Early Saturday morning, April 18, organizers with Global Garden Projects came together for the first annual "Run for Hope and Beyond 2004." The event took place at Justin Herman Plaza, located at Market and Embarcadero streets in San Francisco. The race honored National Youth Service Day and spread awareness about the AIDS epidemic in India. Proceeds from the race will fund the distribution of HIV testing packets there, according to one of the event's coordinators Doodie Meyer.

The "Hope and Beyond Family HIV/AIDS Prevention and Awareness Project-India" is a group that encourages community service learning as a way to educate high school-aged youth.

"The youth have energy, they get out and people listen to them," said Student Cabinet Advisory Board Leader Ali Aratsu, 18. "Adults love it when the youth really speak passionately about something."

Aratsu got involved with Hope and Beyond because he felt it was a unique project in vision and in scope.

"What struck me about it was that it was for India," Aratsu said. "Honestly, I'm from India, both my parents were born and raised there and I never really realized that AIDS was such a problem there," he said.

According to information released by the United Nations in 2001, in the next decade the number of HIV/AIDS related infections in India will be the highest internationally, Aratsu said.

Aratsu figured that if he didn't already know about the AIDS epidemic in India, few others would.

"I'm a relatively active member of the Indian community," he said. "Whenever you think of AIDS the first thing you think of is Africa. I wanted to try to bring out the fact that there's other places in the world that need help."

The race gathered a small but diverse group of people. Runners ranged from San Francisco natives, to international travelers in town for the weekend, to people from various roadrunner's clubs throughout the Bay Area. A total of 96 runners participated.

"I'm going to register for Bay to Breakers and they have this listed as one of the qualifying races," said Greg Koniowka, 36, who was first to cross the finish line. "That's how I heard about it, but I also run with some people in Golden Gate Park and they told me about it as well."

The race started at the Ferry Building and reached almost to Pacific Bell Park, before wrapping back, extending out onto Pier 3 and across the finish line at the plaza.

Those in the race enjoyed the scenery as much as the cool weather, perfect for running, as one racer said.

"Its not too hot, its overcast, sort of misty, so it's great running weather," said Holly Pillsbury, a participant and runner with the SF RoadRunners Club.

"It was beautiful!" said Mel Stowell, who brought her family from San Jose to participate in the race.

Many of the runners liked the fact that they were participating in an event whose proceeds went to charity.

"We run about 20 to 25 races a year," said participant Michael Young, of himself and his running partner Harriet Hill. "This was a race for a good purpose and we are supportive of any event that has something to do with community awareness. We're very supportive of that."

Runners of all ages enjoyed the day, saying they would be sure to make it out for the event next year.

Grace Neveu, 12, was the first female to cross the finish line and said she hopes to be in the Olympics some day. "It was good," she said of the race. "It was really flat and I've done lots of road races."

Some people were disappointed that so few turned out for the event, but kept in mind that this was the event's first year in operation.

Tobias Rothgang, 29, a competitor in town from Germany came in seventh place. "It would be nice if there were more participants, but it was well organized. I liked it."

Organizers passed out bagels and bananas after the race. There was also free parking at the Embarcadero Center Garage, and complimentary baked goods from a shop nearby. Runners also received a T-shirt with the race's logo on the front.

Ron Fraizer, one who co-organized the event with colleague Doodie Meyer, was seemingly undaunted by the small turnout.

"As Colin Powell has said, 'the war on AIDS is greater than all the other wars,'" Frazier said to the few that that lingered in Justin Herman Plaza after the race. "Those wars don't match what AIDS has already accomplished. We have to fight the problem with awareness!"

For more information on how to get in touch with Hope and Beyond or to find out about future events, visit www.hopeandbeyond.org.