Ann-Margret to visit D.A.P. on March 11

(PALM SPRINGS, CA – March 2, 2010)

Although inclement weather had Ann-Margret snowbound on the east coast during Saturday’s 16th annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala, she will visit Desert AIDS Project on Thursday, March 11 to receive her Arts and Activism Award. “Ann-Margret was as disappointed as we were that she was unable to attend the gala,” said Jim Casey, co-chair of the gala and President/CEO of its Presenting Sponsor, Integrated Wealth Management. “But she immediately offered to make this visit. Knowing her busy schedule, we are delighted she’s coming to tour D.A.P.’s one-of-a-kind facility.”

Michele Lee, one of the many celebrities attending the gala accepted the award from Elliott Gould on Ann-Margret’s behalf and charmed the crowd of more than 1,300 attendees. Guests began arriving at 5:30 PM, as volunteers in tuxedoes invited them to enjoy cocktails, delicious hors d'oeuvres, and special auction offerings, including items donated by another of the evening's honorees, Bob Mackie, costume designer to stars of stage and screen. .

Guests mingled in the lobby as Mr. Mackie was joined for interviews and photos in the Press Room by award presenters Diahann Carroll, Elliott Gould, and Kaye Ballard, co-hosts Stefanie Powers and Richard Chamberlain, entertainers Linda Eder, Jennifer Holliday and Roslyn Kind, award sponsors Annette Bloch, Helene Galen, and Desert Regional Medical Center’s Karolee Sowle. Other celebrities in the room included Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Michele Lee, Lorna Luft, Rose McGowan, and Donna Mills.

As everyone assembled in the ballroom, a video retrospective of last year's gala kicked off the well-paced evening at 7:00 PM, quickly followed by presentation of the Partners for Life Award by Tim Hanlon of Wells Fargo Foundation to Steve Kaufer and Scott Van Dyke. Kaye Ballard presented the 100 WOMEN Award to a tearful Mary Cone, who accepted the award in memory of her late husband, Dr. Lawrence Cone, who was honored at the 2000 Steve Chase gala for his early treatment of local AIDS patients.

Picking up on the theme of Jennifer Holliday's signature performance from "Dream Girls" -- answered with a thunderous ovation -- David Brinkman assured the audience "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" applied to D.A.P. as well because as long as HIV/AIDS exists, D.A.P. will continue to offer its services. He remarked that it was due to the generosity of those present that made it possible to bring another 450 people into care over the last year, bringing D.A.P.'s current client base to more than 2,000 people.  

Board President Curt Ringness invited everyone to toast Warner Engdahl, a founding member and long-time supporter of D.A.P., who passed away earlier this year before Roslyn Kind performed to another standing ovation. Co-chairs Jim Casey and Barbara Keller officially kicked off the event. Ms. Keller thanked sponsors including Annette Bloch, Helene Galen, Harold Matzner, Jackie Lee and Jim Houston who wrote generous checks to sponsor the evening. Mr. Casey spoke of his personal connection to HIV/AIDS and watching friends die of AIDS, remarking that it used to be a sure death sentence, picking up on Mr. Ringness' theme that, thanks to D.A.P., more people locally than ever are living with AIDS.

Following a delicious dinner by Savoury's, Casey remarked how proud he was that, even with the many roller coaster rides of the recent economy, local philanthropists have continued to support D.A.P.'s good work, making it possible for D.A.P. to serve more than 20,000 people with HIV/AIDS over their 25 years in the desert community. He responded to this generosity by announcing that his company, Integrated Wealth Management, has signed on as Presenting Sponsor of the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards for another three years.  

Andrea Fiuczynski, President of Christies Los Angeles, roused the audience to bid on live auction packages, before inviting the audience to make direct donations to benefit client services -- raising tens of thousands of additional dollars. Co-hosts Stefanie Powers and Richard Chamberlain took note of the short donor and client videos that had been sprinkled throughout the show, telling how D.A.P.'s efforts had been sustained by volunteers like the award ceremony’s namesake, Steve Chase, who brought generous donors to the organization through his personal connections as a noted interior designer. Chase’s clients included Joan Kroc, who made it possible for D.A.P. to open its first medical clinic, and Helene Galen who sponsored one of the evening's awards, speaking in a short video of her friendship with Steve Chase.  

Diahann Carroll, who performed at the 2009 gala, returned to support D.A.P. and present the first Arts and Activism Award to her friend of 45 years, Bob Mackie, costume designer to stars of stage and screen. Following a video retrospective of his career, Mackie told of his personal friendship with Steve Chase that dated back to their pre-teen years when Chase’s mother taught Mackie in grade school. Elliott Gould then introduced a similar career retrospective of Ann-Margret, the evening's second Arts and Activism Award winner, with Ms. Lee accepting on her behalf.  

 Darrel Cummings, Chief of Staff of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, presented the Medicine and Advocacy Award to the CAEAR Coalition with the Coalition’s Chairman of the Board Ernest Hopkins accepting. Mr. Hopkins spoke of how impressed he has been personally with the work of D.A.P., and how proud the recently-deceased Sen. Ted Kennedy would be of what Ryan White funding has made possible over the last 20 years. The CAEAR Coalition recently successfully lobbied the federal government for funding for a four-year extension of continued funding.

Following a video by a client who that said D.A.P. had saved her life and become her “family,” the final performance of the evening was beautifully performed by Broadway star Linda Eder. Ms. Eder movingly sang "Something to Believe In," accompanied by the combined voices of the San Diego Gay Men's Chorus and Caballeros, a chorus of gay men from Palm Springs.  

For 16 years, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards has benefited client services at Desert AIDS Project, the organization in our community where people living with HIV and AIDS can receive comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services. D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. For more information call 760-323-2118.