AIDS Walk Raises Money, Awareness

Eric Christensen doesn’t think the $180 that he raised Sunday will cure AIDS, but he hopes it will help focus attention on the virus he believes threatens everybody.

“It’s killing our population,” said the 18-year-old senior at James Monroe High School. “It’s a very important subject for all of us.” Christensen was among 18,000 people--25% of them from the San Fernando Valley--who walked 10 kilometers Sunday to raise money in the fight against AIDS. Christensen and six members of his youth group from Kirk o’ the Valley Presbyterian Church in Reseda were part of a growing number of members of religious organizations involved in the event.

“We found that we had church groups from all over,” said Steve Damiano, event manager for the walk. “I think people are more aware of the fact that AIDS is affecting everyone. (The walk) is a real grass-roots way of getting involved.” Christensen said his youth group openly discusses AIDS-related issues and encourages members to participate in the walk.

Robert Bendick, one of three youth group advisers at the church, said the discussions about acquired immune deficiency syndrome are part of an overall effort to educate youths about social issues.

“The church has taken a stand on homosexuality and said it’s an OK thing,” Bendick said. “We’ve had a lot of frank discussions in the last couple of weeks on homosexuality, sexuality and birth control.”

In its ninth year, Sunday’s walk, which benefited AIDS Project Los Angeles, raised $2.9 million for AIDS patients and to support AIDS research.