With music from local radio stations and live bands blaring along the Schuylkill River, the 10th annual Philadelphia AIDS Walk began yesterday morning as participants watched the ominously dark sky, concerned about the impending rain. Though the rain held off until the very end of the 12-kilometer walk, and for the Penn students and 30,000 other participants who survived the walk, not even a torrential downpour could have curbed their enthusiasm. The walk raised approximately $1.3 million, according to From All Walks of Life Executive Director Eric Wichner. Twenty Penn students participated as members of the Jewish Activities Council team, which includes Penn Hillel, the Jewish Greek Council and the Steinhardt Jewish Heritage Program, according to Hillel Program Associate Suzanne Kurtz. "We wanted all the Jewish teams to walk together to do something collectively," Kurtz said. "We raised approximately $200, and it was an incredible experience." Several sororities and fraternities also sent students to the event. Since FAWOL volunteers started the AIDS Walk 10 years ago, more than $3.5 million has been distributed to beneficiary organizations offering free services to people with AIDS. Services include counseling, testing, hot meals for people homebound with AIDS, legal and housing services and "buddy" programs, Wichner explained. The AIDS Walk is the largest pledge walk-a-thon in the Philadelphia area. College junior Jason Judd, who participated with the Jewish Activities Council team, said he joined the walk as a way of becoming involved in the fight against AIDS. "By now, just about everyone knows someone with AIDS," he said. "It was a terrific and fun experience and we got to meet a lot of people along the way. You knew you were doing something good." Participants enjoyed free refreshments from local sponsors and speakers presented important information about AIDS and the HIV virus during closing ceremonies. Many area radio stations including WMMR, WXPN, Y100 and WDRE, showed their support for the AIDS Walk by broadcasting live from the site of the event. Yesterday's walk was a first-time experience for many participating students. "It is a great cause and it was a way to spend a morning in a way I otherwise hadn't done before," College junior Meryl Horowitz said. "I've been in other walks before, but it was good to combine participating in a walk with such an important cause."
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