I received a nice invitation earlier this month from publicist Gina Kremer asking me to attend a luncheon Nov. 11 at The Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Chicago featuring Bill Clinton.

He's here to launch the Inaugural Speaker Series presented by wonderful organization Chicago House, the first nonprofit organization in the Midwest to provide housing and support for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Courtney, a 9 -year-old whose mother and brother are HIV positive, will also speak about how his life has been impacted by HIV.

I'm told there are still tickets, which range from $150 to $300, available for the luncheon and can be purchased at chicagohouse.org or calling (773) 248-5200, ext. 303.

Kremer tells me, "in light of a changing economic and social landscape, The Chicago House Speaker Series Luncheon has been developed to inspire and open new avenues of dialogue about community concerns and social responsibilities, particularly regarding the issues facing more than 30,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Chicago area."

All proceeds from the event will go to support the formerly homeless and HIV/AIDS affected men, women, and children in Chicago House's programs.

The Rev. Stan Sloan, Chicago House CEO, said the organization is thrilled for this opportunity to partner with "such a highly respected world leader and dedicated philanthropist."

"There is a natural fit between the work of Chicago House and President Clinton's work on the Clinton HIV / AIDS Initiative, so he was our first choice as keynote speaker," Sloan said.

"We are excited to pioneer an event that will educate and inspire people to stem the tide of homelessness and HIV/AIDS in Chicago and bring greater visibility to the issues at hand."

Chicago House currently serves approximately 1,160 men, women and children impacted by HIV/AIDS in Chicago through programs focused on HIV prevention, residential housing, employment, medication adherence, tutoring, mentoring and more.

At a VIP reception prior to President Clinton's speech, the top 50 donors will view a heartfelt and moving presentation from Courtney, the 9-year-old whose life has been enriched by the work of Chicago House. Courtney lives in a Chicago House apartment with both mother and younger brother Cortez, both HIV positive, and will soon welcome another brother, who has tested HIV negative. In order to provide a unique, personal viewpoint for attendees, Courtney will speak about life with HIV/AIDS and invaluable experiences with Chicago House.

Since 1985, Chicago House has provided permanent housing and supportive services to people living with HIV and AIDS. The programs have since expanded to include community case management, substance abuse counseling, HIV prevention, medical adherence and the Midwest's first employment training and placement program specific to people with HIV. Chicago House also now offers free, anonymous rapid HIV testing.

Actresses Elizabeth Taylor and Sandy Duncan are also among the notables who helped support the fundraising efforts.

Today, this disease now impacts people who are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, and generational cycles of extreme poverty. While new treatments allow people with HIV to live longer and healthier lives, Chicago House still relies upon the compassion and concern of the community to bring stability and hope to the people they serve.

The slogan this nonprofit shares for education and awareness is a strong message: "We are at the end of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, not the beginning of the end."

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

The Rev. Billy Graham is 91. Opera singer Joan Sutherland is 83. Actor Barry Newman is 71. Singer Johnny Rivers is 67. Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 66. Comedian Judy Tenuta is 60. Singer Nick Gilder is 58. Actor Christopher Knight ("The Brady Bunch") is 52. Music conductor Keith Lockhart is 49. Guitarist Greg Tribbett of Mudvayne is 41. Actors Jeremy London ("Party of Five") and Jason London ("The Rage: Carrie Two") and actor Chris Barnes (Prince Eric in "The Little Mermaid," Greg in "The Brady Bunch Movie" ) are 37. Actress Yunjin Kim ("Lost") is 36. Guitarist Zach Myers of Shinedown is 26.