Olin Health Center has teamed up with the Residence Halls Association to create awareness and eliminate stigmas people might have about being tested for AIDS.

There will be free and anonymous walk-in HIV testing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, which is World AIDS Day, on the third floor of Olin Health Center in the health education department.

"It is important for students to take control of their own health and get tested and realize they have the power to do so," said Michele Urbin, MSU's student coordinator for World AIDS Day events at MSU.

She added the day also is to remember those who are living with and who have died from AIDS.

Volunteers from Olin Health Center, student groups on campus and RHA will be meeting at 8 p.m. today at the rock on Farm Lane to prepare for the day's activities, which include painting the rock.

There will be 250 red ribbons tied around trees on Farm Lane. Each ribbon represents 2,000 deaths from AIDS, Urbin said.

RHA will also be continuing the Spread the Word campaign, which was started last year by two former organization members to provide resources and information about AIDS.

"We are handing out 2,000 cards with an advertisement saying spreadthis.org, which directs people to our Web site," said Brendon Mika, the RHA director of health and safety.

People will be able to access the Web site Friday.

"The point of the Web site is that it has a lot of information about AIDS as well as resources that you can use to get help or assistance," Mika said.

For more information about this story, please see Friday's edition of The State News.