On Saturday, AIDS Delaware will host a banquet and celebration for participants in “Do The Right Thing 4Life.” For seven years, Do The Right Thing 4Life has targeted African Americans visiting barbershops, salons, and other community businesses. It has distributed more than 20,000 condoms and provided rapid HIV tests for more than 1,000 people, said Frank Hawkins, associate director for AIDS Delaware.

When Carmen Loat’s shop got involved six years ago, she said clients were sheepish about taking the free condoms, “until I said, ‘That’s fine, help yourself.’” “Now, I have people coming in, getting involved, coming in to get educated about AIDS awareness and HIV,” said Loat, whose salon has also sponsored HIV testing. “We’re preventing the spread of STDs and that’s really important.”

Wilmington has the state’s highest concentration of HIV/AIDS cases. “African Americans still account for more than 60 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS, while representing less than one-quarter of our state’s total population,” said Hawkins.

Do The Right Thing 4Life “started with one basket of condoms,” Hawkins said. “And now we’re up to 17 salons and it’s still growing,” distributing about 200 condoms a month.

Wilmington City Council President Ted Blunt will host the banquet, which is being held at the Waterfall Banquet and Conference Center, on Philadelphia Pike, in Claymont. Invited speakers include Mayor James M. Baker and Les and Andrea Williams from the HBO movie “Life Support.” For tickets ($20) or more information, call 302-652-6776 or visit www.aidsdelaware.org/services/doTheRightThing.jsp.

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