Dab's Angel March 2008 Butch McKay

Our Dab's Angel for March 2008 is Butch McKay. Butch is currently the Executive Director of Okaloosa AIDS Support and Informational Services, Inc. (OASIS, a position he has held since 1996. He founded the Positive Living Conference Series in 1997 which just celebrated it's 12 conference March 7th - 9th.

Butch has been involved in the AIDS arena for 20 years, starting his career as a volunteer with Birmingham AIDS Outreach and the UAB (University of Alabama - Birmingham) AIDS Clinic and Research Center. He assisted BASIC in Panama City with initial trainings when they became an AIDS Service Organization in the late '80s and later served as a case manager, case manager supervisor and director of education for BASIC for a total of 5 years.

He serves on the Florida ADAP Working Group, the Community Advisory Board for AIDS Clinical Trials at UAB, the Community Advisory Board for AIDS Vaccine at UAB, the Global Community Advisory Board for the HVTN (HIV Vaccine Trials Network), chairs the Ethics Working Group at HVTN, serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Microbicides Trials Network and sits on the Ethic Working Group for the Division of AIDS Community Partner Group.

Butch was also awarded the Florida HIV/AIDS Red Ribbon Excellence Award for the Highest Achievement last year.

Butch McKay, Executive Director of Okaloosa AIDS Support and Informational Services, Inc. (OASIS) of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida writes that he began his involvement in the HIV/AIDS arena 20 years ago when he made a promise to his best friend Tivvis Faggard who was HIV+. I wanted Tivvis to move home from Denver so I could help care for him but Tivvis would not move but told me that I could be there for him by being there for others who had no one to help care for them. He made me promise to do so.

Nine months later, as I spread his ashes I recommitted myself to that promise I made on what was the last day we would ever spend together. Tivvis was more than a friend, he was the love of my life. We were never lovers, but were always in love. He was my soul mate.

Twenty years later that promise holds and I have met so many incredible people along the journey who have each inspired me to stay involved. I have buried over 800 friends in that time and each one of them continue to reside in my heart and thoughts. They give me the passion and ability to fight on.

I do so not because there is anything special about me, but because there was alot special about each of them. As they have earned their rest in the arms of God, we must all honor them and fight on until the cure.

For his passion, his conviction and his determination to serve and protect the HIV/AIDS community, we are honored to announce Butch McKay as our Dab's Angel - March 2008.



(On a personal note from Daddy Dab: I recently attended the Positive Living Conference in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida and had the pleasure of finally meeting Butch in person. The conference was a fantastic experience. Butch and his team put on a first rate conference. I urge all of you to attend next year... especially since the Ryan White Sunset Date is September 2009 which I'm sure we'll be talking about next year!)