People marched for AIDS awareness from Triangle Park in Aggieville to First Congregational United Church of Christ on Poyntz Avenue on Saturday for World AIDS Day. This event ended AIDS Awareness Week.

Though the march had few participants, its goal was to educate the Manhattan community that AIDS is still an issue, no matter what the size of the town, said Daniel Spachek, freshman in open option.

"Manhattan is pegged as conservative, but AIDS is a global issue," Spachek said. "Politics should have nothing to do with it. It was nice seeing support from a community who is stereotyped as conservative."

Marchers started in Aggieville, worked their way toward 11th and Laramie streets, then to Fremont Street and on to Poyntz Avenue. The marchers stopped traffic with banners that read "World AIDS Day," and "Awareness starts with you." They all held red balloons and wore red ribbons. The marchers had one goal, and that was to inform the town, said Matt Combes, committee chair for AIDS Awareness Week.

"We want all of Manhattan to realize the epidemic is far from over," said Combes, junior in social work. "It takes a community educating itself, not just one person, to do something about it."

Regional AIDS Project and Sexual Health Awareness Peer Educators were two groups that organized the march and the other events throughout the week, said Kevin Stilley, RAP board member.

"The week has been awesome," Stilley said. "I wish the attendance was better, but Matt (Combes) was the driving force, and I hope that the people who drove by read the banners and know that they are educating themselves by becoming aware."

Katie Burgess, freshman in pre-veterinary medicine, said the march is great for awareness because people are learning about AIDS and what it is. She said some people try to shy away from the subject altogether, but AIDS should not be ignored.

"It is not talked about," Burgess said. "People avoid the subject of sex, because you're doing something bad, and that is not the case."

Cora Holt, RAP member, said she agreed with Burgess and said that AIDS should be discussed because it affects everyone.

"We want people to just think about it," Holt said. "Everyone is affected. It does not discriminate; babies are born with it. People used to think of AIDS as the gay disease, and that's ridiculous."

Holt said if the problem was solved and RAP was no longer needed she would be happy.

Following the march was a memorial service. Combes said he was extremely happy and impressed by the people driving by giving smiles and friendly honks. He said this year was different than last year, because the march was not on campus. This year the community was able to see what was going on.

"The week was about awareness - today was for remembrance," he said.