Charlotte Rogers, LCSW Frannie Peabody Center – Maine AIDS Walk

I discovered social work at a young age and have been fortunate to remain immersed in a career that I have loved ever since. In 2017, I was hired as a Case Manager at Frannie Peabody Center, Maine’s largest HIV/AIDS organization.

On my first day on the job, I was invited to join the AIDS Walk, which is our agency’s largest annual fundraiser. The AIDS Walk began in 2009, the year I graduated from high school, when I was eager to pursue a career that was, quite frankly, the only thing I felt certain about at the time. I came to learn that most of our staff members participate in the walk annually, and I looked forward to becoming a part of this magical day. I knew the walk had been critical in raising funds for the services Frannie Peabody Center provides. What I didn’t know at the time is that the walk is about so much more.

Each year, the Maine AIDS Walk brings together clients, families, community members, healthcare partners, and longtime supporters. It’s one of the only statewide HIV focused community events of its kind. People show up to the charming little town of Ogunquit, rain or shine, to participate in this important event. We gather our staff on Ogunquit Beach, huddle for a brief moment to take in what this day means for each of us, then we head over to our designated stations to cheer on community members as they begin the 5K.

As people drive through Main Street, they spot the runner in the front who is determined to beat his record time from three years ago. He runs every year to support his spouse who is a long-term case manager at the agency. Staff on the sidelines wave to the mom passing by with her two children secured in the double stroller, showing off their red ribbon temporary tattoos that are still intact. Bystanders catch a glimpse at the individual adorned in a nightgown from 1984, sporting a wig made up of enormous foam hair curlers and, of course, pastel red lipstick, as they trek through the rain in their well-worn slippers. I witness other people joining last minute simply because they cannot resist the energy of this vibrant community drawing them in.

My favorite station is the finish line. I am the first to watch the frontrunner kick sand at the ocean behind him as he breaks through that red ribbon for the seventh year in a row. My coworker and their daughter gleefully celebrate his win. I see an infectious disease provider pass by as they wipe tears masked as rain drops from their face. Just last week I spoke with them about a mutual patient who died from AIDS-related dementia. I see a community member walking hand-in-hand with a Case Manager, head held high because today is their first day walking the 5K living openly as a person with HIV. Unfamiliar faces also pass through the finish line and I wonder about their story, about their “why”. Every person here walks for a different reason, whether they are honoring a loved one who has passed away or are here supporting our prevention work. The AIDS Walk has always been about visibility and reducing stigma. With every step, participants are doing this in solidarity.

This year, the walk is taking place during a time when Maine is still navigating an HIV outbreak and faces significant public health funding threats. This event is imperative for raising awareness around these devastating realities we are faced with. On May 9th, I will show up to Ogunquit Beach alongside staff and participants from near and far. As we walk, we will honor the progress we have made, brace ourselves for the inevitable challenges ahead, and remind ourselves that when we ACT UP, we do it together.

Charlotte Rogers, LCSW, Frannie Peabody Center Director of Client Services and Impact

Maine AIDS Walk, Ogunquit, May 9, 2026, O