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COALITION OF CHURCHES TO SPONSOR HEALTH AND GOSPEL FEST
SPRINGFIELD INQUIRER
Springfield, MA
03.07.01
A coalition of Hartford area Black Churches, the AIDS Ministries
Program of The Salvation Army, the Institute for Community Research,
the Urban League of Greater Hartford, Hartford Health Department,
Connecticut Department of Public Health, as well as a contingent
of Hartford social service, health, and AIDS Service Organizations
will sponsor HEAL Our Community Health and Gospel Fest on Saturday
March 10 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Phillips Metropolitan C.M.E.
Church, 2550 Main Street, Hartford.
The free day-long event, part of The Balm In Gilead's Black Church
week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, will showcase health and
information booths, health screenings, as well as panel discussions
on HIV/AIDS related issues from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. A free lunch,
courtesy of GlaxoWellcome, will be served at 12:30 pm, followed
by a Gospel Fest at 2:00 pm. The Gospel Fest will feature performances
by noted recording artists Franklin "Bubby" Farm, Jr.
and Unlimited Praise, as well as by area gospel choirs, soloists,
liturgical dancers, and a youth drama ensemble, Destiny's Golden
Squad from New Britain. For information about the Health & Gospel
Fest, call AIDS Ministries Program, 860-543-8406, ext. 137 or 138.
This Hartford collaborative effort will join with thousands of
other organizations and churches nationally and internationally
who will observe March 4-10, 2001 as the designated week of prayer
for the healing of AIDS in an effort to stop the transmission of
HIV/AIDS within the Black Community and provide compassion and support
for persons infected and affected by the virus. States Pernessa
C. Seele, founder/CEO of The Balm In Gilead, "The involvement
of all churches in this battle against AIDS is imperative if we
are to conquer this epidemic here at home and throughout the global
village." AIDS is the number one cause of death for Black adults
aged 25 to 44, before heart disease, cancer, and homicide. Of the
estimated 40,000 new HIV infections each year, more than 50 percent
occur among African Americans. HEAL Our Community Health and Gospel
Fest will feature health related booths on diabetes, Alzheimer's
disease, breast and cervical cancer, tobacco control, bone marrow
donation, the National Kidney Foundation, Infoline, nutrition, domestic
violence, substance abuse and HIV/AIDS. The Hartford Health Check
Van will also be on site to provide health screenings and blood
pressure checks.
From 11:00 am to 12:45 pm, the HIV/AIDS panel discussion will focus
on such topics as prevention and education, testing ant treatment,
living with AIDS, and the Church's response to HIV/AIDS. Guest speakers
include Dr. Joxel Garcia, Commissioner, CT Department of Public
Health (DPH); Dr. Kenneth Carley, epidemiologist with the DPH; Rev.
John Selders, pastor of Warburton Community Church; Rev. Cheryl
Fortson, pastor, Full Gospel Foundation Building Ministries; David
Waterman, Institute for Community Research; Dr. Mark Mitchell, Hartford
Hospital, and Alice Ferguson and Frank Vilardi of Connecticut Positive
Action Coalition (CPAC). For more information about The Black Church
Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS activities in Hartford, or
to schedule an interview, contact AIDS Ministries Program, 860-543-8406,
ext 135.
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