On November 1st the winning
entries for Madison's Time Capsule
were announced. There were a
total of 109 entries chosen,
including some of my HIV medications
and news video. On November
15th I placed my HIV medication
into the time capsule. I'm eternally
grateful to have my name and
work be a lasting part of Madison's
history. It is in honor and
memory of all those who have
passed from this pandemic and
to all those who are bravely
living with HIV/AIDS. May they
never be forgotten! Thank
you Madison!
Read more below...
In
June of this year, my friend and Channel 3000
news anchor Katy Sai asked if I would do an
interview for the 25th Anniversary of
AIDS.
I gathered up a couple of my friends to be interviewed
as well, and the news footage was shot. Included
in the news coverage was discussion around my
hopes for HIV medications in the future, if
in fact there were still a need. I gave Katy Sai an old bottle of Kaletra capsules which
had been discontinued. Madison Nurse Joe Barus
had suggested that we place the medications
into the Time Capsule. The rest is forever history.
Since then, Channel 3000 had been gathering
submissions for the Madison 150 Time Capsule
to be opened in 2056. Then during the month
of October Channel 3000 held online voting on
the hundreds of items that were submitted over
these last few months. The selection process
involved not only Madison community members,
but also a jury selected by the office of the
mayor. Included in the final 109 items that
were chosen to make history, were my
HIV medications,
as well as the very news footage that we recorded
in June. On November 15th, I was quite humbled
to be the first to place an item into the actual
capsule. On November 16th I went back to watch
the official ceremony for the sealing of the
time capsule. The Time Capsule rests inside
a limestone bench at the Overture Center in
downtown Madison where the ceremonies were held.
Carved onto the top of the lid are words to
intrigue future generations: "Madison Sesquicentennial
Time Capsule, Our Stories, Our Memories, Our
Legacy." And carved into the side are the instructions:
"Open in 2056." I also had the opportunity to
enjoy drumming with others as the lid was being
put into place and sealed. Both of the Time
Capsule ceremonies were quite surreal. Technically
speaking I was not even supposed to be alive
today. So, the thought of my being 93 years
old in 2056 was/is beyond all comprehension.
However, I have witnessed bigger miracles in
my life and I look forward to hobbling into
the Overture Center in 2056 for the opening!
I was also honored to have placed my dear friend
Shelly Whittet's UW-Madison graduation cap/mortar
board next to my HIV medicines. She is in Louisiana
and was unable to do it herself. We made a pact
that we'd have a few beers and celebrate together!
That would be the ultimate in miracles and definitely
worthy of a few cold ones! Regardless of my
being there, I genuinely hope that Madison remembers
that its citizens went to great lengths to care
for those
living with HIV/AIDS. The outpouring
of support and compassion from the AIDS Network,
the media, our lawmakers and members of our
community is truly worthy of history! One can
only hope that
HIV/AIDS will truly be 'history'
in 2056. My heartfelt and most sincere gratitude
goes out to you all!
Photo of the Overture
Center on State Street in Downtown Madison, Wisconsin, the evening of placing
the items into the Madison 150 Time Capsule
With
Madison Mayor
Dave Cieslewicz at the sealing of
the Madison Time Capsule-2006
Thank you
Mayor Dave for your support!
Photos from the Time Capsule Sealing Ceremonies at the
Overture Center on
State Street in Downtown
Madison, Wisconsin
Bob Bowers
placing
Shelly Whittet's Graduation Cap
from UW-Madison into the
Madison Time Capsule
She wrote "I Love You Mom"
on the
cap. It's a actually a great story
of how it made it in!
You are one
great guy! Showing the world that there is no difference to live like the next
guy. I am glad I found your profiles. Thanks
Bob you are the rain in the arid
desert world of AIDS. RIGHT ON ONE TOUGH
PIRATE!
“I think
you should include a bottle of
antiviral
meds used to treat HIV. Hopefully by
the time the capsule is opened,
HIV/AIDS
will have a cure and the meds will truly
be history.”
Long Term Survivor/AIDS
Activist Bob Bowers, who donated his
medicine states, “Science has gone from
AZT, dozens of pills, to one-a-day treatment.
