The Athletic Department and the Ann Arbor Jaycees, along with several University student groups, are preparing to bring the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to Ann Arbor from February 6 to 9.
At monthly quilting sessions throughout the fall, volunteers will be able to assist in the making of memorial panels for those who have lost loved ones to AIDS, and can receive information on how to make panels on their own.
Student groups are also planning fundraisers and commemorative activities, including films about understanding AIDS and a jump-rope-a-thon sponsored by members of the Greek system.
"Without a doubt, these young adults possess both the enthusiasm and energy to assist with the many educational and promotional activities that will surround the quilt display in the year ahead," said Athletic Department Coordinator April Bayles.
Profits from the memorial quilt and corresponding activities will benefit the HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC), and organizers hope to educate University and high school students of the danger of AIDS.
"Women our age are one of the fastest-growing groups of people contracting AIDS today," said LSA sophomore Melissa Grant, who is a volunteer for the project. "Therefore, it is necessary to do everything we can to educate ourselves and our community."
The memorial quilt was originally laid out on the Mall in Washington, D.C., in October 1987. Since that time almost 6 million people in the United States have had the chance to view the quilt, according to the NAMES Project. The complete 45,000-panel quilt will be on display in Washington, D.C., from October 11 to 13.
Most of the sections of the quilt that will cover the Track and Tennis Building will represent local AIDS victims. Each section will be 12 square feet and consist of eight individual panels.
Susan Foltin, media chair of the Ann Arbor Quilt Display Committee, said the quilt visually illuminates that HIV and AIDS can happen to anyone. She said the quilt educates people on the risks of contracting the disease while teaching "compassion" and "humanity" for the families of the victims of AIDS.
"The purpose of the AIDS quilt is to educate people," Foltin said. "We want to focus on what we think is the largest group at risk - college and high school students. Our focus is to educate people and take away the stigmatism for people who have it.
"We want to get the word out early," she said.
Quilting Bees to help construct panels for the quilt are scheduled for the third Sundays of September, October, November and January from 1-5 p.m. at Michael's Craft Store on the Ann Arbor-Saline Road in Ann Arbor. Everyone is welcome.