LAURINBURG – Scotland County Health Department is looking for motorcycle riders to participate in a ride to raise money and awareness about HIV/AIDS.
The Health Department’s HIV Education and Resource Team, HEART, has teamed up with the Border Belt AIDS Team, BART, to sponsoring the Harley’s for HEART ride and education day on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the J.L. Morgan Complex on Turnpike Road.
Harley’s for HEART is being held in conjunction with National HIV Testing Day on June 27, according to Kathie Cox public information officer for the county Health Department.
“Test Your Way, Do It Today”is the theme for this year’s event.
“We encourage everyone to know their status,” said Brenda Tyson, HEART co-chair. “Our goal is to raise awareness about the impact HIV is having on our community and the fact that the number of people living with this disease is increasing significantly in our county.”
On June 27, the Health Department will offer free and confidential HIV testing. Walk-ins are welcome and no appointment is necessary.
The day begins at the Splash Pad in the Morgan Complex. The cost to ride is $15 per rider or $20 per couple. Bikers need to arrive by 8:30 a.m. for registration. The ride starts at 9 a.m. Scotland County Sheriff’s Department will escort riders on the hour long ride.
Riders will leave the Health Department and go through Gibson and Laurel Hill and around the Laurinburg Maxton Airport before heading back to the Health Department along HWY 74.
Intern Christina Justice will provide a short presentation on HIV/AIDS statistics and the importance of National Testing Day.
Music, face painting, corn-hole and other games will be offered including entry to the Splash Pad from 10 a.m. to noon. Door prizes and refreshments will be also available.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as of 2014, more than one million people in the United States are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus – the virus that causes AIDS, and nearly one in seven of those, or approximately 166,000, are not aware that they are infected.
Southern states account for an estimated 44 percent of all people living with an HIV diagnosis, despite making up roughly 37 percent of the national population, according to Cox.
In North Carolina, one in 93 persons will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime if current rates continue.
As of December 2015, there were 140 cases of people diagnosed and living with HIV in Scotland County, Cox said.
This is why Scotland County Health Department along with the CDC recommends that people age 13 to 64 years of age get tested for HIV at least once.
“It is important to participate to learn about the importance of being tested for HIV, why HEART is sponsoring this ride and help support persons in our county who have a need” Cox said. “The Center for Disease Control recommends that everyone 13 to 64 years of age get tested at least once in their life for HIV. One in 7 people have HIV and do not know it.”
For information about HIV/AIDS or the H.E.A.R.T. Event, call Scotland County Health Department for Brenda Tyson or Michirena Lowry, H.E.A.R.T. co-chairs, at 910-277-2470, Ext. 4415 or Ext. 4476.