AIDS awareness events begin today

Nick Walton

Several organizations are providing information about AIDS today to coincide with Saturday’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Office of Health Promotion will be handing out educational material about AIDS, along with other giveaways, at a table on the second floor of the Student Center. This is the third consecutive year the office will participate in the awareness day. The event is organized by a number of national organizations in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Student organization FACE AIDS will also be at the table to raise money to combat AIDS in Africa.

The Office of Health Promotion is working with FACE AIDS and Kappa Alpha Psi to raise AIDS awareness.

“(The goal) is to just basically raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, not only within the African-American community, but just everyone,” said Akua Gyau, senior integrated health studies major, who is a student assistant at the Office of Health Promotion .

Free confidential HIV testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the DeWeese Health Center. Students interested in testing can call (330) 672-2320 to schedule an appointment.

– Nick Walton