Pennsylvania: Valley AIDSWalk Changes Name, Broadens Fund-Raising Focus

The Lehigh Valley AIDSWalk, faced with declining public interest in AIDS fund-raising and a rising number of reported AIDS cases in the Valley, has changed its name and focus. The new name was announced eight days after the Oct. 6 walk in Bethlehem drew mixed public response.

Organizers have changed the event's name to Caring Agencies Raising Money for AIDS, or CARMA. The idea is to broaden fund-raising beyond the annual walk, possibly to art auctions, casino nights and other events, officials said.

AIDSWalk Communications Coordinator Tom Walker and others noted that public interest in HIV/AIDS has declined, with fewer celebrities talking about the epidemic and AIDS treatments getting more attention. "It's probably fair to say the community awareness isn't there as much," said Walker, who is also director of the Daybreak drop-in center in Allentown, which offers food, health referrals and other services to those with HIV/AIDS.

Last year, about 150 people marched in an effort that was overshadowed by the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States; proceeds were $24,717. This year the event drew 168 participants, and proceeds topped $33,500. But participation has dropped since 1997, when 475 people raised more than $48,000. This year's total included a $5,000 contribution from D&B business information specialists, which signed on as the walk's first official sponsor.

Even as public interest has ebbed, experts say more HIV/AIDS cases are being reported in Lehigh Valley. Last year, Allentown's Health Bureau tested 2,500 people, of whom seven were HIV-positive. This year, the agency has tested 1,700-1,800 people, of whom 17 have been HIV-positive, said community health specialist David Moyer.

CARMA's leaders hope the new group will be able to raise money and awareness all year without being strictly linked to the walk. During 11 years, the walk has raised more than $354,600 for groups including the AIDS Service Center, Latinos for Healthy Communities, the Daybreak center, and the New Directions Treatment Center.

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