422 locals in 2000 contributed a total of $553,710 to the union’s charity of choice, $21,549 more than the previous year. She presented to Local 9400 Pres. Micheal Hartigan, shown with the Meredith family, CWA’s Ariel Glaser Award for the local that made the largest contribution, $44,344. CWA Printing Sector Vice Pres. Bill Boarman, shown with Easterling, accepted the Hope Award on behalf of Local 14426, which contributed the highest percentage of its quota, 3,006 percent.

CWA Pres. Morton Bahr, who sits on the Foundation’s board of directors, announced a major development within the last year through research paid for by the Foundation: a vaccine given to mothers just prior to giving birth and to babies within 72 hours after. It effectively prevents the transmission of HIV in 50 percent of cases.