UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, November 20.1996
3A
Rebecca Ramagtia/KANSAN
Louis Figueroa stands with members of the Delta Chi fraternity. The fraternity provided him with a place to stay Monday night. Figueroa is walking across the United States to raise awareness about AIDS and safe sex.
Man walks across country to increase AIDS awareness
By Erlin Rooney
Kansan staff writer
Each day that 30-year-old Louis Figueroa begins walking, he puts Kenny Loggins 'Leap of Faith' cassette into his Walkman for inspiration. Figueroa is walking across North America with a 50-pound knapsack full of necessities and trinkets to raise awareness about AIDS.
He arrived in Lawrence Monday night and left yesterday.
He started his walk, which he calls Leap of Faith, May 9 in Bangor, Maine. He has seen New Hampshire; Vermont; New York; lower sections of Ontario, Canada; Michigan; Indiana; Illinois; Missouri and Kansas. His destination is San Diego.
His trip has been difficult. Figueroa's acute lymphocytic leukemia is in remission. He has suffered from seizures and has had to take two months off his trip to recover from bronchitis. But he
is insistent on finishing.
"I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror if I didn't make it all the way to San Diego," he said.
This isn't the first time Figueroa has crossed the continent on foot. In 1982, he became the fastest and youngest person to run across the United States, a task he completed in 60 days. He made the run to raise money for cancer research and patients.
His 1996 walk focuses on three goals: to erase the stigma attached to AIDS, to advocate safe sex and to encourage people to send money to their local AIDS support networks. For Lawrence, that is the Douglas County AIDS Project.
Figueroa often stays at Super 8 Motels on his journey, but Monday night he stayed at the Delta Chi fraternity house, 1245 W. Campus Road. He said that he had knocked on fraternity houses' doors and that fraternity members had helped him find a house
where he could stay.
John Hiller, Little Rock, Ark., sophomore, met Figueroa last night at the fraternity house.
"I think it's great that he's taking a personal stance on this and taking a stance with his life." Hiller said. "I was impressed that he recognized abstinence as the only foolproof safe sex. That's something that students should be more aware of or focus their attentions more toward."
Figueroa also promotes using condoms properly to protect oneself from HIV.
Last night, he stayed at an Ottawa University residence hall, and today he'll walk to Emporia. With each stride, he will carry his pictures, notes, cards and stuffed animals in his knapsack. He said he would also carry the memories of the lives he had touched.
"If I get hit by a car or mauled by a coyote, I want these things to be with me," he said.
Center helps smokers quit
Watkins will offer tips for surviving without cigarettes
By Ashleigh Roberts Kansan staff writer
Natasha Stolte is looking forward to waking up and not coughing up smoker'sphleg.
Stolte, Leawood sophomore, is one of many students who will observe the Great American Smokeout tomorrow.
"I'd like to quit for a day to rejuvenate my body," she said. "Td like to see how it feels."
Watkins Memorial Health Center will offer posters and pamphlets at Watkins Memorial Health Center and in residence halls to help students quit smoking during the Great American Smokeout tomorrow. A display case in the Kansas Union is another method Watkins will use to help students.
"We're trying to make students as
Waitley said Watkins will be offering a new adopt-a-smoker program this year to help students quit smoking for at least 24 hours. The program consists of a written agreement with a list of obligations between the nonsmoker and the smoker.
aware as possible," said Candye Waitley, nurse and health care educator at Watkins. "Even if they don't quit for good, it makes them think about it."
The nonsmoker promises to praise the smoker's willpower, provide support, and bribe them with food, money, candy and other free goodies. Smokers must agree to hide their cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters, and tell other friends that they have quit smoking. They must also call the adoptive parent when they feel like smoking, and they must agree not to go to smoke-filled hangouts.
Waitley said it was important for nonsmokers to be involved in a smoker's quitting process.
"A lot of people need a support system," she said. "Nonsmokers should play a positive role in this process. They can really help a friend."
