By: Nicole Plowright
Adams State College hosted Aids Awareness Week Tuesday, December 1st through Thursday December 3rd. During the week panels of the Aids Quilt were put on display between the Grizzly Den and Jasmine’s. Along with the quilt on display students sat at tables passing out information regarding safe sex, HIV, Aids, and STDs. Students also passed out red ribbons to remember those who have been affected by HIV/Aids and cards with pictures of children whose lives have changed because of HIV/ Aids. Students were encouraged to wear both the ribbons and the cards throughout the week.
The week kicked off with a red out. Students, staff, and faculty were asked to wear red in remembrance of those who are currently living with Aids or those who have died from Aids. At the tables by the Aids Quilt free shirts were passed out to students. Also, on Tuesday by the Japanese Garden was a ceremony for World Aids Day. The Percussion studio played during the ceremony.
That evening at 7 p.m. in Carson Auditorium Dr. Bob Linden & Maureen Orr, nurse practitioner, gave a presentation about HIV care in Uganda, Africa and their personal experiences with AIDs in Uganda.
Wednesday’s activities consisted of a STI, or sexually transmitted infections, presentation by Adams State Nursing professor Elaine Regan. There was also free and confidential HIV testing in the student union building room 315 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
At 7 p.m. Conour Hall’s lobby hosted pizza and a movie. The movie was “Pedro”. Pedro was a cast member of MTV’s the Real World, as well as an AIDs patient. He was also an AIDs activist and lived his life to promote AIDs awareness. The movie is a story about him and his life.
The week concluded with another STI presentation in the student life center at 12:30 p.m. Thursday evening was the AIDS Candlelight Vigil. This was held at 6 p.m. in the student life center. The percussion ensemble played while stories of people that have been affected by AIDs were read. AIDs awareness week was made possible by El Parnaso, Newman Club, AS&F, and the San Luis Valley medical center.
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