Students lace-up for Partici-Patrick

Students read declaration to keep Patrick Fortin's dream of Zero AIDS alive during the kick off of Partici-Patrick Thursday.

Energy and enthusiasm was running high in the gym at E.W. Norman Thursday as the Partici-Patrick Marathon for Life kicked off its 2008 program.

Once again over two thousand area youth from all four school boards will take part in Partici-Patrick, an activity focused education program that will address physical fitness, character development and self-esteem while teaching the students about HIV and AIDS.

The students will work toward completing a marathon over a ten week period during school hours, logging their kilometers in a journal building up to the final leg of the race at Thompson Park June 6th where students from all four boards come together to run the final 2.2 kilometers.

Partici-Patrick is a project created by the Patrick4Life Foundation, a foundation dedicated to AIDS Awareness and education in memory of North Bay teen Patrick Fortin. Fortin was diagnosed HIV positive at age 7 after he was infected by tainted blood. He lost his courageous battle six years ago.

If you ask the Fortin family why the Partici-Patrick program has been a success they will tell you that it is because they have had the support of the school boards and community, as well as funding support from the province. But the true success of the Partici-Patrick program is due to the undying unity the Fortin family has demonstrated in keeping Patrick’s wish of Zero AIDS alive.

Patrick's sister Lyanne Fortin-Foster says she is energized when looking out across a sea of red t-shirts, and that the foundation knows that youth is where making a difference starts.

“It means that there’s hope,” she explains.

“Everyone talks about this being a task that seems to be so hard to even get a grip on. Youth are our future and they are the ones who have the power to change the world, to change our community, to change it all for the better. And when I walk in here and see the kids wearing red, Patrick’s favourite colour, it is a sign of hope.”

Fortin-Foster admits that there are days when sharing the story of Patrick’s courageous battle with others it hard on the family, but she knows the impact it has on the community.

“Some days it’s hard, some days it just brings tremendous happiness, so it really depends on the day, what you’re going through in the rest of your life … but on a day like today, having kids looking up in amazement it’s only good.”

“It’s inspiring and it just makes us remember all the good times.”

Heli Vail, Director of Education with the Near North District School Board says the program has had an impact on area students.

“The kids are so much more knowledgeable about AIDS and understanding AIDS and really they felt that they had done some small thing to help Patrick’s dream.”

Every 8 seconds someone in the world dies from AIDS. For more information about the Patrick4Life AIDS Awareness and Education Organization visit: www.patrick4life.org