LV students join AIDS Walk L.A.
Campus Times
October 3, 1997
photo by Laura Ambriz
The sun blazed down on approximately 45,000 people for the annual
AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 28. Participants walked the 6.2 miles
down Melrose Avenue and up Beverly Boulevard to the Paramount Pictures Studio,
where the event started. Iota Delta and Campus Ministry signed up 26 walkers
from the University of La Verne.
Paramount Pictures was the location of the annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles
(AWLA) which brought about 46,000 people, together including some from
the University of La Verne. Participants spent the afternoon walking the
10k walk to help raise money for people who suffer from HIV and AIDS.
Clad with red ribbons or tributes of their loved ones pinned to their
backs, walkers began their march. The event started at 10 a.m., but walkers
needed to be present earlier than that to find parking and register.
AWLA walkers received a flyer in the mail that contained a map of the
area and indicated sections where parking could be obtained with a $2 fee.
Walkers could park there and a shuttle would pick them up and escort them
to the registration tables.
Many people had problems with locating the parking lots and resorted
to parking on side streets and walking blocks to the start of the walk.
"We parked over by a fire station near where the employees were
supposed to park. There were buses that came and shuttled us to Paramount,"
said senior Kayla Fikter.
Once near the registration tables, walkers either checked in with their
team or by their last names. In order to get a table, teams needed at least
20 people. ULV was three short when they pre registered.
Walkers turned in the funds that they received and in turn were handed
a small bundle of goodies. The bundle included samples of sunscreen, an
AIDS walk pin, a book, an envelope to use if they received more funds after
the walk and a small book.
The book contains a list of the sponsors who contributed to the project
and a list of the teams that walked. The major sponsors for the event included
United Airlines, Microsoft Corporation, KMEX-TV, Channel 34 and NBC4.
"It was quite an event. You could have raised the money and sent
it in, but there is something in walking with that many people who all came
out to support the same cause. It is exciting. You can't help but be excited,"
said Elena Cardeña, campus minister and the university's AIDS walk
team organizer.
Among the 800-plus teams that walked were a few from ULV. Sororities
Iota Delta and Phi Sigma Sigma and fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon joined
the team that Cardeña organized.
Dan Campana, chair of the religion and philosophy department went on
what is his fourth annual AIDS walk.
"It was really warm outside, but it was good to see all the people
who were out there supporting the cause. It was worth going through all
the heat," said sophomore Brian Krug.
Although the weather was warm, water stations were set up throughout
the walk to keep walkers cool. Los Angeles firefighters were also present
at the walk.
At several places throughout the route, a number of trucks were parked.
Walkers were hosed in an effort to keep them cool. At one point they opened
a fire hydrant that gushed out to the street and all over the walkers. Volunteers
managed the streets shouting and encouraging support to everyone who passed
by.
"The walk was great. It was one of my best experiences. I would
gladly do it again. I wish there had been more volunteers. I told them all
thank you, that I appreciate their support and needed that encouragement,"
said Rob'n Lewis, ULV switchboard operator.
