Today marks World AIDS Day, and commemorative red ribbons will be displayed in Lawrence during a vigil at 7 this evening at the South Park Recreation Center.

“The purpose is to give the community a way to be involved in the day,” said Heath Harding, education and outreach coordinator for the Douglas County AIDS Project.

For the past two weeks at several Lawrence businesses, interested people have been able to write a message onto a “Ribbon of Life” to pay tribute to a loved one or share a thought about fighting AIDS worldwide.

This evening’s memorial service will include a candlelight vigil, display of the ribbons, moment of silence and several speakers. Other World AIDS Day events and displays are happening throughout the day, including a display of red ribbons on light poles along Jayhawk Boulevard at Kansas University.

The main fundraiser, the Red Ribbon Art Auction, will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Maceli’s, 1031 N.H.

Organizers hope to raise $15,000 with this year’s art auction. Tickets cost $20, and Lawrence artists will donate work for the live auction.

For more information about the auction and area World AIDS Day events, visit www.douglascountyaidsproject.org.

The county AIDS project, known as DCAP, is a nonprofit organization that provides AIDS services in Douglas, Franklin and Jefferson counties.

DCAP serves 60 clients, with some from Topeka or the Kansas City area, said Kristin Brumm, DCAP’s executive director.

Brumm said the latest statistics she could find list 43 known HIV or AIDS cases in Douglas County at the end of 2003, but she said that would be a low number today based on the likelihood that some people may be unaware they are infected. She also said some Lawrence clients may go elsewhere for treatment.

According to the CDC estimates at the end of 2005, 1,216 Kansans are living with AIDS.

Despite recent advancement in treatment, the disease remains a worldwide epidemic, Brumm said, and events like World AIDS Day help draw attention to solving the problem, such as testing and practicing abstinence or safe sex.

“The awareness issue has gone underground a little bit because of the new drugs we have to treat HIV that are allowing infected people to live longer lives. But it’s still a very serious problem,” she said.