Group focused on AIDS prevention, education

With the first of December almost around the corner, members of one local group are gearing up for an event on World AIDS Day to help educate the public.

Local nonprofit group Back to the Basics Please (BTTBP) is a group dedicated to focusing on life wellness, including narcotics prevention and furthering HIV education. The group also seeks to support families and loved ones affected by HIV and AIDS and make the gay and lesbian community accessible to the community.

Yuman Brandon Bennett started BTTBP in 2003 as an online support group after he moved to Yuma.

Unlike larger metropolitan areas, some rural communities may not have the same resources. That's what Bennett had in mind for Yuma and BTTBP.

"Social support services just seemed to be lacking here," he said.

As a recovering addict himself, Bennett said it's important to bring resources to the Yuma area.

"We need to have an outlet here in Yuma. We need to offer that support."

And the group hopes to help support area young people, said member Lauren Sanders. Sanders said a lot of the young people leave the area because there's nothing here for them.

"It's not the older generation who can do it for us, we're going to have to do it for ourselves," said group member Douglas Sanchez.

One of the quickest ways to gain access to the group is through its Web site at http://backtothebasicsplease.com/wordpress/.

Member Edward Carns said people can find the help they need through the site. The site is also where people can check for updates about the group's upcoming World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

More people continue to join the group and organizers continue to make plans,  Bennett said. They're planning to have World AIDS Day at Arizona Western College and hope to provide educational materials, create an inviting atmosphere and great conversation.

The day, which has furthered HIV and AIDS awareness for 21 years, is traditionally recognized with a red ribbon of remembrance.

By 2007, more than 25 million people had died of complications from AIDS since 1981. Dec. 1 is a day to remember those who have died but also to bring awareness.

This is the first year the group will host a World AIDS Day event, but Bennett said he hopes it will be an annual event.

And with BTTBP gaining momentum, he said, he hopes to reach people all over the U.S.

"I think the more good exposure that we present to the public, the more supportive the public will be to what we're trying to accomplish."

Bennett said HIV-AIDS isn't just a minority issue, it's a general public issue.

"Hey, it's not just in big cities, it's everywhere," Carns said.