Meet Our Team
Our Founders
Barbara Richmond and Peggy Ermet have been lifelong friends. In fact, their mothers were friends before they were born. Their lives wound in and out of each other's as they grew up, got married, moved away, moved back, and so on. Both mothers have suffered the hardest ordeal a mother can imagine in losing their only sons to AIDS. Barbara thought her world would end when her son John died.
Our Founders, Barbara Richmond & Peggy Ermet
Barbara Richmond and Peggy Ermet shared a lifelong friendship rooted in family ties and deep connection. Their lives remained closely intertwined through the years, supporting each other through milestones, challenges, and ultimately, unimaginable personal loss that would shape their shared purpose.
Turning Grief Into Purpose
After losing their only sons to AIDS, both mothers chose to transform grief into action. Beginning with a single benefit event, they found strength in community support and created a meaningful way to honor their sons’ lives through impact.
A Lasting Legacy
Their vision led to the creation of REAF and its flagship event, “Help is on the Way.” What began as a tribute grew into a major annual fundraiser, continuing to inspire awareness, compassion, and collective action in the fight against AIDS.