TONIGHT: Ed Rendell to be Honored at Philadelphia Fight Fundraising Gala

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Former Governor Ed Rendell will be the guest of honor tonight at Philadelphia FIGHT‘s 2013 FIGHT for Life Gala for his long-term commitment to the local AIDS/HIV community.

Philly FIGHT Executive Director Jane Shull says Rendell was chosen as this year’s honoree, because, “He’s been a friend to those of us working in the AIDS epidemic for his entire career.” She stresses that, when he was mayor, he fought to maintain the city’s commitments to providing adequate resources. “You can’t do programs if there’s no money, and he saw to it that public dollars went to [HIV/AIDS] programs in the community.”

As governor, she says, “In a time when it was difficult to hold the line for any kind of funding from Harrisburg, he continued to see that support flowed into the city of Philadelphia.”

Rendell will speak at the event, along with Shull and Philly Fight Deputy Director Michael Marisco. The event raises funds to support the org’s commitment to HIV medical care at the Jonathan Lax Treatment Center, where each year over 1,500 people with HIV are treated regardless of their ability to pay.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Union League of Philadelphia (140 S. Broad St.) Tickets range from $100 to $400. For more info and to purchase tickets, go here.