Gala Funds Aid Calexico Children

Orthopaedic Hospital’s International Children’s Program was the recipient of $31,000 raised at the July 27 “Night of Iguanas” gala underwritten by Sonora Cafe in downtown Los Angeles.

Nearly 300 guests enjoyed the hospitality, food and drinks donated by cafe owner Ron Salisbury. The staff volunteered time. Proceeds will help provide treatment to needy children at the Valley Orthopaedic Clinic in Calexico.

* Concern II raised more than $12,000 at its annual members’ “Thank You” party July 26 at the Olympic Collection in West Los Angeles. The all-volunteer group, with a total membership of 2,400, is dedicated to raising funds for cancer research in children.

* Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund received a $10,000 check from Martell Cognac at the July 26 Gloria Estefan pre-concert reception at Hollywood Park’s Turf Club. Proceeds will go toward the organization’s new building fund.

* The Spare Change Project’s Family Assistance Program received more than $40,000 at the July 25 “Fine Art of Helping” art auction at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. The event was hosted by Galerie Michael and Spare Change Project. Proceeds will be used to help rehabilitate homeless families.

* Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s new Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Program netted $100,000 July 22 at the premiere screening of “Another You” at the Director’s Guild. The event was sponsored by Helping Hand of Los Angeles and Tri-Star Pictures. Helping Hand provides major funding for the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Virginia Glasband is president. Ellen Brooks and Wendy Platt were event co-chairs.

* LA’s BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow), an after-school enrichment program, raised $232,289 of its $500,000 challenge matching grant from Kaiser Permanente through corporate donations and fund-raising events to close the 1990-92 school year and support the program into its fourth year of operation. Some of the corporations that donated funds are Hugo-Neu Proler, GTE, Collins Foods, Xerox, Virco Manufacturing, Japan Business Assn. and Rockwell.

* Ayres Clinic in Torrance received a $2,300 grant from TRW’s Employees Charity Organization to fund a scholarship for advanced training for a physical therapist for the clinic. The clinic is in need of therapists to work with children with motor disorders, sensory integrative dysfunction and problems caused by prenatal drug exposure.

* Liberty Hill Foundation’s “1991 Upton Sinclair Award Dinner” in May, honoring Jane Fonda, netted $75,000, which will go toward the community grant-making program for the coming year.

* The Global Fund for Women announced on June 22 grants totaling $230,000 to Anti-Early Marriage Assn. in Nigeria, the Forum for the Liberation of Oppressed in India, Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children in Ethiopia, Mujer Ahora! in Uruguay and Polish Feminist Assn.