In 1988, as a response to early AIDS deaths and illnesses in Kansas City, a dedicated group of volunteers initiated Walk For Life, a fundraising event for one of the city’s AIDS service organizations. The first five annual events were volunteer-driven and nearly all of the funds raised were contributed by those friends and families who had lost a loved one to the epidemic.

In 1992, to end duplication of effort in fundraising from the same, limited donor population, the four local AIDS service organizations formed the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Their mission was to collectively present Walk For Life, benefiting all four organizations. However, by the spring 1993 event the volunteers decided that the event had become overwhelming. Contributing factors included volunteer fatigue and disgruntlement, limited growth in participants and revenue and a lack of centralized management. AIDS related deaths were on the increase and the four organizations desperately needed more local private funding to maintain services. The Foundation board agreed with event volunteers that it was time to replace the all-volunteer structure with professional event management. That's when Lintecum Group was first contacted.
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