Sandy Moffett, Bakersfield College student, author, inspirational speaker and public relations manager of Greenlawn, walked along with 50 people in the AIDS Walk 2009 organized by the Bakersfield AIDS Project Oct. 10.

Moffett lost her brother and her cousin, six months earlier, both to AIDS.

“We always try to be as involved as we can,” said Moffett referring to her family and the BAP. “It’s a good thing to do.”

BAP was founded in 1992 in memory of Ricky Montoya, a victim of AIDS. During his illness, the only HIV/AIDS clinic was closed, and his family witnessed the struggle and suffering of Ricky. As a reaction, the Montoya family formed BAP with the objective of providing services for patients with HIV/AIDS.

One of those services is Ricky’s Retreat, a place that serves as a transition home for people with AIDS. Currently, the house hosts three clients and helps them with services such as food preparation, collection of items and groceries and the GET bus program.

“It is important because many of the convalescent homes were not accepting people with AIDS,” said Audrey Chavez, Ricky’s sister who has been involved with people with AIDS for 17 years.

“I think this is a wonderful cause,” said Maria Beach, who began volunteering as part of an internship required by the university that she attends.

The home was recently foreclosed and the BAP received an eviction notice in January. According to Chavez, they were renting the house with an option to buy without knowing the situation or who owned the home.

BAP is currently trying to raise $90,000 to make an offer to the bank that owns the property.

Chavez revealed that they have raised around $40,000. “We have made an offer to the bank of what we have, and we are hoping that they will accept what we have raised.”

“This is the second time that I come to the walk,” said Tim Gudd, 50, a client who spent last summer at Ricky’s Retreat and recalled the misconception that AIDS is a disease of the gay community. “It’s not only the gay community [that is contracting the disease], it’s the world.”

The AIDS Walk 2009 collected over $3,000, and BAP hopes that the community will help to keep Ricky’s Retreat running.

People can donate through their website at www.bakersfieldaidsproject.org or writing a check payable to BAP and sending it to Ricky’s Retreat at 910 Grace St. in Bakersfield.