BEARS ON ICE is a not-for-profit event, organized by volunteers to spice up the local gay scene and introduce gay-friendly Iceland to our guests. With no budget for promotion the event has grown year by year by word of mouth and good reputation. From the very beginning in 2005 supporting the local LGBT community has always been a mission. This year´s event was the biggest in its history enabling the team to donate ISK 400.000 (around $3200) to the National HIV Organization of Iceland, HIV-Ísland.
HIV-Ísland was formed December 5th 1988 and has played a key role in providing education, social help and support in Iceland. Being a small organization HIV-Iceland is depended on charities and private funding. “To us, the organizers of BEARS ON ICE, we feel obliged to support the local community, and with our donation we want to highlight the important work HIV-Iceland providing in our community and give our thanks and support. We want to share our success and give back to the community” says Frosti Jonsson, one of the BEARS ON ICE organizers.
HIV-Ísland runs a small Community Center in Reykjavik open Mondays-Thursdays, providing counselling, support groups, free condoms and also provide free educational programs for individuals, schools and local businesses, a yearly seminar. Their never ending task is fighting for the human rights of HIV positives, visibility, education, support and cooperation with all levels of society; drug addicts, health workers, families, politicians etc.
