When the worst item on a city's police crime blotter is a kid calling in for help to save the drowning bugs in his backyard pool (true story), it's sometimes easy to think of our county as a safe haven. That is, until you get hit with a statistic like this: in Orange County, one person is diagnosed with AIDS every day—and countless others are infected with the HIV virus.
Founded in 1985, the AIDS Services Foundation (ASF) is the largest nonprofit AIDS service organization in the county. Each year, ASF assists more than 1,500 people infected by HIV, providing food, transportation, housing, financial aid, family programming, mental-health counseling and support, and prevention services.
This Sunday, ASF is once again hosting the five-mile-long AIDS Walk Orange County. While the actual walk begins at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting by KROQ's Doc on the Roq, you can also sample some of the best food and drink Orange County has to offer; get a free massage; or check out the HIV health-education, KROQ and Radio Disney booths. A Family Fun Zone will even be present for the little ones, featuring everything from pie-eating contests and face painting sponsored by MAC to cameos by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, courtesy of Disneyland, a major sponsor for the Walk.
Think five miles sounds way too much for you? Don't worry: shuttles will be provided for those who aren't able to finish—and even if you can't walk that day, you can still do your part by raising money or donating to the cause.
AIDS Walk Orange County at UC Irvine's Chancellor's Rose Garden, adjacent to Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine, (949) 809-5750; www.aidswalk.org/oc. Sun., 7-11 a.m. Parking available at UCI structures; $7 per car.
