Upping AIDS walk efforts.

Big four accountants are dropping their calculators and putting on tennis shoes for a new kind of competition. Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers are ready to see which firm can raise the most for this year's AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Oct. 15.

"This is my first year, but when I do something I do it big," said Bill Stoddard, a practice administrator for KPMG and the firm's team captain.

The idea for the competition was hatched last July at the kick-off reception for Pride at KPMG, the firm's diversity network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees. Members from networks at the other three firms attended to show support. The four firms got to talking about things they could do collectively to help the community. One idea was to walk in AIDS Walk together. Then to up the ante, they decided to make it a competition.

Every Friday Putt Gavin, a project specialist for Price Waterhouse Coopers, e-mails a graph tracking donations. All firms will walk together and wear shirts representing their own firms, but Deloitte plans on improving its visibility with lime green balloons with the firm logo.

All four teams agreed to each strive for at least 50 members and $10,000 in donations. Deloitte had raised $12,000 by last week.

Beyond the fun of the competition, the participants take the event seriously.

"It's still an epidemic," said Stoddard. "There's still no cure. And the number of young people affected each year continues to grow."