LoCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 5, 1997 - 5
Candles
flght way
to hope,
healing
ByM~ Extey
Daily Staff Reporter
Candles reminded last night's crowd
ofthe light that AIDS victims brought
totihe world.
About 40 people gathered at Ann
Arbor's First Congregational Church
for a candlelight vigil and musical cele-
bration in memory of those afflicted by
HIV/AIDS.
T h e
"Service for
>; Hope in the
Face ofAIDS"
areness was one of
Febr ary 1-8 Week many events
in the
University's AIDS Awareness Week.
After a symbolic march to the church
from the Michigan Union, the program
culminated with music, ritual and
er from various faith traditions.
ast year I was too sick to partici
pate,' said John Russo, a local resident
suffering from AIDS. "But support like
this is very important in the day-to-day
struggle of those infected.'
"There can never be enough support
organizations," Russo said.
Russo said his church and the
HIV/AIDS Research Center, one of the
sponsors of last night's event, played
instrumental roles in his life.
his was the fourth year the vigil and
march have been held.
"This year's turnout for the event was
smaller than in previous years," said
Tom Frank, president of the HIV
Resource Center.
"Usually this march is held in con-
junction with World AIDS Day, Dec. 1,"
Frank said. "However, this year, with
the Thanksgiving break falling that par-
t fiar weekend, we figured that mst
Uple Would be Out of town.
While the majority of those who par-
ticipated were local residents, several
University students also attended.
"I don't think that the lack of student
participation tonight is due to lack of
concern over AIDS, just timing and
logistics," said LSA junior Chris
Cielinski. "I think the weather is a fac-
tor too."
The program had an atmosphere of
Obration and encouragement, with
little kids playing tag around the church
pews and friends greeting each other
with embraces.
"Some of us have lost so many
friends and loved ones, we are numb,"
the Rev. Fran Mayes of the Tree of Life
Metropolitan Community Church said
to the audience. "Remembering these
AIDS Memorial Quilt to
unfold at 'U' building
By Brian Campbell
Daily Staff Reporter
Flooded by statistics and warnings
about the dangers of A IDS, students
can witness a personal testimony to the
disease's victims this week.
The Names Project/AIDS Memorial
Quilt is expected to come to the
University's Track and Tennis Building
tomorrow evening with a ceremony
featuring the Ann Arbor Boy's Choir.
The Ann Arbor Jaycees Foundation
and the University's Athletic
Department are sponsoring the quilt
display. This is the first time the memo-
rial quilt has been brought to Ann
Arbor, and coordinators plan to display
it until Sunday evening.
Dave Lieber, a coordinator of the
Jacyees quilt planning committee, said
Washtenaw County has the second
highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the state.
"The Ann Arbor community needs
this display as another tool to fihit the
spread ofAIDS," Lieber said. "The size
of the display, over 1,800 panels, is
ideal because it is large enough to make
an impact on people's lives, but not too
large that you can't spend time getting
to know most of the people whose lives
are commemorated on the quilt."
Lieber said that viewing the quilt is
an effective way to remind people to
practice safer sex because it delivers a
more poignant message than imperson-
al statistics.
"The quilt puts a name on the endless
statistics," Lieber said."It gives the stu-
dents a feeling like they know someone
who has died of AIDS because of the
life stories that the quilt possess."'
Donations from the display will go
toward supporting the IllIV/A IDS
Resource Center, a Washtenaw County
auercy that educates and provides ser-
vices for local residents living with the
disease.
The idea to bring the quilt to Ann
Arbor came from the Jaycees
Foundation's involvement in a 1995 dis-
play at Oakland Community College.
The volunteers have spent a year
planning this year's project, which was
facilitated by the University Athletic
Department when its officials waived
the standard fees to lease the Track and
Tennis Building.
The memorial quilt presentation,
which is part of the University's AIDS
Awareness Week, will be on display
from 7-10 p.m. tomorrow, 9 a.m.-10
p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from I l
a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Greg Kukuk performs his solo during the AIDS vigil at the Ann Arbor First
Congregrationai Chruch last night.
individuals is a necessary part of our
grieving."
"We must let the strength and
courage of those who have died inspire
us to go on and continue life" Mayes
said.
Frank said the event was rescheduled
for this week to coincide with the bring-
ing of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Ann
Arbor tomorrow.
"A lot of
LSA junior Bernard Cherkasov, head
of AHAVA, a Jewish gay and lesbian
support organization, said he came to
the event to support members of the
community with HIV and AIDS.
"I also came to remember friends and
loved ones who have died from the dis-
ease," Cherkasov said.
He also expressed hope that this
week's events will
people have
made an e m o-
1ional Commit-
nent to the
quilt," Frank.
said. "We'll
only have a
piece of it here,
yet it will fill
up the entire
display area of
the Track and
T e n n i s
Building. The
entire quilt is
over 40,000
panels."
Cielinski said
41Remembering
these individuals
is a necessary
part of our
grieving"
- The Rev. Fran Mayes
Tree of Life Metropolitan
Community Church
further the aware-
ness of
University stu-
decits about the
danger o A IDS.
"As students,
we have the edu-
cation we
know the danger,
at least we
s h o u I d ,
Cherkasov said.
"But too often it
seems that
(young people)
think they are
invincible, that
they won't get
t events like these
this disease.
"My hope is tha
he anticipates more
student involvement when the quilt
goes on display .
"Tonight was more or less a kick-off
for the rest of the week," Cielinski said.
will help get the message across that
AIDS is not a disease that discrimi-
nates," Cherkasov said. "Anyone can
become a victim."
__j
M ICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY
WINTER ELECTIONS
ARE MARCH 19th & 20th
All candidates interested in running for a seat
on MSA should pick up a candidates' packet at
3909 Michigan Union. Office hours are 9:00 am-5:00 pm,
Monday- Friday. Packets will be available on February 12, 1997.
Election Schedule:
Feb. 12
Feb. 21
Feb. 26
Feb. 28
Mar. 3
Mar. 5
-Candidates' packets are available
-Final polling sites are posted
-Packets and links are due
-Deadline for filing Candidacy 5:00 pm
-Deadline for party declaration 5:30 pm
-Election Court certifies candidates
-Candidates' meeting
-Deadline for Candidate withdrawal
-Sample ballot posted for review 5:00 pm
-Ballots reviewed by Election Court
Mar.
Mar.
6
7
Mar. 19&20 ELECTIONS!
Thanks to ITD and some hard working individuals,
this semester you
will be able to cast your votes
C, - - -.-- ~ ~ j~****4~