I would like people in 2056 to know
how compassionate the community of
Madison
has been towards those of us infected.
AIDS is a
disease of humanity. Until
there is a scientific cure, compassion
continues to be our cure.”
Channel 3000 News Video:
This video was also
placed into the Time
Capsule. Eternal thanks
to
Katy Sai
and
Channel
3000
Conklin: Packing
up Madison history
BY MELANIE CONKLIN
A stainless steel
box the size of
one of those Big
Mac car-top luggage
carriers sits in
the middle of the
stage in Overture's
Rotunda on Wednesday.
Surrounding it are
tables filled with
items that will
go in this
Madison
Sesquicentennial
Time Capsule, which
will reside in a
marble bench here
at the Overture
Center for the next
50 years.
Gathered are about
100 people who submitted
items that were
selected by committee
and popular vote
to fill the capsule.
It's a festive mood,
only occasionally
marred by the observation
that most of us
aren't likely to
last to see it opened
in 2056.
WISC's
Mark
Koehn and
Katy Sai
host the ceremony.
The first item in
is HIV medicine,
submitted by
Bob Bowers,
who has been living
with HIV for 23
years. Photographer
Zane Williams
is here to insert
his new photo book
"Madison," fresh
off the presses.
(Footnote: It's
gorgeous.)
Edgewood
High School president
Judd Schemmel
just left a faculty
meeting where his
mention of coming
here to put a replica
Edgewood rock in
the capsule "drew
a huge round of
applause." (It makes
it in without anyone
present, including
this Memorial High
grad columnist,
painting over Edgewood's
logo.)
Tom McClure,
an Allied Drive
area resident, submitted
the name of
Mike McKinney,
and McKinney's mother
Barbara
McKinney
is here to insert
mementos of her
son. McClure's cap
reads, "Move Forward
Not Out!" which
he calls, "Allied's
new slogan."
Frank Alfano
adds an apron from
the Italian Workmen's
Club complete with
"stains on it from
wine and sauce."
Top city planner
Mark Olinger
arrives with an
"up to the minute" Madison map.
Working the crowd
is
MATC mascot
Wolfie
and Rocky
Rococo
(aka comic actor
Jim Pedersen,
to put in a pizza
slice box. Rocky
walks up and claps Madison Police Chief
Noble Wray
on the back bellowing,
"Hey, where's that
five bucks ya owe
me?" Wray, there
to submit a star-shaped
badge with Sheriff
Gary Hamblin,
deftly replies,
"I'll pay you back
in 50 years."
I can't begin to tell you what an incredible honor
it is to have
HIV/AIDS be part of Madison’s official
record in this manner. extend many thanks
to Katy, Channel 3000 and camera man Jay for your
ongoing support of
HIV/AIDS matters in Madison.
Bob
was very down-to-earth, not preachy and incorporated
facts and humor. As I went up to talk with him
afterward, I found he is very easy to talk to. It was
neat to hear from a real person and not just have
statistics thrown at you from someone in a suit and tie.
I learned many important facts about HIV from the
presentation. I really enjoyed it and would like to hear
from Bob again.
Hi
Bob
That is some
awesome writing!!!!!
It is very moving
and soul touching.
Very deep. How
well you have
put the words
together to
express what
you have had
to live thru.
What an awful
amount of suffering
you have had
to experience
and watch others
go through yet
you keep on
and write so
well, create
a great website,
encourage others,
have a loving
marriage, have
wisdom and compassion beyond your
years. Although
I am a host
to a different
virus (yuck)
I can personality
relate to so
much of the
symptoms and
feelings. Just
to "know" you
in cyberspace
and hear your
story and through
all you have
lived with still
see such a strong
spirit, motivation, compassion,
love and will
to live is quite
an inspiration
to me. Let me
know if it is
ok to pass your
story on.
Aloha, Khat
Suncat (Sunny)
Da Pirate
and others drumming during the sealing of
the
historical time capsule at the Overture Center on State Street in downtown
Madison, Wisconsin
