ACON to celebrate 25 years with your help

ACON will mark its silver jubilee this year with a series of special events and activities and wants members of the community to help it plan the celebrations.

ACON was established in 1985 to help fight the spread of HIV and to provide care and support for people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Two and a half decades later, ACON has grown to become Australia’s largest community-based gay lesbian, bisexual and transgender health and HIV/AIDS organisation.

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said ideas from community members will help inform an existing schedule of planned events.
“Achieving 25 years of service to our community is a tremendous accomplishment,” Parkhill said.

“Over the last quarter of a century, our community has faced many challenges, chief among these being the impact of HIV/AIDS. We’ve embraced many new opportunities and had cause to celebrate many achievements.

“ACON has been an integral part of this process and it’s important we take time to reflect on the contribution ACON has made over the years and that we honour the thousands of people who have helped build the health and wellbeing of our community through an affiliation with ACON as clients, volunteers, members, supporters or staff.

“We’ll be kicking off the commemorations during Mardi Gras and they’ll continue at regular intervals over the course of the year, the details of which will be released prior to each activity.

“However, because ACON has historical connections with so many members of our community, we’d like people to let us know how they’d like to mark ACON’s 25 years of service.

“We’re keen to consider a broad range of ideas and possibilities so I encourage community members to visit our website and submit their ideas as soon as they can.”

A special 25-year commemorative ACON logo has been released, and will be used on ACON campaign posters and the organisation’s publications, pamphlets and other printed materials during 2010.

Community members are also invited to get involved in this year’s ACON Mardi Gras float, while ACON’s Aboriginal Project is also helping organise an Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander parade entry.

Those wishing to march can leave their details on forms on ACON’s website.

info: Ideas can be submitted at  www.acon.org.au/25 throughout 2010.