Organizations to hold candidate forum, HIV tests, health screenings
Two area organizations will host a “Rock Your Vote” community forum and have invited those running for local office to talk about their platforms.
Back to the Basics Please and the Regional Center for Border Health are hosting a forum open to the public in honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2012. The event will be held at the Generation Y 2000 Diversity Center, 447 S. Main St., at 7 p.m. Oct. 11.
Candidates will have five to 10 minutes on stage to speak about what they stand for and what they hope to accomplish in office. Candidates at the event will include:
• Ricardo Sandoval, candidate for Yuma County sheriff
• Ariz. Rep. Lynne Pancrazi (D), candidate for District 4, State Senate
• Karl Koenig (D), candidate for District 3, Yuma County supervisor
• State Sen. Don Shooter (R), candidate for District 13, State Senate
• Jim Colby, candidate for Crane School Board
• Jim Clark, candidate for Superior Court judge, Division 4
• Dan Dawson (D), candidate for District 2, Yuma County supervisor
There will also be free HIV testing and health screenings provided by the RCBH mobile medical unit between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
"HIV/AIDS prevention and care in Yuma, western Arizona and the surrounding border region present a unique and very complex challenge," stated a news release. "Effective strategies and action cannot be limited to single jurisdictions but must be coordinated across the region if they are to achieve their intended goals. Reliable statistics and research show that currently diagnosed cases of HIV represent just a fraction of the total population infected with the virus. Undiagnosed cases directly contribute to the unchecked spread of the virus and to the steadily declining health of those infected but unaware of their status."
To help increase public understanding of the battle against HIV/AIDS, presentations on the subject by will be made by Brandon Bennett, CEO/president of BTTBP and keynote speaker Amanda Aguirre, CEO/president of the RCBH.
For more information, call Bennett at 550-3999.
Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.
