Evelyn Foust (center) presents the Marty Prairie Award to Jim & Barbara Goodmon.

CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon and his wife, A.J. Fletcher Foundation President Barbara Goodmon were recently honored for supporting organizations who assist those living with HIV/AIDS and bringing attention to their plights. The Goodmons received the Marty Prairie Award as part of the 2005 N.C. World AIDS Days Volunteer Service awards ceremony on Tuesday, December 6th.

The evening banquet took place at Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center in Durham.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) observes December 1 st each year as World AIDS Day. In light of that observation, N.C. Governor Mike Easley proclaimed December 1st as World AIDS Day in North Carolina. The theme for this year’s occurrence was “Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise.”

The banquet celebrated N.C.’s 2005 World AIDS Day.

The Goodmons thank the crowd for their award and encourage them to keep fighting.

Jacquelyn Clymore, Executive Director of the Alliance for AIDS Services – Carolina nominated the Goodmons for the honor.

“These two remarkable people, a formidable pair in every sense of the word, have worked hard to turn the A.J. Fletcher Foundation toward issues of social justice, focusing on disenfranchised people and those who simply do not have enough – of anything,” said Clymore in her nomination. “They have made particular efforts to assure that people living with HIV disease are included, actively and deliberately, when acting on social justice.”

Christopher Bates, Acting Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS Policy at the U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services provided the keynote address.

Musical entertainment also filled the World AIDS Day Volunteer Awards Banquet and ceremonies.

The Marty Prairie Award honors people who have demonstrated bold and positive local, state and national leadership to improve the lives of persons infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

“Barbara and Jim Goodmon have used their energy, access and resources to shine light on difficult issues and stand up for people whose voices aren’t heard or appreciated,” said Evelyn Foust, Head of the AIDS Prevention and Care Branch of the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services. “In deliberately deciding to help us all learn more about the issues facing our state because of HIV/AIDS, they are championing people who have real issues that need solution…….and they are doing important and hard work to improve North Carolina’s public health.”