THE SOUTHERN

CARBONDALE - A group of about 100 people took the fight against AIDS to the streets of Carbondale Saturday.

The group completed a walk around Carbondale beginning and ending at the Newman Catholic Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale to raise funds and awareness of AIDS.

The walk represented the return of an event that didn't happen last year because the sponsoring groups disbanded, said Wally Paynter, chairman of the committee that organized the event.

"I'm pleased we have a new group of people willing to roll up their sleeves and make a difference," Paynter said.

Money raised from the event will be used to purchase grocery store gift cards for low-income families dealing with AIDS, he said. The gift cards will be distributed as part of the Southern Illinois AIDS Christmas Project, which distributed $20 cards to 140 homes last year.

The eventual goal for the project is to be able to donate $100 cards to each home, but that likely won't happen this year, Paynter said. Sponsors are also being sought to donate Christmas gifts and money to the families.

"HIV is in Southern Illinois, and HIV does impact entire families," he said.

Samantha Betuski, a junior social work major at SIUC, and Heather Mormino, a junior English major, were two of the participants in Saturday's AIDS walk.

Betuski learned of the event through the Social Work Social Alliance, while Mormino saw a banner on campus. Although they learned of the event in different ways, both students wanted to help make a difference.

"It's just good they're helping people, and that needs to happen more," Betuski said.

Mormino, who considers herself to be an active advocate of AIDS awareness, said that having the public and volunteers provides a means of communication for people living with AIDS to get a message out about the need for awareness and prevention.

""It gives people with AIDS a voice, even without speaking out themselves," she said.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

351-5031