Here are some of the recent events to benefit nonprofit and service organizations and honor individuals for their community service:
For her longtime support of the City of Hope, veteran entertainer Florence Henderson was honored with the Star of Hope at a luncheon on the grounds of the Duarte-based medical center Nov. 30. . . . The New Israel Fund to support nonprofit organizations in Israel honored California Assembly Speaker Robert M. Hertzberg and Los Angeles businessman and community activist David A. Abel at its eighth annual Guardian of Democracy Award Dinner Nov. 30 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Barbara and Zev Yaroslavsky, Jonathan Zasloff, Mel Levine and Fred Gaines co-chaired the event, which raised $450,000. . . .
Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen and his wife, Janet, hosted a dinner Nov. 30 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to honor Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, for his encouragement of positive portrayals of the military through film and television. Valenti, a World War II fighter pilot, received the first Citizen Patriot Award. The first "Spirit of Hope" award was given to its namesake, Bob Hope. His son, Tony Hope, accepted on his dad's behalf.
The eighth annual Divine Design gala held at Pacific Design Center Nov. 30 honored Jami Morse Heidegger, president of Kiehl's, the Beverly Center and Darren Star, creator of "Sex and the City," and raised more than $1.2 million for Project Angel Food, which provides free meals to people living with HIV and AIDS. . . . The California Fashion Industry Friends of AIDS Healthcare Foundation benefit fashion show, a tribute to designer Nicole Miller and model Cheryl Tiegs held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel Nov. 29, raised more than $400,000 for AIDS research.
Anne O'Melveny Wilson, chairwoman of the Associates and Affiliates of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, was in the spotlight at a luncheon at the California Club Nov. 29 honoring past presidents of the Associates and Affiliates of CHLA. For her years of service, a five-year, $5-million pledge to fund an endowment for nursing excellence in her name was announced.
The 25th annual Breath of Life Ball held Nov. 29 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel raised $250,000 for the Southern California chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Donald Sterling chaired the evening, honoring Robert H. Lorsch with the organization's highest honor, the Rikki and Fredric D. Rosen Humanitarian Award.
