AIDS Walk helps awareness
Young and old enjoyed walking the Red Road at Canim Lake with bright, red ribbons and balloons.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: September 23, 2009 9:01 AM
Children from the school and daycare, elders, community members, volunteers and Chief Mike Archie, all wearing red ribbons, walked the Red Road at the Canim Lake Reserve Sept. 18 with scores of red balloons.
“It’s just to bring awareness and support to our community; we know HIV/AIDS is an epidemic,” said Chief Mike Archie.
He added HIV/AIDS has affected a lot of First Nations communities throughout the country and it’s important for students and elders to be part of the awareness.
“It’s the health of our community and we need to remain focused on what we need to work towards a healthy community.”
Gail Orr, who volunteers with the Circle of Life, a support group that focuses on raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, said the walk is one of the big things the group does.
“Prior to the walk, we go in and do some education with the school kids so they know why they’re walking, they know about the red ribbon and we go up and talk to the elders.
“We don’t raise pledges or money or anything like that. It’s just awareness for the community and a way to get together and participate and remember those who have passed away from AIDS or those who are living with AIDS or their friends or families.”
The BC Centre for Disease Control reports that in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap region of Interior Health, 121 people tested newly positive for HIV between 1995 and 2008. From 1983 to 2007 there were 4,212 AIDS cases reported in the province.
The Circle of Life is open to everyone. For more information call the White Feather Family Centre at 250-397-2717.
v2
