Art for AIDS benefit is quite a blast

Suzie Harrison

It was a glamorous night Saturday. The stars were shining and also

offered light by donating their time and support to help raise more

than $500,000 at the Art for AIDS III gala benefit held at the St.

Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point.

The event was originally held at the Laguna Art Museum and is a

benefit for AIDS Services Foundation and the museum. It changed

venues last year to accommodate more people.

This year, the event was highlighted by a benefit concert

performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as a tribute to Petty’s

brother-in-law Stephen Cy Costick, who died of AIDS in 1993. Petty’s

wife, Dana, and the entire Costick family attended the event in his

honor. Before the concert, and live auction a mini-movie gave a look

into Costick’s life. Other attending celebrities included Carrie

Fisher, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, Olivia Harrison (wife of the

late George Harrison) and Kyan Douglas from “Queer Eye for the

Straight Guy.”

“This is obviously an amazing and very important event,” Douglas

said.

Douglas added that one of the highlights of the night was when he

and Browne remarked that they were both wearing the same suit.

Apparently both have impeccable taste in fashion.

“It’s spectacular to be here to support organizations of people

helping people,” Douglas said. Event chairs Al Roberts, Arnold Klein

and Jack Kenefick were pleased with the funds raised, which topped

the previous two years combined.

The live auction was a whirl of excitement with autographed

electric guitars signed by Sting, Petty and Browne fetching upward of

$15,000. Another big-ticket item was a trip for two to Beijing,

including round trip air and accommodations at the St. Regis Beijing.

Another favorite was a luxurious Bob Mackie gown originally designed

for Cher.

A beautiful sapphire and diamond ring valued at $25,000 was

auctioned off to San Clemente resident Tom Kolenic for $15,000. He

was asked to come onstage by Fisher as she exclaimed that he knew how

to treat a woman and prompted him to invite his girlfriend Nicole

Barton to join him. Fisher gave him the cue to go down on his knee as

he made an impromptu proposal for marriage and a teary eyed Barton

said, “yes.”

Since 2002, Art for AIDS has raised more than $1 million to

facilitate the work of collaborators AIDS Services Foundation Orange

County and Laguna Art Museum. For more information,

https://www.ocsaf.org.