Students buy 200 tickets to AIDS benefit

The Community Service Living Learning Program has sold over 200 tickets for Thursday night's charity ball to benefit the Pediatric AIDS foundation. The foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to funding research of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in children. According to Jocelyn Lehrer, an organizer of the event, the charity ball has received overwhelming support from the University community. "Fraternities and sororities were really receptive to this, and parties were cancelled," Lehrer, a College sophomore said. "Kappa Sigma, Delta Delta Delta, and [Kappa Alpha] Theta have been helping us sell tickets on Locust Walk." She added that the Theta Xi fraternity will be "bouncing" at the event. Lehrer said that CSSLP also received support and donations from the many student groups they contacted. The Pediatric AIDS Foundation was founded by Elizabeth Glaser, wife of actor Paul Glaser, who starred on the television show Starsky and Hutch. Elizabeth Glaser contracted the AIDS virus and passed it to her daughter before birth. Charity Ball organizer Karen Now, a College sophomore, said that students across campus have been very supportive. "Children with AIDS are the ultimate victims," Now said. "A child born with AIDS didn't have a choice, whether they got it through birth or sexual abuse." A daughter of a PAF co-founder said this week that about 80 percent of PAF's funds go directly to research. The daughter, who is a College junior, spoke on the condition of anonymity. "I don't think a lot of people realize the need for separate research," she said. "AIDS affects children differently than adults." Over 200 tickets have been sold to the black-tie optional affair, acccording to Lehrer. The catered ball will feature a disc jockey and an open bar. The Children's Ball will be held in the Dinosaur Hall of the Academy of Natural Sciences from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. Tickets are available on Locust Walk for $25 until Wednesday afternoon.