For the fifth year in a row, the “AU Fights AIDS” team was the largest university team at the annual AIDS Walk Washington Saturday.
This year’s team had the largest number of students to date, with over 400 registered participants. The team raised over $12,000 this year, while last year’s participants raised nearly $15,000, according to Liz Bayer, the director of Women’s Initiative’s HIV/AIDS Taskforce.
Total donations raised each year vary based on individual fundraising by each participant, according to Bayer.
“The AIDS Walk is a great way to call attention to this public health crisis that is happening right here in this community we live in,” Bayer said in an e-mail.
Between 2007 and 2010, “AU Fights AIDS” has raised approximately $53,000 for the AIDS Walk, for which all proceeds go to the Whitman-Walker Clinic. The clinic is a non-profit, community-based organization that provides health care for those with HIV/AIDS and support for those who are affected by the disease.
A 2008 study found that 3 percent of the D.C. population has HIV/AIDS.
“It was amazing and really demonstrated that combating HIV/AIDS and serving the larger D.C. community is something that is important to our whole AU community,” Bayer said in an e-mail.
A total of 25 different clubs and organizations, including University offices, AU Student Government departments, greek life and student clubs, co-sponsored the team this year.
Alison DiDonato, a freshman in the School of International Service participated in the AIDS Walk because she wanted to be a part of the solution to the high infection rate of HIV/AIDS in D.C.
“I chose to walk because AIDS is a prevalent issue in my new home, D.C.,” DiDonato said. “As a student here, I feel it is my duty to relate to the people in this city and do what I can to help.”
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