2 Area Rinks to Join in AIDS Fight

Today is the fifth anniversary of Ryan White’s death from AIDS.

To commemorate the date and to support efforts initiated by Ryan for increased education on issues surrounding acquired immune deficiency syndrome, about 1,000 skating rinks across the country--including rinks in Northridge and Glendale--will donate a portion of their weekend admission fees to the Ryan White Foundation.

In an effort to raise at least $100,000 for the foundation, members of the Roller Skating Assn. will host Ryan White AIDS Awareness Day in their rinks today and Sunday.

Every skater will receive an informational brochure on how AIDS can be contracted and on the impact that Ryan White had on HIV/AIDS public education efforts.

Ryan, who was found to have the disease in 1984 at age 13, began a headline-making struggle against fear and prejudice when he was denied the right to attend a public middle school near his hometown of Kokomo, Ind.

At the time, school officials there believed that AIDS could be spread through casual contact and feared for the safety of other students.

Ryan, who contracted the disease through a tainted blood-clotting agent used to treat his hemophilia, fought against the school’s decision and eventually won a federal court case asserting his right to attend public schools.

Ryan then embarked on a nationwide effort to emphasize the need for greater education on AIDS. He died April 8, 1990, at age 18.

“Both Ryan and his sister Andrea were skaters when they were growing up,” said skating association spokeswoman Julie Speers. “In fact, Andrea competed nationally. It seemed natural that the two organizations would eventually come together.”

A motivating factor, Speers said, was the association’s recent move to headquarters near the Indianapolis offices of the Ryan White Foundation.

“Many teens frequent skating rinks, so we’ll be able to get out a lot of information to them,” Judy Burnett, executive director of the Ryan White Foundation, said.

“We have a tremendous problem with teen-age infection rates in this country. They will tell you all you want to know about AIDS, but don’t understand that they are at risk,” she continued.

“If they are having sex or using drugs, they are exposing themselves to the dangers of being affected with the HIV virus.”

Burnett said proceeds from this weekend’s event will go toward financing efforts to make the Ryan White Foundation more effective with teen-agers.

“We hope to sponsor a national convention for our AIDS awareness youth counselors,” Burnett said. “We’re really just getting started as an organization and need to figure out what’s working.”

San Fernando Valley skating rinks participating in the fund-raising events are Northridge Skateland, 18140 Parthenia St., both today and Sunday, (818) 885-7655, and Moonlight Rollerway, 5110 San Fernando Road, Glendale, Sunday, (818) 241-3630.