BOSTON, May 31 Cyndi Lauper, in Boston to launch the True Colors Tour this weekend, took a break from her rehearsal on Friday night to meet with some of this year's top fundraisers for Sunday's 23rd Annual AIDS Walk Boston.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080531/CLSA004 )

The 23rd Annual AIDS Walk Boston and the Larry Kessler 5K Run event is on Sunday, June 1st with opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m., and the Walk starts at 10 a.m. Concurrent with and following the Walk and Run is the Wellness Festival. The public is invited to participate in all aspects of the day's festivities on the Esplanade, and to cheer Walkers along as they fight HIV/AIDS, which still in Massachusetts claims 2-3 new infections every day.

Since AIDS Walk Boston began in 1986, more than 200,000 people have participated and raised more than $30 million for the programs and services of AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts (AAC). In 2007, AIDS Walk Boston had more than 15,000 participants, including a record 453 teams, and raised $1.2 million for AAC.

The True Colors Tour, including The B-52's, Rosie O'Donnell, The Clicks and hosted by infamous "Queer Eye Guy" Carson Kressley, kicks off its 24-city run on Saturday in Boston at the Bank of Boston Pavilion at 6 p.m. and moves Sunday to The Jones Beach Theater on Long Island and then to Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday.

AIDS Walk Boston website: www.aidswalkboston.org

True Colors Tour website: www.truecolorstour.com

Editor's Note -- AIDS Walk Boston: Interviews with people about why they walk, who they honor in tribute and stories of remembrance and hope are available and can be scheduled or granted on-site. Photo and video opportunities can be planned or granted on-site.

Contact: Diego Sanchez, dsanchez@aac.org, 617.835.1455, 617.450.1524 orPaul Twitchell, ptwitchell@aac.org, 617.450.1215

SOURCE AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts