World AIDS Day recognized in Stratford

To recognize World AIDS Day in Stratford, local knitters made and donated 80 red scarves, distributing them across downtown Stratford to raise awareness that AIDS/HIV and hepatitis C are not things of the past.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Since 1991, the red ribbon has been an international symbol for AIDS awareness. Since 2012, local Stratford knitters have done their part to spread that very same symbol across the Festival City each year.

In honour of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 80 handknitted scarves were scattered around downtown Stratford to raise awareness for the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC), a London based charity dedicated to positively impacting the lives of individuals and diverse communities living with, at risk for and affected by HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.

Laurie Krempien-Hall of the Stratford Wednesday Night Knitters was one of the women involved in knitting the scarves this year and in years past.

“I always try to give back to the community,” Krempien-Hall said. “I have lost friends to AIDS as well and it can affect anyone. … I just think it's important to get it out there to other people, to make them aware as well that this is something that's still going on and it hasn't gone away just because people haven't talked about it.”

Krempien-Hall said the Stratford Wednesday Night Knitters, a group of about 20 members, first got involved knitting scarves for the project when it started in London in 2012. They wanted to get involved to bring the campaign to Stratford.

Though the knitting group knits year round, for bigger projects like the Red Scarf Project and the poppy project in November, they open it up to the public and allow anyone to donate their work. There is one St. Marys knitter named Jean who knits scarves for the project year-round. This year, she made 35 scarves, nearly half of the scarves the group put out on the first.

The red scarves are tagged with information about HIV/AIDS. If spotted around town on parking meters or benches, organizers encourage passers-by to wear them or donate them to spread the symbol and to support people living with HIV.

Since the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the lives of those living with HIV have transformed according to a media release put out by Huron Perth Public Health to commemorate the day. ART works by lowering the amount of HIV in the blood to undetectable levels, allowing individuals to live healthy lives and preventing the transmission of HIV to others. However, as Krempien-Hall said, HIV is not a thing of the past.

HIV/AIDS can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation.

Since 2012, volunteers across RHAC’s service area have made and donated 12,000 scarves. Krempien-Hall said each year she feels warmed by the community response.

“It's just really rewarding to just feel the response from the community that they have appreciated it,” she said.