Four local bands will play at John Henry’s Friday night to help prevent the spread of HIV. Musical groups Takimoto, Whopner County Country All-Stars, PB Army and The Sawyer Family will rock at “Get the Point,” a benefit concert for HIV Alliance’s Sana Needle Exchange Program.
University Family and Human Services students and HIV Alliance interns Niki Martin and Emily Graham-Berks coordinated the event for their senior project. Graham-Berks said the event has two purposes: to raise funds for the Sana Needle Exchange Program and to raise awareness of its benefits.
“We help prevent HIV in this community, and that helps everyone health-wise and tax money-wise,” she said.
The program, founded in 1999, allows injection drug users to bring in their used needles in exchange for clean ones. In one facet of the program, volunteers called Sana Sisters go into parks and other places in the community, pick up used needles and dispose of them safely. Martin said this helps keep areas clean and safe from the spread of disease.
“The main issue is when used needles end up in gutters or bushes,” she said. “If someone steps on one, they could get stuck by it and possibly catch HIV or hepatitis.”
Clients of the Sana Needle Exchange Program are primarily injection drug users of heroin and methamphetamine, and about half are homeless. Although the program gives drug users easy access to clean needles, Sana Needle Exchange Director Sharon Chamberlain said it does not increase the amount of drug use in the community. In fact, she said drug use has decreased because the program also connects drug users with people who can help them quit.
“Since some people are not willing and ready to quit, we can at least prevent them from getting AIDS or hepatitis,” Chamberlain said. “When they are ready to give up drugs, it will be easier because they won’t have to deal with a chronic disease.”
Martin said funds for the program were cut by two-thirds last year, so the concert will be an important step in earning the money back. Raffle tickets, stickers, buttons and T-shirts will be up for sale, and HIV Alliance will set up tables with information about HIV prevention. Attendees are encouraged to make donations at the show, and Graham-Berks said they hope to raise about $1,600.
Martin and Chamberlain said they hope to recruit more program volunteers at the show.
“If we can gain 200 new advocates, that would help a lot,” Martin said.
Despite budget cuts, the Sana Needle Exchange Program has been highly successful thus far. As the largest program of its kind in Oregon, the program exchanges 52,000
needles each month.
John Henry’s is at
77 W. Broadway. Tickets are on a
sliding scale of $3 to $5 at the door. The show starts at 9 p.m.

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