Now that it’s April and people have started emerging after the long winter, it’s also time for AIDS Walk Kansas City. Our Camp10 subjects this time are two women who have been involved in AIDS Walk for more than a decade. Sisters and allies Casey and Sloane Simmons, owners of the store STUFF (316 W. 63rd St., Kansas City, Mo.), devote their time and energy every year to this important cause.
1. You are both extremely dedicated to AIDS Walk Kansas City. How and when did you become involved?
Casey Simmons: I became involved because my sister Sloane had made such a passionate commitment to the cause. Her words motivated me to stand with her in the fight. And I, too, believed that working in our community to offer dignity and hope to people suffering with HIV/AIDS was something we simply could not ignore.
Sloane Simmons: I became involved with the Walk in 1997, the year my son was born. I was a volunteer along the route, and I also got my first taste of the Mosaic Project that year, an annual event for AIDS Walk I have been involved with ever since. Greg Hugeback founded the event, along with a Shawnee Mission East High School student. Since then, the business I own with my sister, Casey Simmons, has become a corporate sponsor for this art-based outreach program. I have never not been a member of the Walk Steering Committee since then.
2. How have you involved family and friends in this cause over the years?
CS: Of course, I think it is impossible to not encompass your close friends and family in a cause you find yourself so deeply passionate about. My daughter “walked” her first Walk at age 3 months and hasn’t missed the annual event since. She also gives community service hours to the organization. It is a family-fun-fest each year. I am surrounded by my daughter, my mother, my sister, my nephew and the list goes on.
SS: My son and husband have worked alongside me on every volunteer gig I have put my name in for on the Walk. They also supported me as I joined the AIDS Service Foundation and then served in a leadership role as time went by. Time away from my young son was hard for several of those years, but having them both at events made me very happy. My sister -- along with STUFF – has sponsored Walk teams, and she has headed up teams for the AIDS Walk Open, award-winning teams I might add. My father has sponsored both of his grandchildren for walking in AIDS Walk, and our mother has walked alongside us for many years.
3. How has AIDS Walk Kansas City changed since you became involved?
CS: Their core mission hasn’t. They have grown larger in participants, dollars raised, and the number of events they host. But they have never lost sight of their mission and goals. I am very impressed that this organization has stayed dedicated to their core values and they have found ways to keep the expenses and management contained. It is truly remarkable what they accomplish with such a small operating budget.
SS: AIDS Walk has grown since I first became involved — in numbers of walkers, in money raised and in size. However, it has not lost its heart or its way. The money stays in Kansas City and helps those living with HIV/AIDS. Every year is like a family reunion in the park for my son and me. We see people we don’t see very often, and we see people we see all the time. But on Walk Day, we are there for a single and focused purpose, and that lends an energy and emotion to the day. Our day starts early in the Mosaic tent and ends when all the walkers have left the park. These days live with me all year long, and I cherish most the ones I have been able to share with my son.
4. What is your favorite part of AIDS Walk Kansas City (you know, besides that physical activity that pushes out those endorphins!)?
CS: The emotional connection that day is inspiring. I love, love, love the tribute flags. They are majestic and powerful. They set the stage for the whole walk.
SS: Watching the walkers leave the park and watching them return. Since the initiation of the flags leading the walkers to 47th Street, I have been unable to remain dry-eyed. Such power in the silences and the noise.
5. How do you prepare for the walk?
CS: I raise money and invite people to join a team. I Facebook constantly to spread awareness and to shamelessly beg for every dime I can raise.
SS: I spend months working on the Mosaic Project and lifting hundreds of pounds of tiles and supplies. We schlep them all over town to high schools, so I am pretty much prepared physically for my part of Walk Day.
6. Why should people get involved with the AIDS Walk (I mean, other than it being a great cause!)?
CS: The Walk is one of Kansas City’s most inspiring events. It fills your heart with hope and it shines a bright light on our city’s beautiful diversity. And this event supports multiple AIDS Service Organizations and other grant programs all in one. You get to shoot a bag of arrows with one shot. It makes you feel great, because it is great!
SS: AIDS Walk Kansas City and the AIDS Service Foundation do a dynamic job of making any and everyone involved with the Walk feel like family. Heck, we’ve raised our son in its warm embrace. The money raised helps people in our city and the low expenses for all the fundraising that is accomplished all year by the volunteers that make up the ASF is a shining example of what a not-for-profit is all about. Low expenses mean more money for programs and people.
7. What event would you like to see added to the AIDS Walk Kansas City week events?
CS: A kids’ fun run before the walk. I would like the organization to find more ways to include families with children.
SS: I would love to see an avenue for artists to be more involved with the Walk, beyond those who participate in the Mosaic Project. I know by having this idea I should be a catalyst for making it happen, but it will occur sometime. Until now, it just hasn’t happened because so many things already happen in the weeks leading up to the Walk.
8. As sisters, you are in business together and you are also involved in AIDS Walk Kansas City together. Are there other hobbies or interests that you share?
SS: I can say that the love of our small business is a project we share. STUFF makes us proud and supports many, many local artists. In addition, I take great pleasure in doing small-business consulting with my sister and helping others fulfill their dreams of self-employment and entrepreneurship. Hobbies? We both read for pleasure and, in the past when there has been time, we needlepoint. We travel with our children, but seldom together because the strain of both of us gone is too hard on our business. However, the times we have carved away for our children to travel together and with us have been magical.
CS: We both love art, travel, fabulous food, laughter and our life project called STUFF. I know it sounds weird, but we really, really love our business. I agree with her notes about this too. But this is my way of getting to the point faster :)
9. I love the statement on your website to “pursue good stuff, art, food, fun, health, people, and places.” How did you decide to make this your mantra?
SS: Pursuing good stuff is a way to live your life, and I live mine that way every day. I can’t say there was a “dead on” decision to make it a mantra, but we were doing so organically in most decisions we were making for our store. The rest is a little bit of history for us.
CS: “Pursue good stuff” is our trademark. It is our lifestyle. It is our litmus test for every business decision we make. And it helps guide us in our charitable work. It is a great way to quickly put things in balance. Sloane is right — it came about organically and honestly. It grew from within us both.
10. What one item in your store would you gift to your sister and why?
CS: A Lori Buntin pool painting — a big one. Because she loves art, paintings, Lori’s work, and she often reminds me that “stress can’t float.”
SS: I would give my sister a one-of-a-kind piece of handmade jewelry. Wisely, I would let her pick it herself.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.