SUN 3/14
Most fun-run participants don’t give much of a damn about the causes for which
they’ve taken to the streets. They’re just looking for a good excuse to burn
some calories. Not so with the AIDS Walk Houston, an annual event designed to
increase awareness of HIV/AIDS issues in the Houston area. Its participants
are acutely aware of why they’re there. One of these walkers is Oscar De la
Rosa, the lead singer of La Mafia, Houston’s own Grammy Award-winning Tejano
group. “This is something I had been wanting to do for a while,” he says. “I’m
always trying to do my part for the community.”
De la Rosa is no stranger to the AIDS epidemic. “I have friends that are going
through it right now, and that’s really what made me get involved,” he says.
“I’m trying to get the Latin community involved, and it’s going to take some
time. The Latin community is a little bit behind what is going on. The awareness
is not quite out there.” All the more reason, Houstonians, to get out there
yourselves. Registration: 8 a.m. Starting time: 10 a.m. Sunday, March 14. Sam
Houston Park, 1000 Bagby. For information, call 713-623-6796 or visit www.AIDSwalkhouston.org.
Free, but donations and pledges are appreciated. — Keith Plocek
Krunch Time
Sometimes, flipping the finger just isn’t enough. Who hasn’t imagined purposely
plowing into another car that just cut them off (that asshole!) or even driving
over all the other cars on a rush-hour freeway? Thank goodness for Monster
Jam, the car-crushing free-for-all that lets us all enjoy the vicarious thrill
of seeing little bitty trucks with big-ass wheels running over a stack of economy
sedans. This weekend, the legendary Grave Digger will take on Houston’s own
King Krunch in a side-by-side, Subaru-stomping race, followed by a freestyle
competition, where, apparently, flair is just as important as pulverizing power.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 12 and 13. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14. Ford Park,
5115 I-10 in Beaumont. For information, call 409-951-5403 or visit www.fordparktx.com.
$8 to $21. — Keith Plocek
This article appears in Mar 11-17, 2004.