Dinner Benefit for Medical Center

Western Region American Friends of Bnai(no’) Zion Haifa Medical Center held its annual “Dr. Judith A. Resnik/Challenger” Memorial Award dinner Aug. 2 at the Century Plaza Hotel, netting more than $85,000, with an additional $100,000 pledged. The black-tie guests at the sold-out event gave tribute to Lutfallah Hay, a former member of Parliament of pre-revolutionary Iran. Writer, producer, director, Lionel Chetwynd and his wife, Gloria Carlin were also honored. Sanford Deutsch was dinner chairman and master of ceremonies. Hamid Nahai was general chair.

* AIDS Project Los Angeles held its themed “Walk on the Wild Side” Sixth Annual Garden Party at the Los Angeles Zoo, where more than 4,000 guests enjoyed specialties prepared by 30 caterers, with entertainment by Jim Ehinger and the Nasty Survivors, Katey Sagal and others. Net proceeds of $250,000 raised at the July 28 event will benefit APLA’s programs, including mental health counseling, case management, housing, food, transportation, dental care, medical referrals and the Buddy program. Sponsors were in part KBIG-FM; Martin Lawrence Limited Editions; Von Zerneck Sertner Films; Sterling/Winters Co., and Craig Miller, Richard Zeichik and Associates. Bill McCathy was entertainment producer.

* Women in Service Military Service Memorial has received a $100,000 donation from the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The donation will be used toward a memorial that will pay tribute to women who have been or are in the armed forces, noted Jack Powell, executive director of PVA. The heart of the Memorial, to be built at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, will be a computer register where the women’s stories and photographs will be exhibited.

* Operation Exodus, the Los Angeles communitywide campaign to rescue Soviet Jews and resettle them in Israel, has raised $21.6 million since the drive began in April. Two parlor meetings held Aug. 6 in Beverly Hills and Encino garnered $643,000.

* Assistance League of Southern California netted $30,000 at the St. John Knits Fashion Show sponsored by Nordstrom at the Century Plaza Hotel. Marie Gray of St. John Knits donated 10% of all fashion sales at the July 31 benefit, attended by 500 guests.

* Blind Children’s Center of Los Angeles, D.A.R.E. of Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Fire Department CPR Unit and the Beverly Hills Educational Foundation will benefit from the Beverly Hills Car show and Automotive Art Show benefit held July 29 at Beverly Hills High School. Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories sponsored the fund-raiser, which raised $75,000.

* The William Z. Landworth Memorial Scholarship Fund will receive nearly $5,000 raised at the Ninth Annual AIA/LA Associates Sandcastle Competition Aug. 4 at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica. Proceeds will assist students in architectural education.

* Venice Family Clinic announced its success in meeting a challenge to complete its $2.7 million building campaign, a challenge made in December, 1989 by the Kresge Foundation to help generate funds for the clinic’s new facility. The clinic, in raising $200,000, will now receive its matching grant. Dudley Moore is honorary campaign chair. In 1989, the foundation awarded 189 grants totaling $57,553,000 to organizations involved in construction or renovations of facilities.

* Hollygrove received $750, proceeds from a July 24 benefit held at a private home in Hancock Park. The event, attended by 70 guests, was hosted by the Larchmont Kiwanis Club. Hollygrove cares for more than 80 abandoned and abused children.

* Visual Communications, the Asian Pacific American media arts center in Los Angeles, has been named recipient of two major grants in support of the organization’s special 20th anniversary celebration. A $7,500 award from the J. Paul Getty Trust Fund will provide support for a writing project on the evolution of Asian Pacific media arts over the past two decades. The nonprofit group has also received a $25,000 matching grant from the California Community foundation to be used for fund-raising efforts to expand programs and services.