Cambria County Bar Gives Free Drinks To Those Who Get HIV Screenings

A Johnstown-area bar is teaming up with Community Care Management and the Department of Health to offer free screenings for HIV and AIDS.

People can get free testing at Lucille's Bar on Washington Street in Johnstown from 9 to 10 p.m. Wednesday.

As an incentive, the bar will offer a free drink for people to be tested. When they return for the results, they will get a $25 gift certificate.

The program has a lot of people asking whether the disease is really a big threat in the Alleghenies. A Memorial Medical Center spokeswoman said there is no reason to be alarmed, but people many people who are at risk simply aren't being tested.

At present, there are 126 people living with HIV and AIDS in Cambria County, 70 in Somerset County and 36 in Indiana County -- and those numbers are growing.

Vanka Bonini, a Community Care Management coordinator, said, "This past year … we received 15 new clients. And actually in October, we got six. So, it is a growing epidemic.

Testing for HIV and AIDS is a simple test done in a person's mouth that last for about five minutes.

Though HIV was once thought to be an incurable disease, it can be treated if caught early.

"Some of the treatments are only one pill once a day, which is unbelievable considering I've had clients who have taken up to 60 pills a day," Bonini said.

For those who can't make it to the test at Lucille's Bar on Wednesday, the group will offer more screenings this month and next month. For more information, call 814-534-7535.