West Hills : AIDS Network Youths Revel in Lazer Tag

About 30 youngsters from across Los Angeles got a chance to just be kids one night earlier this week. And they loved it.

The youths--members of the Los Angeles Pediatric AIDS Network--briefly forgot the devastation acquired immune deficiency syndrome has wrought upon their families as they suited up Wednesday night for cutthroat games of laser tag at Fallbrook Mall’s Q-Zar arena.

Standing in a black-lighted room painted in red and green neon, the youths, ages 8 to 19, were giggly and anxious as they learned the rules of laser tag: tag or be tagged, hit the opposing team’s base for the maximum number of points and no running or rough play.

“Is it scary?” asked one wide-eyed girl before receiving her red plastic vest and laser gun. Fifteen minutes later she was blasting her opponents with all the speed and dexterity her small hands could muster.

Although all the participants have HIV or AIDS, or are related to someone who is HIV-positive, their eyes shone with excitement as they scrambled through the 4,000-square-foot labyrinth that shook with pulsating techno beats.

After nearly three hours of free laser tag, pizza and video games, one exhausted boy said, “This is the best time I’ve had in my whole life.”

In addition to providing social services and education, the Pediatric AIDS Network deliberately plans fun outings for the families--about 500--it serves quarterly, director Marcy Kaplan said.

“A lot of our families are low-income, and this seems like something they couldn’t ordinarily afford to do,” Kaplan said.

So when Q-Zar owner Barry Woods offered his arena for free, Kaplan jumped at the chance. “Our families have had a really hard time, to say the least,” Kaplan said. “Often, having the virus is just one more thing to deal with in their troubled lives.”