Annual Aids Awareness Week

By Leah Stanley
Staff Writer

Every year, Georgia College & State University takes part in AIDS Awareness Week. This week is a time for education, understanding and compassion, and this year’s events met the standards that students have come to expect from this momentous week.
The AIDS virus is one that is growing daily. According to the Center for Disease Control, 40,000 new cases of HIV are reported yearly in the United States. And though the statistics that accompany it can sometimes be frightening, the best method of protection is through education.
Dr. Barbara Funke, associate professor of Health Education at GC&SU, held a seminar entitled “Risky Business” on Monday where students learned about sexual health and practice. Funke, who also serves as the campus advisor to the registered student organization ANGELS (AIDS Now Grasps Every Living Soul), had high hopes for students to take advantage of this learning opportunity.
“I am often concerned that students think that HIV is something that only happens to other people. I hope that students will understand that HIV is a very real and present threat to their well-being, but that they have control over the behaviors that can cause them to be infected with HIV,” said Funke.
Wednesday brought the 2002 AIDS Walk in Memory of David Ray, who passed away in July. Many students may remember Ray, who spoke at GC&SU last year for Greek Convocation. Before Ray’s death, he became Assistant Director of

CARE, an organization which gives high schools and colleges the opportunity to be on a circuit in which someone speaks to their students about AIDS awareness once a month for free. All of the money raised at the walk this year will be donated to that organization. Other events on Wednesday included a silent auction and a program entitled “Living With HIV,” where an 18-year-old girl spoke about what it’s like to live with the virus. Finally, on Thursday, the casual contact booth took place. This is an event at which recognized student organizations sell hugs and handshakes to show that AIDS and HIV cannot be passed through casual contact.
All funds raised, with the exception of those raised at the walk, will be donated to the ANGELS Foundation Nonprofit Organization. ANGELS was founded by Dr. Robin Harris when her son died of AIDS-related complications in June of 1996.
“One issue that was not being addressed in the area at that time was nutrition support for people living with HIV/AIDS,” said Harris.
Harris said that at that time there was a six-month waiting list for patients to obtain support from Meals On Wheels in Macon. With the help of family and friends, Harris decided that establishing a foundation to take care of these needs could serve as a permanent memorial for her son.
“We spent a year obtaining our tax exempt charitable status and researching models of AIDS nutritional support throughout the country. We established a fund with the Community Grant Foundation in Macon. We then began supplying food and nutritional supplements to various clients in the Middle Georgia area and to the Diversity House in Macon,” said Harris.
ANGELS became a recognized student organization at GC&SU in the spring of 2000 when it was founded by Meg Davis, and the on-campus organization serves as a vehicle of AIDS awareness to students. Davis is proud of what the organization has already accomplished.
“The most rewarding part of being involved in ANGELS is probably seeing a change on the campus and how our organization being on campus has affected students. We were instrumental in getting AIDS testing on campus,” said Davis.
This year, Davis hopes that AIDS Awareness Week has a lasting effect on students.
“I hope students learn that AIDS doesn’t just happen to a certain demographic, that it affects everybody, that no one’s really immune to it,” said Davis.
As for Harris, she said seeing the progress made through ANGELS and AIDS Awareness Week serves as a comfort to her.
“I believe that AIDS Awareness Week can and will help at least one student recognize the decisions that lead to behavior leading to the risk of receiving the HIV/AIDS virus and changes those behaviors,” said Harris.
Harris hopes that more students will continue to become involved in AIDS Awareness Week, and she plans to continue in her fight against the disease.
“If I can spare one mother, if I can get one person to think and stop putting themselves at risk, well then there is value in my pain, and I think we should always have the value in everything in life… for the good things, that is easy, but the bad things are a challenge,” said Harris. “We can wallow in our pain or we can use it to make a difference, and I want to make a difference. Doing so is a comfort to me.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 15 2002. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry