1,000 walkers pack streets

Wearing red ribbons and walking shoes, more than 1,000 AIDS supporters flooded the streets of Ann Arbor yesterday for the sixth annual Ann Arbor AIDS Walk.

Walkers hiked a three-mile trail that took them up Main Street through Kerrytown on the north side of Ann Arbor, then to South University Avenue through campus and back to Main Street.

The walk was organized by the HIV-AIDS Resource Center, the Midwest AIDS Prevention Organization and the Hemophelia Foundation of Michigan.

The walk was part of a statewide fund-raiser that is taking place in 10 cities. Walkers, who personally gathered sponsorship money, registered individually or as a team.

This year marks the first time the walk has been an organized state event. The walk was held in 10 Michigan cities yesterday, including Detroit and Traverse City. The money earned in Ann Arbor, however, will stay in the city for the organizations to use locally.

"The money makes a difference, but it's the support from the community that counts," HARC Event Organizer Linda Heilman said. Heilman said she was amazed at the outstanding turnout this year, but more importantly, the emotion from the walkers.

"When you see these people hugging, and kissing and saying 'I care,' it really means a lot," Heilman said.

The funds raised by the walk will be dispersed evenly among the three organizations and used toward AIDS support groups, youth education on the virus and written material geared at prevention.

Support for the walk skyrocketed this year, as registration from last years' event totaled 650 participants. This is the first time the walk was held in September, as opposed to June the past five years. Having the walk during the fall semester while students are in town is increased participation, Heilman said.

Several students from surrounding universities and secondary schools showed up for the event.

"It's a great cause," Eastern Michigan University sophomore Tracy Zimmerman said. After losing an uncle to AIDS a year ago, Zimmerman wanted to do what she could for the walk, personally raising $300.

The product of the overflowing community support is the massive funds raised from the walk. Heilman said the walk is expected to raise more than $70,000 this year, which sets the record above last year's $45,000.

Jackie Campbell, executive director for the Hemophelia Foundation of Michigan, gives much of the fund-raising credit to the teams that registered. The Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems team donated $20,000 alone.

To jump-start the fund-raising effort, United Airlines promised to donate a ticket to anywhere in the continental United States to the walker who raised the most funds. The fund-raising team that brought in the most money won a pizza party.

But not all donations were made in monetary form. The walk was organized and began in the Detroit Edison parking lot on Main Street and Williams Street in downtown Ann Arbor, which the organizations used rent-free. Media One and The Edge 105.1 FM also sponsored the event.

The Edge helped boost turnout for the event, said MAP Event Organizer Yvonne Greenhouse. "We have so many young people thanks to 105.1," she said.

As their contribution, the Edge has been promoting the event on the air for the past month.

"We're proud to be a part of this, and we hope to be a part of it next year," said Edge spokesperson Mark Uldrych.

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