638 Participate in Walk for Life, Raising $75,000 to Fight AIDS

VENTURA-More than 600 Ventura County residents hit the pavement Saturday morning to participate in the eighth annual AIDS Walk for Life.

Donning tennis shoes and T-shirts, the 638 walkers made the 10-kilometer trip along the foggy Ventura coast and through downtown, raising more than $75,000 for AIDS prevention, education and care.

Oxnard resident David Espinosa, 39, signed up for the walk to honor his friends who have died from AIDS.

“I want the message to get out there that medications are not a cure,” he said. “There is no cure. And I’ll keep doing this until there is.”

Walkers started gathering at about 7:30 a.m. in front of the Holiday Inn in Ventura, where they ate bagels and had a group aerobic warmup.

Local leaders, including Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson and Ventura Mayor Jim Friedman, welcomed and cheered on the walkers, bicyclists and in-line skaters.

“There is a myth that AIDS is cured,” Friedman said. “But that’s not true. And there is a myth that AIDS is not in Ventura County. But that’s not true either.”

In fact, 764 Ventura County residents have been diagnosed with HIV, half of whom have died, Friedman said.

Walk coordinator Manuel Marquez thanked the participants, who each raised at least $150, for continuing to advocate for the cause.

“People were geared up to fight AIDS as it hung like a cloud over us,” he said. “And much like the fog rolling away, it comes back. And this fight is nowhere near over.”

Elina Heine of Oxnard is an eight-time veteran of the Ventura County AIDS Walk. Though she enjoys coming out and walking, she said, “It’s kind of sad that we have to keep doing this.”

The Champagne family, who raised almost $5,000 this year, has also been participating for eight years. Phyllis Champagne’s five children and three grandchildren walked in support of her son Bert, who is living with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

“I’ve seen my uncle in his up and down times,” said 12-year-old Chantal McKinney. “I want to support other people whose family members have AIDS.”

Proceeds from Saturday’s walk--one of the largest pledge walks in the county--will benefit AIDS Care and the Ventura County AIDS Partnership.

“It’s really great to see the community effort for AIDS,” said Chuck Tatum, executive director of AIDS Care. “Without the walk, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. It’s that important.”