Out in the Mountains It’s up to you! ‘ KING OF KILLER MENDMENTS Helms’ anti-gay amendments spread fear and bigotry and endanger effective government response to the AIDS crisis. Will he win? Beat back the Helms attack! CALL 1-800-257-4900 Send Congress a message. Ask for Operator 9184. Choose a prepared mailgram. Only $4.50 each, charged to your telephone. If you don't know who your legislator is, the operator does. /. CALL NOW! The Speak Out mailgram campaign is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign Fund. For further info. Contact the Field Division. HRCF. P.0. Box 1396, Washington, DC. 20013 or call (202) 628-4160. OITM Calendar Dates November 7 Article Deadline for December's issue 10 Editing and general meeting plan- ning January's issue 7:30pm at our office 18 Pouring galleys at Laserimage 10am-12 TBA Layout at Laserimage call 865- 9759 for info. December 1 Stuffing subscription envelopes 8:00pm at our office 11 1 6 23 29 December Article Deadline for January's issue Editing and general planning February's issue 8pm at our office Pouring galleys at Laserimage 10am-12 Layout at Laserimage 10am- 4pm Stuffing subscription enve- Iopes 8 pm at our office NEKAC Holds Open House Approximately 20 people were on hand Friday, September 15 to help the Northeast Kingdom Aids Coalition (NEKAC) open its first office. The office is located on the third floor of the Vicarage of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Mission at 7 West Church St. in Hardwick, VT. NEKAC focuses on supplying educa- tion and support concerning HIV infection to Orleans, Essex and Caledonia counties and, whenever possible, to adjacent areas. This is accomplished by a buddy system, a lending library of books and tapes (both video and cassette), a support group for all affected by AIDS (people who are HIV positive and significant others), informa- tion about hundreds of treatments (experi- mental and approved, traditional and alter- native), risk reduction counseling, and a hotline. NEKAC was formed in November of 1988. A concerned Northeast Kingdom resident and employees at the Newport offices of the Vermont Dept. of Health and Northeast Kingdom Mental Health dis- cussed the need in the Kingdom for in- creased AIDS education, greater commu- nity outreach, and a support group for, people living with HIV infection and their significant others. That dialogue developed into a general meeting in January of this year. Notices were sent out inviting people to attend a gathering of what was then called the Newport AIDS Network. Ap- proximately 25 people responded by at- tending that meeting and many continued to meet on a monthly basis thereafter. At the same time the Newport AIDS Network was organizing, a group of people with HIV infection and their family and friends were beginning to meet biweekly in the Hardwick area as the Northeast King- dom AIDS Support Group. It did not take very long before the two groups foundotlt about each other and discussed jolnln forces. Thus began the Northeast Kingdom Aids Coalition. The hotline/office telephone number is 474-6291 and the Coalition’s malllllg address in PO Box 40, Newport. We are In the Northeast Kingdom to serve you. 50 please contact us.