Holiday fund-raiser benefits AIDS project
By Allison McCready Special to the Kansan
A night of art, education, and awareness was the theme for the World AIDS Day holiday fund-raising event for the Douglas County AIDS Project, which was held at the Spencer Museum of Art on Dec. 4.
Rose R. Rousseau, the executive director of the organization, said that the event was modeled after a Kansas City fund-raiser called "Night of a Thousand Stars."
Rousseau said that the fund-raiser was the first in Lawrence to enlist the support of artists.
The evening included private dinner parties hosted by people in the community, followed by a party at the museum. Several works of art were donated for exhibition and for a sealed-bid auction.
Tickets for the reception at Spencer were $5. The KU Student Bar Association cosponsored the event.
"The arts community in this area really hadn't been tapped as far as involvement in assisting with the AIDS project," Rousseau said. "I thought this would be a good opportunity for that."
Rousseau said that several KU staff members and graduates, as well as other regional artists, donated their artwork for the fund-raiser. Nate Fors, an internationally-recognized artist and a KU graduate, unveiled a new work. The focus of the piece
was his uncle, Dennis Helm, a Lawrence man who died of complications of AIDS. Two panels of the AIDS Quilt were on display.
Brett Brenner, a third-year law student from Wichita, is holding one of the dinners. Brenner serves on the board of directors of the Douglas County AIDS Project.
Brenner said that his goals for the fundraiser were multi-faceted. He said he hoped the event would educate his friends and other people about AIDS. He said he wanted people to know that it was not a disease that discriminated against any group of people, but one that affected the entire society.
He also said he hoped the event would raise a lot of money for the organization, which relied on the community for financial support.
Brenner said that the fund-raiser should have a broad appeal to anyone concerned with the AIDS issue.
"The art is very compelling," he said. If people enjoy themselves and leave with a good feeling about the Douglas County AIDS Project, they may volunteer more, Brenner said
According to Rousseau, people from KU have been very active in the organization. Three-quarters of the volunteers at the Douglas County AIDS Project have KU ties.
"We're really hoping we can get KU students over there, too," she said. "It's the price of a movie ticket."
International students face Christmas alone
Those far from home find stateside options
By David Kelsey Special to the Kansan
Imagine waking up Christmas morning knowing that your family is thousands of miles away celebrating the holiday without you.
That is what some of KU's 1,992 international students will experience this winter break. Brenda Baker, a KU foreign student advisor, said that international students who live in the dorms may sign up to stay in Lewis and Templin Halls over winter break. The cost is $11 a night or $55 for the entire break. International students should be prepared for eating delivered pizza and take-out food because no food service will be provided by the residence halls.
Baker said that there are a few programs that try to match international students up with American families. International students may sign up through the Foreign Student Adviser Office for the Christmas International House program. This program places students with families throughout the United States.
"The Christmas holiday can be a pretty lonely time for international students,"
Bakersaid.
Jenny Lin is a freshman from Taiwan. She lives in Naismith Hall and will probably spend winter break with friends. "I have been invited to stay with friends in Kansas, but I am not sure yet," Linn said.
Arthur Chu, president of the Asian Student Union, said some of the international students in his organization do not celebrate Christmas like Americans. "They miss their families more than anything else," Chu said.
Susanna Loof, who is a freshman from Sweden, said that she wanted to travel over winter break. "Colorado is calling me. I really want to go skiing," Loof said.
Loof said that she had invitations from friends to spend Christmas in their homes but that she really wanted to travel. "I want to see Chicago, and maybe Texas," Loof said.
Loof said she would miss eating Christmas dinner with her family. "This will be my first Christmas away from home," Loof said.
Another Swedish Christmas tradition, Loof said, is watching old Walt Disney movies, which are broadcast over the state-run television station. Loof said they begin playing the movies at 3:00 p.m. on December 24 and continue for several hours. "I have been watching those movies every Christmas," Loof said. "The whole country watches them."
December 8, 1993 *K-you* • COMMUNITY
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