AIDS Quilt Set for L.A. Benefit

The Quilt, the dramatic display of the devastation of AIDS, will be unfolded at a massive memorial service here April 7. The service is the kickoff for a 20-city tour by The Quilt, already large enough to cover three football fields.

One gay activist says The Quilt is “the Vietnam Memorial wall of AIDS. It is a way to bring home to the public the depth of the epidemic, the individual people who have died.”

Each 3x6-foot patch of The Quilt has been made by friends or families of people who died with AIDS. A handful of the patches are anonymous, carrying the legend, “Our Baby,” or “Our Son,” while others carry well-known names--actor Rock Hudson, fashion designer Willi Smith, “A Chorus Line’s” Michael Bennett, Liberace, attorney Roy Cohn.

There are almost 3,000 patches, many containing personal items, like one man’s baseball uniform. The organizers, the National Names Project in San Francisco, are receiving new panels every day to be sewn into The Quilt. It was first displayed in Washington during the Oct. 11 march when 200,000 people demonstrated for an increase in funds for AIDS research and anti-discrimination legislation, and it was shown in San Francisco one weekend in December.

After the memorial service April 7--to be held either at Dodger Stadium or the Coliseum--The Quilt will also be on display through the weekend at another venue not yet decided.

In Los Angeles, money raised at the service will be given in part to local groups, such as AIDS Project/L.A., Shanti, Aid for AIDS, the Minority AIDS Project and Cara a Cara.

PACIFIC RIM--Some big downtown names are on the invite to the Asia Society of Southern California Center’s Open House at the Arco Plaza Center Court Tuesday. No wonder, since the steering committee contains names like developer David H. Murdock and attorney Richard Sherwood (who are national trustees), Unocal’s Fred Hartley and Disney’s Frank Wells.

OUT OF STATERS--Yes, a lot of politicians are coming to Los Angeles to raise money for their campaigns. But Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin is making the trek out here Wednesday to raise money for the Chai Committee, Women’s Division of United Jewish Fund. The luncheon at the home of Sherry and Ernest Goldenfeld is for women who have contributed a minimum $18,000 to UJF. The invitation also points out that Kunin is “the first Jewish woman and third Democrat to be elected governor of the State of Vermont.”

FUND-RAISING LIFT-OFF--Money is getting tougher and tougher to raise, even for established cultural and charity organizations. So it’s up to fund-raisers to really crank up the creativity. That’s what the folks at the Music Center have done, and everyone will catch the act Jan. 19.

The Unified Fund launches its annual efforts when its president Robert Smith, the president and CEO of Security Pacific National Bank, lets fly one of 1,000 balloons. Not just for the visual effect, mind you, since each balloon carries a postcard with the name of a Music Center volunteer and a place for the name of the person who finds the balloon.

The lucky finders will drop the cards into the mail--and the one that comes from furthest away by Jan. 25 gets a still-secret prize (best bet is tickets).

On hand will be the Chairman’s Council and Cabinet, the Music Center Board of Governors, Partners for the Unified Fund and other hopefully generous types--since the Unified Fund has to come up with $13 million this year.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS-- Chase and Ralph Mishkin host a “small” event for the Los Angeles Free Clinic Building Fund. An evening with Marilyn and Alan Bergman and Friends (which could turn out a Dodger Stadium crowd since the Bergmans are so popular) is limited to the 40 seats in the Mishkins’ dining room. Tab for the evening: $5,000 a couple and the date is Jan. 30. . Everybody’s sweetheart, Ann Jillian, gets the spotlight Feb. 13, and gets to perform, too, as the Cultural Society hosts a big dinner and dancing evening at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel. Joseph Campanella is the emcee, and Ray Anthony and his Big Band do the music honors. . Save the date--for March 31, when the Hispanic Women’s Council hosts it’s annual Women for Success dinner at the Bonaventure Hotel. William K. Howell, the president and CEO of Miller Brewing Co., will chair the event. . . .

David Puttnam will receive the 1988 Eastman Second Century Award at a luncheon Feb. 9 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Last year, Steven Spielberg and Burt Reynolds picked up the first honors.

PLEASE, MR. EWING--We adore Larry Hagman (when he’s Larry and not J. R.), and of course it’s just his style to host the opening of his daughter Kristina’s one-woman exhibit of new paintings, “Dream Images.” That’s Jan. 15 at the Jessica Darraby Gallery and it’s a safe bet that just a few stars and just a few photographers will be there.