For Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: September 11, 2007

Free HIV testing offered Sept. 14, 15 in Goldsboro, Kinston

RALEIGH – “Get Real, Get Tested”, a public health campaign to encourage people to get tested for HIV, will hold free testing events on Sept. 14 in Goldsboro and Sept. 15 in Kinston. The goals are to test people for HIV who have never been tested before, identify people living with HIV/AIDS who need care, and to provide HIV and AIDS prevention and education messages to the general public.

In the Goldsboro area, free testing will be available on Friday, Sept. 14, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Hispanic Community Development Center in Dudley.

Kinston will host testing events on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the following locations:

• Piggly Wiggly at Hwy 11 and 55;
• Piggly Wiggly at 2407 North Heritage Street; and
• Saint Augustus AME Zion Church at 318 East North Street.

“We appreciate the N.C. HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch helping us to bring additional HIV testing and health education to people in Wayne County,” said James Roosen, Wayne County health director.

“The Lenoir County Health Department is looking forward to working with the GRGT project,” said Joey Huff, health director for Lenoir County. “We hope that our residents will take this opportunity to learn more about HIV and AIDS and to understand the benefits of getting tested.”

Several agencies in the Goldsboro and Kinston areas are co-sponsoring these events. In addition to the two county health departments, sponsors include the Hispanic Community Development Center, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goshen Medical Center and Circle of Friends.

This statewide Get Real, Get Tested HIV education and testing campaign is being conducted by the North Carolina HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch of the Division of Public Health in cooperation with community-based organizations and local health departments in several different areas of the state.

For more information and to find out where else to get tested, go to www.fox50.com and click on the “Get Real Get Tested” logo.