Waitley said women were more
likely to begin smoking during college than men.
"Experts suspect it is related to women's fears of gaining weight," she said. "Some people actually lose weight when they quit smoking, but if they do gain, it is only around five pounds and usually lost within two years."
Along with quitting tips, Watkins offers personalized counseling sessions year round. The program approaches students through a noquilt, no-nag process which addresses individual needs.
Ryan Fleming, Wichita sophomore,
said the smokeout wasn't a bad idea,
but he thought the whole thing had
gotten a little annoying.
"I'll probably smoke a little less," he said. "But it's my choice if I want to quit. It bothers me when people try to force their opinion on me."
Fleming said it didn't help when people told him he should quit because everybody already knew that smoking was bad.
Waitley said she knew the smokeout would not work for everyone, but thousands of people did quit or didn't start as a result of the campaign.
OAKS Nontraditional Student Organization will have a lecture on time management from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Alcove D in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Laura Morgan at 864-4064.
■ University Forum will present Conserving Kansas Wildlife and Natural Areas from noon to 1. p.m. today at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave. For more information, call Thad at 843-4933.
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center will have a health sciences discussion group at 12:30 p.m., today at Alcove F in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Mitchel at 843-0357
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center will celebrate Mass at 12:30 p.m. today in Danforth Chapel. For more information, call the Rev. Ray May at 843-8387.
ON CAMPUS
KU Study Abroad will have in information session about French-speaking countries at 3:30 p.m. today at 4058 Wescoe. For more information, call the Office of Study Abroad at 864-3742.
Center for Asian Studies a lecture featuring Geoffrey Blowers at 4 p.m.
Office of Study Abroad will have in information session about Great Britain Study Abroad at 3:45 p.m. today at 10am at the University of New York, call Nancy Mitchell at 864-3742.
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center will celebrate Mass at 4:30 p.m. today at 1631 Crescent Rd. For more information, call the Rev. Ray Mav at 843-0357.
today at the Walnut Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Bertha Jackson at 864-3849.
KU Hillel will have the International Day of Action for the Children, which includes an ice cream party for the Boys and Girls Club at 5 p.m. today at 940 Mississippi St. For more information, call Bath at 749-5397.
KU Film Connection will have an introductory meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at 308 Dyche. For information, call Brant Brown at 842-3576.
**KU Vietnamese Student Association** will meet at 6 p.m. today at 2023 Haworth. For more information, call Tha Nguyen at 864-1797.
KU Women's Rugby Football Club will practice at 6 p.m. today at 23rd and Iowa. For more information, call Stacey Stringfellow at 749-3380.
Study Abroad Club will have the Student-Initiated Study Abroad Scholarship Search at 6 p.m. today at the Sunflower Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Ted Noravont at 864-3742.
KU Gamers and Roleplayers will meet at 6:15 p.m. today at the Hawk's Nest in the Kansas Union. For more
information, call Alberto Marquez at 848-1255.
(PAL) will meet at 6:30 p.m. today in the Kansas Union.
Undergraduate Business Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at 413 Summerfield. F
Ammey International will meet to discuss human rights in Turkey from 7 to 8 tonight at the Multicultural Resource Center. For more information, call Abyd at 864-1731.
Native American Student Association will meet at 7 tonight at the Multicultural Resource Center. For more information, call Lori Hauxwell at 841-5852.
Hawk Pac and KU Hillel Foundation will have a Hummus Party at 8 tonight at the Ful Moon Cafe. For more information, call Iris Rosenthal at 749-5902.
United Methodist Campus Ministry will have Wesley fellowship at 7 tonight at the Daisy Hill Room in the Burge Union. For more information, call the Rev. Jav Henderson at 841-8661.
Jayhawk Campus Ministries will meet at 8 ondon at the Pioneer Room in the Burge Union. For more information, call Jonathan Huppe at 832-1218.
KU Libertarians will meet at 8:30 tonight at the Governors Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Chris Wiswell at 864-6408.
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