CHARITY SCORECARD
Spring and summer 1999 fashions and costumes created by French designer Christian Lacroix were the stars of the Pasadena Symphony’s the French Ball--Une Hommage aux Splendeurs de France Feb. 13. More than 600 people attended the benefit, held at Pasadena’s Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel, and raised $275,000 for the 71-year-old orchestra. The event, chaired by James R. Watterson, included a “Gigi” medley sung by actor Dorian Harewood, a silent auction and a French feast. Businessman Paul Rusnak was honored for his longtime support of the symphony. The evening was emceed by Eric Haskell, a professor at Scripps College, Claremont, and his daughter, actress-singer Olivia Haskell, who both sang “The Night They Invented Champagne.”
* Philanthropic opera-lovers raised $200,000 at a party after the sold-out opening-night performance of Los Angeles Opera’s “La Traviata” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Feb. 14. The dinner-dance, chaired by Mary Hayley and Selim K. Zikha, was held in the Pavilion’s Grand Hall and attended by more than 400 people, including Placido Domingo, L.A. Opera artistic director designate, his wife, Marta Domingo, who directed the production, Carol Vaness, who starred as Violetta, and Greg Fedderly, who played Alfredo.
* The life and legacy of cardiac surgeon Dr. John N. Goodwin was celebrated at the Angels of the Heart gala held Feb. 6 at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Held in conjunction with National Heart Month, the gala, attended by 260 guests, raised $57,000 for the Glendale Heart Center at Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center. Goodwin, who died last year, founded the heart center in 1983 with Dr. Santo Polito, medical director of the heart center.
Has your group held a charity fund-raiser recently? We will report on selected local benefit projects and events. Please tell us about your organization and the charity you support, how much you raised and the details of your event. Send a 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.
