Hospitals Put on the Ritz to Help Raise $107,000

Daniel Freeman Hospitals raised $107,000 at the “Renaissance at the Ritz” gala Dec. 5 at the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. The ball was hosted by the guild for the two hospitals. Located in Inglewood and Marina del Rey, both are nonprofit medical facilities sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

Bet Tzedek Legal Services netted more than $1 million at its Feb. 6 dinner/dance gala at the Century Plaza. The organization provides free legal services to the poor and elderly. John Schulman and Jan and Mel Levine were honorees.

City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute received $500,000 to establish the Thomas D. Phelps Research Fellowship at the center. The black-tie gala on Nov. 21 at the Beverly Hilton was sponsored by the Professions and Finance Associates of City of Hope. Hosts were Ray Remy, president, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; James E. Gilleran, California Superintendent of Banks; Associates President Jeffrey Kapor and dinner chair Barry S. Cohn.

United States Committee for the United Nations Children’s Fund raised $50,000 at its Dec. 18 and 19 concerts at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Patti Austin, Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester and Barry Manilow were among the performers helping to raise money to aid the people of Somalia.

United Negro College Fund received $11 million in cash and pledges, proceeds from the Dec. 26 “Lou Rawls Parade of Stars” nationwide telethon. Participating entertainers included Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick and Bill Cosby. Anheuser-Busch is the national founding sponsor of the telethon.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California Chapter, has announced receipt of a $290,200 three-year grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The gift will fund the society’s employment services program, which helps unemployed people with MS find jobs and helps employed people deal with such issues as accommodations in the workplace and health insurance. The foundation has funded this program for the past three years with other grants totaling $584,400.

The Center for the Partially Sighted in Santa Monica, has received a $60,000 donation from the Max Factor Family Foundation to benefit visually-impaired toddlers through a program of prescribed special lenses, a vision stimulation program and parental teaching.

Hospital of the Good Samaritan received $51,100 from the hospital guild, which raised the money at its three benefits in 1992. The gift will be used for the hospital’s employee child care center and a junior volunteer scholarship fund.

Five Acres raised $36,000 at its Jan. 23 “Evening of Miracles” benefit honoring Dodgers’ pitcher Orel Hershiser. Proceeds will help fund care for children and families in crisis. Co-chairs were Suzanne Loeb, Carolyn Paula Powers and Margie Eddy-Forbes.

Braille Institute’s auxiliary netted $5,000 at its Dec. 3 luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Proceeds will be used toward production of the children’s book “Expectations,” which presents stories and puzzles with the sensory experiences of hearing, touch, smell and taste. Braille Institute will distribute the book to blind children anywhere without charge. Elaine Peters is auxiliary president.