Chocolate fundraiser for Open Door Clinic

Open Door Clinic will host its eighth annual fundraiser, "All Things Chocolate," at 7 p.m. March 29 at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.

This year's theme is "A World of Chocolate, A World of Hope." Tickets are $50 per person. For tickets, call the Elgin clinic at (847) 695-1093 or the Aurora location at (630) 264-1819.

Raffle tickets are available for $5 or three for $10. Prizes include a 42-inch HD plasma television, $1,000 travel certificates, Sony PlayStation 3 with Blue-Ray, a Nintendo Wii system, and $100 dining certificates. Winners need not be present.

There also will be a silent auction. Donations are needed for the auction, such as themed baskets, sporting event tickets, artwork and more.

In order to continue to be a leader in HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and education in the Fox Valley area, they need your help.

Due to changes in funding, Open Door Clinic needs to raise even more support in 2008 to continue to provide treatment, medications and counseling to those in need, while raising much-needed awareness.

The clinic treats patients from every county surrounding the Fox Valley area, as well as some traveling from as far away as Kankakee, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Women represent nearly 40 percent of the patients, and a majority of patients are minorities, representing nearly every ethnicity. The ages of the patients range from great-grandmothers to children.

Most Open Door patients could not keep their insurance after becoming infected or never had it to start. They need proper treatment and medication.

All proceeds go directly to Open Door Clinic's two locations in Elgin and Aurora, the only nonprofit HIV/AIDS clinics in the Fox Valley area. The clinic is a nonprofit organization and contributions are tax-deductible.

For details, on Open Door Clinic, visit www.opendoorclinic.org.