Of the 6,800 people infected with HIV every day, more than half are under 25 years old.

It’s a fact that the organizers of Dance Against AIDS don’t want the campus community to take sitting down. Emily Sha, president of Sexual Health Peer Educators— the registered student organization hosting the event — would rather you take a stand under the flashing lights on the Chester Street dance floor this Friday.

“This will be the sixth annual Dance Against AIDS. Last year the dance was done in conjunction with the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) and we were able to raise over $3,000,” Sha said.

Funds raised by the dance are funneled to the Greater Community AIDS Project (GCAP), a nonprofit that provides support for people living with HIV/AIDS in the Champaign area. One of GCAP’s largest services is the Champaign House, a five-bedroom transitional shelter, for HIV-positive individuals and their families who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.

The C-Street staff is more than happy to be hosting the festivities on Friday, said Kenny Waterbury, an events coordinator for the bar.

“We are donating half of our door cover that night to the charity to help out,” Waterbury said. “I’m hoping through this event we can build a better relationship with GCAP and with the local LGBT community.”

Sha said she chose to move the dance from Campus Recreation Center East to C-Street this year with the hope of attracting a diverse crowd, despite the fact that the MBLGTACC is not taking place this weekend. She said the bar has become a safe space for members of the LGBT community and will be a good venue for the Dance Against AIDS amateur drag show, which will feature professional drag queens and amateur drag kings.

In addition to the entertainment, Sexual Health Peers also plans to make the night at C-Street educational. Representatives of the group will be camping out at tables around the club to answer questions about HIV/AIDS.

“Sexual Health Peers do a variety of things to promote sex positivity around campus. Some of the funds raised will be used to support the hundreds of workshops on dating, STDs, birth control and ‘What’s Hot and What’s Not,’ which is about eroticizing safer sex,” Sha said.

Another activist RSO on campus, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, is also sponsoring the Dance Against AIDS.

“AIDS is kind of a related issue with sensible and responsible drug use. Heroin users can get AIDS when needles are not properly disposed of,” said Laura Allured, president of the organization. By helping out with the event Allured hopes to spread awareness and support for the needle-exchange programs being established across the country to combat the epidemic.

According to Sha, the message is sure to reach a large audience. She predicts that at least 500 students will attend the dance.

Waterbury said C-Steet is prepared for a large turnout. All three levels of the bar will be open.

“Capacity for C-Street is close to 600. We just had our big Studio 54 Party last Saturday. Over 800 people came through the bar that night. Our bar is definitely equipped to handle the crowd,” Waterbury said.

Sexual Health Peers will be selling $4 pre-event tickets on the Quad all week. In addition to supporting the Greater Community AIDS Project, purchasing a ticket guarantees a shot at the free door prize.

Once inside the door, guests will be able to enjoy two live DJs and drink specials.

“We already have a lot of mobilization in the Champaign community and we’re hoping that bringing it to C-Streeet will make it even bigger,” Sha said.