Henry Daily Herald

Special Photo: Tabernacle of Praise walkers follow a police escort during the Second Annual McDonough Youth AIDS Walk.

More youths are flocking to a cause in support of providing help to those impacted by the potentially deadly HIV/AIDS virus.

Roughly 80 youngsters and adults took part in the Second Annual McDonough Youth AIDS Walk, held recently, in that city.

The sun beamed on the lively participants as they walked 4.1 miles through east McDonough, from Bethany Baptist Church, to McDonough Presbyterian Church, campaigning and raising money to assist in the fight against Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) worldwide.

“It’s important for people to understand the AIDS crisis continues,” said Mike Griffin, the president and CEO of ChangeOneLife (COL), Inc., the McDonough Presbyterian-sponsored non-profit group that organized the fund-raiser.

“The AIDS epidemic is still having a devastating impact on the continent,” said Griffin, “and it’s worthy of our concerns and worthy of our contributions.”

Griffin, joined by other COL members, planned the community-wide walk as a means of combating the AIDS crisis in some African nations. Each participant paid a $25 registration fee, most of which goes directly to the non-profit’s AIDS Alive Projects in Kenya —AIDS and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) education and awareness.

Those who participated in the walk represented six McDonough-area church youth groups from — Wesley Way United Methodist, led by Gail Matthews; Sharon Baptist, led by Greg McGaha; Mt. Bethel United Methodist, led by Sonia Forster; Tabernacle of Praise, led by Antoinette Milton; Kelley Presbyterian, led by Shannon Whitford; and McDonough Presbyterian, led by Destiny Williams.

“I think it’s exciting to get different churches from different denominations to come together for the same goal,” said Shannon Whitford, the children and youth director at Kelley Presbyterian Church in northeast McDonough. “It doesn’t matter what denomination you’re from, we serve the same God.”

The McDonough Youth AIDS Walk has grown from its first event a year ago — from three to six participating groups.

“I think next year, it will be even bigger,” said Whitford, who led a group of 10 in the walk.

“We thought it’s a great cause,” she continued. “I think it definitely benefits our youth by raising awareness. Other parts of the world are really suffering and have a lot to deal with. I think it also teaches our youth to be good stewards, and to not only be good Christians and serve locally, but to do things globally as well.”

The Oct. 1, fund-raiser included games, lunch and performances by the Wesley Way United Methodist Church’s Youth Praise Band “By Grace.”

Griffin said the event raised $800 net, after expenses, to be used in COL’s “Mothers Milk” project to purchase infant formula to help feed the babies of HIV-positive mothers, being treated at the AIDS Clinic at Kikuyu Hospital, outside Nairobi, Kenya.

To learn more, visit the COL web site at www.changeonelife.org.