Add Up All the Benefits and the Kids Win

The big dollars that arts, medical and charitable organizations raise don’t just arrive in a basket with a bow on the doorstep. Rather, they come from the extraordinary generosity of Angelenos via benefits and people brave enough to ask others to part with their money.

It’s been good recently. A $1 million gift from the S. Mark Taper Foundation has established the S. Mark Taper Foundation Pediatric Critical Care Center in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The Weingart Center Assn. is reporting $570,000 raised at its premier fund-raising event, CityLive 5! at Universal Studios--the result of a silent auction, dancing, games and the private use of the new Jurassic Park ride. Weingart Center Partners, a group of young professionals founded several years ago by Hank Haldeman, co-sponsored the affair with Tenet Healthcare Corp. Inspiration awards recognizing efforts to end homelessness went to stand-up comic Paula Poundstone, “Touched by an Angel” executive producer Martha Williamson and the Ahmanson Foundation.

The third “Dream Halloween” raised more than $650,000 for the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation. Jill Barad, Mattel’s president and COO, and Michael Goldstein, Toys R Us CEO, teamed to convert Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar into a cartoon neighborhood for kids to trick or treat.

On Wednesday, Las Floristas, the ladies who all but break their necks to stage the annual Floral Headdress Ball, will reveal a $300,000 net for Handicapped Children’s Clinics at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center. Past President Carolyn Cook Rutter and last year’s ball chairwomen, Julie Lee and Sandy Murphy, will present the gift to USC President Steven B. Sample for the Rancho center, where 1,500 disabled youngsters are treated annually.

Then, Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired is $140,000 richer after its eighth annual dinner dance and auction at Hollywood Park Casino. Support came from 400, including celebrities Wolfgang Puck, Jerry Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers, and Magic Johnson.

And St. John’s Hospital and Health Center Foundation is announcing a gross of $130,000 from its annual golf classic at Sherwood Country Club, headed by James F. Flaherty III, Jack Michel, A. Redmond “Rusty” Doms and Paul G. Flynn.

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Galas: The celebrations never stop. A group led by Amanda Hennigan, whose mother Phyllis is chairman of the Blue Ribbon of the Music Center, has been tapped to head the “After-Hours Party” designed by Young Associates, a Center Theatre Group support organization for theatergoers under 40. It’s part of the CTG 30th anniversary celebration gala Saturday at the Music Center, chaired by Louise Taper. Young Associates tickets are $125 and gala tickets are $350 to $500. Regardless of price, all will view Harold Prince’s “Show Boat.” The affairs kick off CTG’s 30th anniversary year.

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Preservation: Nelson Rising, president and CEO of Catellus Development, was recipient of the Los Angeles Heritage Award at a black-tie cocktail dinner party for 425 in the Rotunda of City Hall. Thomas Decker, Peter O’Malley and William Wardlaw co-chaired the affair, raising $200,000 for Project Restore. Former Sen. John V. Tunney emceed. Project Restore is dedicated to preserving historical aspects of City Hall and is chaired by Albert C. Martin, whose late father was City Hall architect.

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Light Side: Fun and fantasy surrounded two events--the Blue Ribbon luncheon with Kenneth Jay Lane and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Costume Council’s tea with party architect Clive David.

Lane is the faux jewelry designer. He was on hand to sign his new book, “Faking It,” published by Abrams, and tell trade secrets. Robin Paulson, Kate Crane, Lois Matthews, Dallas Price and Francis Brody listened to Nancy Vreeland introduce Lane as “her first adult friend.” Lane claims Babe Paley, Gloria Guiness and the Queen of England have worn his jewelry and that in the famous Christie’s auction, a piece of Jackie Onassis’ jewelry “went for $200,000 and my fake for $90,000.”

At the Los Angeles County Art Museum, David talked of kings and queens, his Midwest limestone cave party and dropped names like Barbara Walters and Patricia Kluge and Golda Meir. He also reminded the audience that the millennium arrives on a Thursday. He thought someone should stage a Beaux Arts Ball of history and invite guests to attend in costume as anyone from the last 1,000 years.

Elsewhere on the Social Circuit

Friends from around the county were in Pasadena for the 50th birthdays of Cheryl and Bill Doyle. After coolish cocktails on their patio, at least 150 people moved to the tent for dinner and warm-up dancing to West Coast Music. Among guests: Carolyn and Chuck Miller, John and Liz Argue, Dorothy and John Matthiessen, Mitch and Margot Milias, Linda and Jim Dickason, and Chuck and Lorna Reed.

* The Beverly Hills Theatre Guild honored Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen with its Spotlight Award benefiting playwrights. Toasting them: Sid Caesar, Phyllis Diller, Monty Hall, Fay Kanin, and more . . . The Assistance League of Pasadena staged its “Operation School Bell” clothing disbursement for needy Pasadena elementary-level students . . . Actress Crystal Carson (“General Hospital”) hosted the American Cancer Society’s Monte Carlo casino party . . . State Librarian Kevin Starr addressed the Los Angeles Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge at a luncheon at Jimmy’s and also gave Blenda J. Wilson, president of California State University, Northridge, the Washington Honor Medal for her leadership during the Northridge earthquake.

* Today: The John Wayne Cancer Institute Terry Fox Run has been set to debut today at West Los Angeles’ Veterans Center to benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute . . . The fund-raiser “Great Beginnings for Black Babies” has planned elegance and fun for tonight at the Olympic College Banquet Center with Florence LaRue special guest.

* The Valley Cultural Center will honor Norman J. Kravetz on Saturday evening at the Warner Center Marriott with the Golden Horn Award . . . Los Angeles American Institute of Architects Awards were presented to Raymond Kappe and David C. Snell at the Biltmore . . . Katherine Gillespie is heading Planned Parenthood of Pasadena as president . . . Armando L. Gonzalez has been named Trustee of the Year by the California Hospital Assn.

* Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Sundays.