CHARITY SCORECARD
Olivia Newton-John, the Fox-TV series “Party of Five” and 13 hospital employees were honored at the fifth annual Red Cross Spirit Awards by 10 Southern California American Red Cross chapters March 6. The event, held at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, included a silent auction and entertainment by jazz artist Marc Antoine, and raised $175,000 for the American Red Cross. Newton-John received the award from songwriter-producer David Foster for her commitment to causes such as the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, Revlon / UCLA Breast Cancer Foundation, Operation Smile, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Starlight Foundation and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Newton-John sang “I Honestly Love You” and “Over the Rainbow,” with Foster accompanying on piano.
Representing “Party of Five” were co-creators and executive producers Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman and executive producers Ken Topolsky and John Romano. Also attending were Scott Wolf, who plays Bailey Salinger and whose character’s battle with alcoholism last season was featured in the video tribute at the event, and Jennifer Aspen, who plays Daphne. The show was awarded for its honest portrayal of health and safety issues. The 13 hospital honorees were Grace Chung, Karen Clift, Steven A. Fellows, JoAnn Fong, Joy Hankowski, Sandra Lewis, Joan Lozaun, Ederlina Rajah, Dr. Vena Ricketts, Vonnie Rossman, Lourdes Telebrico, Jeanette Weinberg and Ellen Zaman.
* Tennis legend Billie Jean King and actress Anne Heche were honored at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Women’s Night ’99 held March 6 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. King was presented with the Community Role Model Award by Diana Nyad, a world-class swimmer and senior correspondent for Fox Sports, for her longtime advocacy of women’s rights, women in athletics and lesbian and gay issues. She also has created a foundation which will, among other things, support lesbian and gay youth. King co-founded the current women’s professional tour, launched the Women’s Sports Foundation and lobbied for equal prize money for women tennis players. Gillian Anderson of “The X-Files” presented Heche with the Creative Integrity Award for her work with kids at the Gay & Lesbian Center--kids who have been abandoned by their families and friends because they are gay--and for her courage in coming out. More than 1,000 women raised about $300,000 at the event for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, including the Audre Lorde Lesbian Health Clinic, which provides preventive gynecological care to lesbians and bisexual women.
* Guest Harry Belafonte performed at the American Heart Assn.’s 22nd annual Heart Ball on March 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. More than 650 people enjoyed Belafonte singing “Carnival,” “Banana Boat” and “Jamaica Farewell,” in addition to a dinner and live and silent auctions. The $667,000 raised will support medical research and community and education programs of the American Heart Assn. Ann McPartlin Russell chaired the ball.
Has your group held a charity fund-raiser recently? Please tell us about your organization and the charity you support, how much you raised, how the charity uses your gift and the details of your event--what, when and where. Send a letter or news release to Charity Scorecard, Southern California Living, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or fax to (213) 237-4888. Submissions must reach us no more than two weeks after the benefit.
