Aids Quilt Display Coming Back To Spokane

From For the record (Friday, February 9, 1996): A benefit to raise money to bring the AIDS quilt to Spokane will be held at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main, at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The date was wrong in an IN Life story Thursday.

Three years ago, an AIDS Memorial Quilt display in Spokane attracted 3,000 visitors. This April, the quilt’s return is expected to bring more than 8,000.

“I don’t know if Spokane was ready to see the quilt in ‘93,” says Kevin Ketchie, co-chair of the local quilt host committee and coordinator of volunteers and special projects at the Spokane AIDS Network. “People were very fearful of AIDS then.”

But education has shown the public that AIDS is a threat that crosses cultural, racial, ethnic, economic, social and generational boundaries. And the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt has become an important link in that education effort.

Bringing 920 3-by-4-foot individual panels of quilt back is expected to cost $28,000, much of that going for rental of the Spokane Convention Center.

To help raise money, the host committee is sponsoring a benefit at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main, at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The event will feature a performance by celebrated mime Dan Kamin, plus acoustic guitarist Brian Gore, the photography of Wes Thomas and a display of banners by local fabric artist Louise Kodis.

Also on display will be two AIDS quilt panels dedicated to former Spokane Symphony conductor Bruce Ferden. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

A minimum donation of $15 covers admission to the benefit. Tickets are available at Auntie’s, Romeos, Boo Radley’s, Hot Flash of America, and Rings and Things. For more information, contact the Spokane AIDS Network at 326-6070.

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