Fighting AIDS a world away

Almost a world away from Zambia at a retirement home in Lincolnshire, volunteers spent Saturday assembling kits for caregivers of those infected with HIV in the African nation.

It was the Sedgebrook retirement community's way to observe World AIDS Day and offer help.

The kits are earmarked for distribution to World Vision volunteers in Zambia, said Roby Geevarghese, the associate director of advancement for the Chicago branch of World Vision, a humanitarian organization.

"I feel that there are so many problems in this world, and if we can help one little bit, we should," said Sedgebrook resident Ruth Saffro, 85.

Saffro was one of about 100 Sedgebrook residents and staff members who worked shoulder to shoulder with Boy Scout Troop 78 and students from Stevenson High School and Lake Forest Academy.

"This is a great project, and I like that it's part of a worldwide effort to combat AIDS," said Hanna Tarsunova, a junior at Stevenson. Tarsunova and other Stevenson students also helped set up the assembly line operation Friday.

Several residents from Monarch Landing, a retirement community in Naperville, also assembled kits Saturday. The two retirement communities and their parent organization, Erickson, donated $25,000 to buy the supplies, said Leslie Green, resident life director at Sedgebrook.

"Our residents assembled kits earlier this year, and it was very successful. We spent the last four months planning this day and hope to build awareness of AIDS," Green said.

Volunteers tucked handwritten notes, along with supplies including soap, latex gloves and a flashlight, into orange plastic kits.

Sedgebrook residents are eager to help others, said Janna Born Larsen, pastoral ministries manager.

"(Assembling kits) is not just a job; it's a matter of heart. It feeds a hunger to help people," Larsen said.

By noon, the kits were assembled and packed for delivery. Lincolnshire Fire Department Explorers were on hand to load the boxes on trucks.

"This is a great project which does a lot of good for those who have AIDS, said Sedgebrook resident Bob Vehlow, 91.