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‘Become a Drug Dealer’ benefit to raise money for AIDS medication

By Edward Paik

IF YOU GO:What: ‘Become A Drug Dealer’ benefit concertWhere: Funk ‘n WafflesWhen: Sunday, 5 p.m.How much: $5

For one night, becoming a drug dealer can help provide AIDS medication to children around the globe.

In honor of World AIDS Day, the Syracuse chapter of Keep a Child Alive will present the ‘Become a Drug Dealer’ benefit concert at Funk ‘n Waffles at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The concert features student bands Magic Hour, White After Labor Day and musician Patrick Reilly. A drawing for gift certificates, DVDs and a controversial Keep a Child Alive T-shirt will be held as well.

‘We are drug dealers because we are providing the funds to get these life-saving drugs to children,’ said Katelyn Buress, founder and president of the SU chapter and a senior public relations major.



The event will focus on spreading awareness of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and other developing nations around the world.

‘Our chapter will help fund medication for children and their families in Africa through clinics, infrastructure and by providing nutritional support,’ Buress said.

A national and student organization, Keep a Child Alive was registered at SU in fall 2006, Buress said.

‘When I first came to SU as a freshmen, there weren’t too many organizations supporting the AIDS cause year round and directly taking action about this world-wide epidemic,’ she said.

A ‘very unique organization,’ according to Buress, Keep a Child Alive will send 100 percent of all proceeds from the concert directly to countries throughout the world.

Last year for World AIDS Day, the student organization put on the Red Rager: Get Angry About AIDS, raising more than $300 toward finding Antiretroviral (ARV) medications, Buress said.

The charity work of pop star Alicia Keys and other leaders in the music industry led to the idea of a concert, Buress said.

Worn by members of the organization around campus, Keep a Child Alive T-Shirts adorn slogans such as ‘Say Yes To Drugs,’ ‘Give Drugs to Kids’ and ‘I Am A Drug Dealer,’ Buress said.

‘It’s to catch attention and turn heads, and obviously not to promote the typical form of drug dealing,’ Buress said.





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