The following are emails from Floyd Martin and Dennis Rainwater
(Posted 3-23-02)

Hey Friends,
       RAIN, the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network drastically needs our help. They were to have a benefit at The Copa with the touring company of "My Fair Lady" Thursday, but the cast and crew were forced to cancel after a 5-alarm fire at the Hotel they were staying. The RAIN Offices were also vandalized yesterday. If we need to get together a benefit, or send donations or whatever, let's do something, RAIN has helped so many of our brothers and sisters with HIV/AIDS over the years, we need to help them.

If you have any ideas, please send to me.
Attached is the e-mail from Dennis Rainwater, Board Member of Rain

Thank you very much,
Floyd
ITZFLOYD@aol.com

 

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Dear Floyd, I have seen you on line for many years, have talked with you a few times and am a subscriber to your News Letter under a different screen name. (Quietm8942) I am very much aware of you and how well you are known and respected in the gay community and how involved you are in the many activities and causes within our community.

I am asking for your help. I am on the Board of Directors for RAIN - Oklahoma - Regional Aids Interfaith Network. RAIN, as I am sure you know is an organization of volunteers, around 400 state wide at this time, that works with persons living with AIDS, 131 currently, throughout the State of Oklahoma. RAIN operates through private contributions and grants. RAIN does not use State or Federal Funds.
I have been involved with RAIN for almost seven years and am currently on a RAIN Team serving those individuals living with AIDS at Northwinds Living Center.

Contributions to RAIN, like so many other organizations, are down drastically since September 11. And when I say drastically, I do mean drastically. RAIN - Oklahoma is dangerously close to the point of not being able to continue our work unless we have an immediate influx of funds to see us to mid year when we hope applications for grants will be granted and moneys delivered. Yes, it is that serious.

RAIN has never been flush with lots of money, but friends have been generous and we have been able to provide our services. But we are so very close to not being able to continue and we worry about those 131 current clients who depend on RAIN for the very simple and basic needs of life. We provide non medical assistance for our clients. Transportation, grocery shopping, house cleaning, laundry, yard care, pet sitting, social outings, hospital visits, companionship, conversation and sometimes just being present and reassuring our clients that they are indeed loved.

I am asking that you consider, through your vast mailing list, sending out a plea for the gay community and our friends to please send something, any amount to RAIN. The mailing address is: RAIN - Oklahoma, 1601 N. Drexel Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK. 73107. Phone (405) 947-3434.

Floyd, our Executive Director is Jean Ann Van Krevelen, a truly dedicated and super person. A phone call from you would mean a lot. She could also give you a list of Benefits currently scheduled for RAIN and you might be able to add those to the "Things Happening" portion of your news letter. I might add that we were to have a Benefit tonight at the Copa by the traveling cast of My Fair Lady and due to the fire at their hotel this morning the evening performance was canceled as well as our Benefit. (rains it pours)

What ever you can do to lend a hand will certainly be appreciated by the entire Board of Directors, our 400 volunteers and most of all by the 131 clients currently being served.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Dennis Rainwater (denden625@aol.com)