THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510260209
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Pam Starr
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
Rebecca Dodge never thought she would lead another AIDS benefit Jazzercise class like she did last year.
Last November, Dodge raised nearly $850 for the 1994 Hampton Roads Walk for Life, an AIDS benefit, through a special Jazzercise class of about 90 people. She had found out months earlier that her younger brother David had contracted the deadly virus and wanted to do something to help.
At that time, Dodge didn't think that David would live another year. But he surprised everyone by staying healthy and out of the hospital this entire year. Dodge was so thrilled that when the staff of the 1995 Hampton Roads Walk for Life called to see if she would hold another fund-raiser, she readily agreed. The class will be held Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Strawbridge Elementary.
Somehow Dodge is finding the time to help out, even though she's a part-time physical education teacher at Princess Anne Elementary, a Jazzercise instructor three days a week, a graduate student at Norfolk State University, a full-time mother of four and certified AIDS educator with the American Red Cross.
``This is a way for me to raise AIDS awareness, to take it beyond the `Oh, that happens to someone else,' '' said the energetic Dodge, a resident of Salem Woods.
Last year Dodge and her husband, Ryland, started a Christian support group for families and friends of people with AIDS.
It meets every Sunday night at their home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dodge emphasized that you don't have to be a Christian to attend the meetings, but that group members rely on faith in God to help them cope with their loved ones' illness.
``We do talk about everything - the combination of a support group and God is the best combination to have,'' Dodge said. ``When you have someone terminally ill, the caregiver has the hardest time of all dealing with the feelings. Everyone's looking for the same thing - hope.'' If you would like to attend Dodge's AIDS support group, call 495-8807.
OCTOBER IS A POPULAR MONTH for health-related causes. It is the month for Down Syndrome Awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness, Mental Illness Awareness, Domestic Violence Awareness and now, Stop American Violence Everywhere.
SAVE is the theme of the national American Medical Association Alliances in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness.
Why they're involved in this issue is apparent when you consider that more women are treated in emergency rooms for battering injuries than for nonmarital rapes, muggings and car accidents combined.
``A battered woman reports the problem seven times and then is not around,'' said Mary Hayes, president of the Virginia Beach Medical Society Auxiliary.
``Many times the abused person can't tell their physician for whatever reason, and in many cases the batterers take their victims to the doctors. We want to provide information to them in a safe way.''
In response to the problem, the auxiliary has designed Public Alert Calling Cards with the help of the Samaritan House, a local temporary shelter for abuse victims and their children.
The cards, small enough to slip into a pocket or wallet, describe a nine-step plan that victims can take to seek help.
The nine steps (provided by the Samaritan House) are:
Know the Shelter Hotline number - 430-2120.
Don't get trapped in the kitchen or the bathroom.
Plan an escape route.
Take your children with you.
Know a safe place to go.
Have an extra car key and have cash hidden in the car.
Gather important papers and phone numbers. Store them with a friend or neighbor.
Tell a friend about the violent behavior. Arrange a signal so police can be called if needed.
If all else fails and you cannot escape, pretend to faint. It may stop the attack.
The other side of the card lists area shelters and their numbers: the Samaritan House, 430-2120; the YMCA (Women in Crisis) in Norfolk, 625-5570; and Help and Emergency Response (H.E.R.), 393-9449.
The cards have been placed in doctors' offices citywide and will be replaced as needed.
The goal of the auxiliary is to put the calling cards in as many public places as possible. If you would like to distribute these cards, call the office of Dr. Thomas Hayes, Atlantic Dermatology Associates, at 481-1666. MEMO: The Jazzercise class will be held Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Strawbridge
Elementary School, 2553 Strawbridge Road, for ages 13 and up. Door
prizes will be drawn and snacks will be provided. A minimum donation of
$5 is asked, and all money will go to the Hampton Roads 1995 Walk for
Life, which will be held on Nov. 5.
by CNB