The Behrend College
Collegian
Thursday, December 7, 1995 Erie, PA 16563 , AA
Behrend prepares for
with traditional
Holiday season
kicks off with
47th annual
Hanging of
the Greens
by Brian Harkins
Collegian Staff
Penn State-Behrend held it's
47th annual Hanging of the
Greens Friday, December 1. As
C hris Rizzo, director of Student
Activities said, "It's a kind of a
holiday celebration in honor of
the Behrend family."
"The Behrend family has given
a lot to Behrend and they have a
chapel in the Wintergreen
cemetery," said Sister Anna Mae
Kuzma, coordinator of the
Photo by Co Seen GritzerVCdlegian Photographer
Professor emeritus Benjamin Lane celebrated the 47th
annual Hanging of the Greens last Friday evening.
with AIDS...
Livin
Speaker shares her
struggles with
by Sean Siekkinen
Collegian Staff
Rae Lewis-Thomton, a 33 year
old former political campaign
staffer and AIDS victim, spoke to
a packed house on Wednesday,
December 8 in Reed Commons.
Lewis-Thomton discussed HIV
and AIDS with Behrend students,
faculty, and staff as part of her
widespread crusade against the
disease through public speaking.
The event was broadcast by two
jrapher
One of Behrend’s oldest traditions: The 47th annual Hanging of the Greens was celebrated Friday in the wintergreen
Gorge Cemetery at the Behrend Chapel an' 1 ' •jleum. The event not only celebrates the holiday season but pays respect
to the Behrend family.
radio stations, and was covered by
ABC news for an upcoming
edition of Nightline.
Lewis-Thomton shared every
detail of her life with the
audience. No question was too
personal, she told the audience.
She spoke about the emotional
shock of suddenly finding out
that she was HIV positive, and
described her life through today.
"Ten years ago, I was
diagnosed with HIV," she said.
"I had no idea- none. I [had]
Catholic Cat listry.
This traditi vas instated
in 1948, is ".. on the first
Friday of the month. [lt's
purpose is] to remember what
happened Christmas day and
honor them [the Behrend family]
by placing a wreath on the
tomb," Sister Anna Mae said, and
"you can't just go there and hang
a wreath, you must have a
ceremony."
Sister Anna Mae also said, "A
son of the family was killed on
Christmas day at a very young
age and he has a plaque in the
chapel." The wreath hung there
is also specifically hung in
memory of the son.
"It is a live wreath that is hung
to keep the spirits alive," said
Sister Anna Mae.
The event has always been
organized and run by Student
donated blood. In fact, I
organized the blood drive... about
three months later I received a
letter."
In that letter, Lewis-Thomton
was told that there was
something wrong with her blood.
She found out over the phone
that she was HIV positive.
Lewis-Thomton does not know
who infected her with HIV.
None of her sexual partners ever
admitted to carrying the vims.
"I don't know, and I really don't
holiday season
celebration
Activities, but this year things
were a little different. Sister
Anna Mae said, "This year
Catholic and Protestant Campus
Ministry worked with Student
Activities because they are trying
to pass it on to Catholic and
“The focus was
where Christmas
really should be.
It wasn’t on
shopping, or
the worries
of Christmas,
but on the
spiritual aspect. ”
-Sr. Anna Mae
story as she
disease
care," she says. "I had the choice
to have sex or not to have sex... I
could have kept my legs closed."
At first, Lewis-Thomton had
no intention of going public to
educate about AIDS.
"I was embarrassed... society
had been unkind to people with
AIDS, so I basically kept it a
secret"
Lewis-Thomton was an up and
coming political staffer, who had
worked on presidential campaigns
for Michael Dukakis and Rev.
Protestant Campus Ministry.
This is because the hanging of
the greens is a Christian event. In
the future, it will be run by
Campus Ministry."
The turnout for this year's
hanging of the greens was
impressive. According to Rizzo,
"There are anywhere from about
40 to 50 people, on average."
This year, there were 75 to 80
people.
"You drive up to the
mausoleum where the Behrend
family is and there arc luminaries
leading up to it," said Rizzo.
"There are participants with
candles inside the chapel."
According to Sister Anna Mae,
"The focus was where Christmas
really should be. It wasn't on
shopping, or the worries of
Christmas, but on the spiritual
aspect"
Jesse Jackson. Her biggest fears
concerned her career. She was
afraid that politicians would not
want to be associated with
someone carrying HIV, and that
she would not be able to find a
job.
She kept her condition a secret
for seven years, but the stress and
fatigue caused by the disease
devastated her. She was
constantly too tired to work, and
see AIDS page 3
r c. 12
fIECE
etc 1