U. students part of nursing home protest

Three University students are among 22 members of a national AIDS organization who have been camped out in a Mt. Airy nursing home since Friday to protest the lack of funding for the home, which will house AIDS patients when and if it is able to open. Members of the Philadelphia branch of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power -- ACT-UP -- are occupying BETAK, a nursing home which closed two years ago to be converted into a home for AIDS patients. The group wants to force the state and federal governemts to put up funding promised to the home, according to ACT-UP member Adam Greenfield. Greenfield said the renovation of BETAK, which currently stands empty, began with the promise of city, state and federal funding. The nearly $2 million in renovations were funded with money raised by the Lutheran Home of Germantown, which owns the home. As renovations near completion, no government funding package is in sight. College junior Elizabeth Figueroa, College senior Brian Pomerantz and College freshman Eric See are among the 22 "occupants" of the home. "I feel that we are here to set a precedent," said Figueroa. "We are faced with apathy and homophobia." To complicate matters, the Lutheran Home is now wavering in its support of BETAK, Greenfield said. He said officials have looked into selling the property. ACT-UP is trying to keep the 44-bed facility from being sold. The ACT--UP occupation, in its fourth day today, will continue until ACT--UP receives a favorable response, Greenfield said. ACT-UP sent a press release Sunday to local, state and national government officials alerting them to the situation and demanding their attention and promised monies. However, most government offices will be closed today for Columbus Day. While occupying the home, ACT-UP members have been cleaning up the debris from the renovations. Greenfield said that he would like to have the support of the University community and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance.

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