Rounding Up Funds

The Centennial Farm at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa was the scene of an old-fashioned hoedown to benefit the AIDS Services Foundation/Orange County.

About 450 guests--many in fancy cowboy boots--attended the Round-Up for Life II barbecue and country-western dance Saturday. The $75-per-person outdoor dinner was expected to net about $80,000 for the Irvine-based foundation, which provides services to people with AIDS in Orange County.

City Slickers

Urban cowboys and cowgirls in western shirts and cowboy hats kicked off the evening by wandering among the haystacks, having their fortunes told, visiting barnyard animals

and learning to line-dance to the Sam Morrison country-western band.

They later sat outdoors at elegant tables draped in white--these were, after all, city folk--and enjoyed an “upscale barbecue” of ribs, chicken and beans.

For event chairwoman Judy Fluor Runels, wearing cowboy boots and leather chaps was nothing new: She’s a horse lover who competes in equestrian competitions. Like many of the guests, Runels got involved with ASF because she knew someone who had AIDS.

“My best friend [Gregory Osborne] died of AIDS. Ever since then, I’ve been putting all of my free time into this,” she said.

Gregory’s parents, Lois and Matthew Osborne, also attended. They’ve been faithful ASF supporters since their son died in 1994. Gregory danced with

the American Ballet Theater

and National Ballet in Canada, and now their niece, Joan Osborne, has made it big as a singer.

Lange Honored

KNBC-TV Channel 4 news anchor Kelly Lange received an award at the event for her work on behalf of people living with AIDS.

“I wear an AIDS ribbon almost every day because I’ve known so many people affected by HIV,” Lange said. “We’ve lost brilliant artists, cut off in their prime.”

On this day, Lange wore her red ribbon pin on a flowy black blouse hand-painted with a steer skull (“it’s a Georgia O’Keefe thing”) designed by a friend, fashion designer Carole Little. Little provided Lange with an insider’s view of the garment business for Lange’s best-selling murder mystery novel, “Trophy Wife.”

Proceeds from the benefit will be used by ASF to provide clients with free services, including counseling, home health care, a food pantry, support groups, emergency financial assistance, housing, transportation, legal referrals and family programs. ASF serves about 1,000 clients a year.

Faces in the crowd included Al Roberts, board president of ASF; Priscilla Munro, executive director; Roger and Janice Johnson; Kathryn Thompson; Jim and Barbara Glabman; Sharon Lesk; Deborah Britton; Ken Jillson; Judy Morr; Bill Gillespie; Randy Boyd; Anita May Rosenstein; and Bradd Linn.