Aids Is Idaho’s Hush-Hush Topic, Coordinator Finds
Cynthia Taggart’s CLOSE TO HOME column, January 5, 1997: Remember Lori Lochelt, North Idaho’s AIDS prevention and care coordinator? She says 490 people in Idaho are HIV positive or have AIDS. Somehow, I left the nine out of that number when her story ran Dec. 27.
Wake up, Panhandle residents. AIDS is here, and ignoring it won’t chase it away.
“People think it’s not a big problem because there aren’t that many people (40) in Idaho living with AIDS,” says Lori Lochelt, who works with Hospice of North Idaho. She coordinates AIDS prevention and care in the Panhandle. “And they don’t want to talk about sex.”
They also don’t want to talk to Lori.
“There’s a huge misunderstanding here about what prevention advocates do,” she says. “I don’t charge in like a Nazi condom-distributing queen. I provide information and education.”
Lori is 37 and the mother of two children. She says she took on North Idaho’s hush-hush topic with no reservations. The conservative atmosphere challenged her.
When money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta became available for AIDS prevention and care coordinators last spring, Lori snagged the Panhandle position with her expertise and energy.
But her official title didn’t open any doors.
Despite her American Red Cross AIDS prevention training, which is approved by the conservative Elizabeth Dole, Lori found people are afraid of the information she has.
Mostly, she found adults unwilling to acknowledge that teens have sex. Somehow, they have missed the alarming teen pregnancy statistics - 318 births to teens in the five North Idaho counties in 1995.
Lori surveyed Panhandle communities and uncovered nervous teachers and frightened school administrators. Some schools reported no AIDS prevention programs; others, abstinence-only programs. Some teachers wanted her help but were afraid of possible repercussions.
“I would never presume to talk about HIV/AIDS without talking about abstinence,” Lori says. “But I also would never presume to talk about HIV prevention without giving kids all the information they need: Use a barrier.”
State Superintendent of Schools Anne Fox made Lori’s job even more difficult this month by publicly closing her eyes to teen sexual activity and advocating abstinence-only prevention programs. Lori sighs and asks what will happen to Idaho’s underprotected teens when they leave the nest for more corrupt stamping grounds.
“I have a wealth of information, but no one calls,” she says. “I’d be happy for anyone to call me - grandmothers, teens, teachers. It’s our responsibility to let kids know what’s going on out there.”
Do your kids a favor. Call Lori at 762-8197.
Christmas bonuses
Students at Lake City High School and Coeur d’Alene High School collected food, presents and clothes for 31 struggling families for Christmas. Some teachers and kids really get into holiday projects and collect firewood, pay utility bills and even decorate Christmas trees for their families.
Jerre Coleman’s French II class at Lake City High grew so close to the mother and daughter it adopted that Jerre, all her students and the family went to see “101 Dalmatians” together.
Kootenai Medical Center couldn’t have had a better holiday. The annual Festival of Trees netted $83,000 to buy interactive video equipment. Over the years, the festival has raised a whopping $601,937 from the community. There obviously is no lack of holiday spirit in Kootenai County.
Last chance
Hayden’s Fred Lambert covered his house with Christmas lights and stocked up on candy canes - 8,000 of them. He was ready for crowds, but they never showed up. He figures he’ll keep giving out the canes from 6 to 9 p.m. until they’re gone. Stop by and see his artistry at 3478 W. Hayden.
What memory from 1996 will you pass along to future generations? Practice your storytelling on Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814; or send a fax to 765-7149, call 765-7128 or send e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo