Fuentes, 18, was hoping to raise $500 in sponsorships for the 10K walk, held Oct. 16 in downtown San Jose. Her final tally was much higher; she collected $810 to benefit local HIV/AIDS service and prevention programs.

Many of these donations came from Elva's customers. Fuentes, who works at the Willow Glen coffee shop, is the niece of owners Frank and Elva Acevedo.

"I was very fortunate to have people in Willow Glen helping me out," Fuentes says. "They were really generous. I got checks for $50 and $100, and they always wished me good luck."

This year marked the fourth AIDS walk for Fuentes, now a student at National Hispanic University. She signed up for her first walk as a sophomore at Mount Pleasant High School.

"I wanted to get involved with community service," Fuentes says. "I enjoyed my first walk. I went with one of my best friends. He stopped doing it, but I kept it up and kept trying to beat myself in raising money. This year I doubled the amount I raised last year."

To let customers know about her fundraising efforts, Fuentes hung posters in Elva's and kept a blog on the coffee shop's website.

"This is my first year of college," Fuentes says. "I thought that because I wasn't in high school anymore, it would be harder to raise money. I was so determined; I had to figure out a way."

After she reached her initial $500 goal, Fuentes set the bar higher. The day before the walk, she was still asking customers to help her meet her new goal of $700.

"They kept donating and writing last-minute checks," Fuentes says. "I got a lot more money than I did when I was going door to door.

"I really want to give credit to the shop," she adds. "I'm not here all the time, so my aunt and uncle plugged the walk for me. I couldn't have raised the money by myself."

Fuentes says the same community spirit that boosted her fundraising is evident at the AIDS walks.

"They're so much fun," she says. "Every couple blocks, there are people who have volunteered to mark the trail and cheer us on. You see all kinds of people there. I like looking back and seeing a big line of people behind me."

Fuentes' walking buddy this year was her young cousin.

"I told him to bring his Gameboy in case he got bored," she says. "He didn't want to. We played games and talked to a whole bunch of people."

She's determined to keep walking and raising more money each year.

"I'm going to do this until I'm old," she says. "I'm going to bring my kids."

Hopefully, Fuentes adds, researchers will find a cure for AIDS before then. "But as long as there's a walk," she says, "I'll be doing it."