Students for Camp Heartland kicked off “A Week of Hope” with a four-hour dance marathon at BU Central Monday night.
The week honors World AIDS Week though informational and fundraising events sponsored by various Boston University community service groups. Community Service Center groups Dance Marathon and Project Hope were also at the festivity, offering informational bulletins, lollipop condoms, AIDS ribbons and bracelets.
All donations and the $5 entry fees went to help sponsor a child for Camp Heartland, a summer camp that hosts children who have or have been affected by HIV/AIDS at no cost. Students for Camp Heartland President Amy Pollack, who has been a camp counselor for two years, calls it “heaven on earth. It’s amazing.”
Pollack, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said she hoped that $1,500 – the amount to send one child to camp – would be raised by the night’s end. The final tally was unknown at press time.
Funds raised by the dance could help BU earn the spot of hosting the camp’s “Journey of Hope,” which gives all campers a chance to speak publicly about their experiences to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“The camp lets the kids be free to talk about their situation,” Pollack said. “It’s extremely liberating.”
The night included a bake sale, dancing and speakers who had been counselors at Camp Heartland.
Katie Costello of Needham worked at the camp, which has sites in California and Minnesota, for the past four years.
“I think it’s amazing that a school so far away does so much,” she said. “Camp Heartland relies on student fundraising and BU is one of the biggest chapters in the country.”
Though Costello was not sure if she could return to Camp Heartland for another full summer, she said she expected to volunteer for a few of the sessions.
Last year, BU Students for Camp Heartland raised $80,000. In addition to raising money and awareness, the group works with the Boston Living Center and the AIDS Action Committee.
Secretary Harlan Dalzell said there are more ways to help the cause other than donating money.
“There are so many events like this,” he said. “People just need to spread awareness and events like this are great for the club and the camp. Just come to events.”
The week’s events continue through Thursday, which include a candlelight vigil, a film screening and a worship service at Marsh Chapel.
Attendees looked forward to higher turnouts at other events in the coming week. Students for Camp Heartland member Lauren DeGeorge said she was “a little disappointed with the turnout.” Still, the CAS senior said that “aligning ourselves with Dance Marathon and Project Hope should help, since they’re both a part of the CSC.”
Project Hope, which helped sponsor the event, looked forward to other events that will be part of “A Week of Hope.”
“Everyone is trying to do whatever they can to prevent something that is 100 percent preventable,” College of Communication senior Ashley Krohn said.
Project Hope is working on a free HIV testing day for the BU community as an upcoming project.
“Half of new HIV infections are in people under 25,” Krohn said. “We’re trying to target our age group.”
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