All-star cast heads ‘Ribbon’ benefit

Friday, June 18, 2004 | 8:27 a.m.

"We had a reduction with education, knowledge and awareness," said Carol Hunter, president of Golden Rainbow, a non-profit agency that helps victims of AIDS. "But what appears to be happening is that people are letting their guard down.

"I believe we are still in a crisis situation."

For more than 17 years, Golden Rainbow has provided housing and emergency financial assistance for AIDS victims in Southern Nevada.

Money to operate the agency comes from a variety of sources, including grants, donations and several fund-raising events throughout the year.

The largest fund-raiser is the "Ribbon of Life," a revue staged by more than 250 Las Vegas entertainers.

The organization's annual budget is $300,000. Last year, $250,000 of that came from money raised by the production.

The 18th annual "Ribbon of Life" will be held Saturday and Sunday at Bally's.

Veteran Las Vegas entertainers Tony Arias and Lloyd Ziel, who often appear as the comedy team Tony & Lloyd, will host the production, which is being directed by Scott Bernard.

This year's all-volunteer cast includes Pink, Clint Holmes, Blue Man Group, Penn and Teller and performers from the casts of "Bottoms Up," "Midnight Fantasy," "Jubilee!" and other productions.

The first "Ribbon of Life" was staged in 1986. To date, it has raised more than $1.5 million.

Hunter, whose brother died of AIDS in the late '80s, says that because of new medications and survival stories such as that of former NBA star Magic Johnson, people are being lulled into a false sense of security.

"AIDS is not seen as the death sentence it was before," she said. "But we are still seeing people dying."

According to Hunter, so far this year 138 new cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported, bringing the number in Southern Nevada to more than 7,000.

Hunter has worked as a volunteer with Golden Rainbow since its inception. She was named president in September.

"As president, I feel like a team leader," she said. "What I do is to help keep the direction going.

"I've got a tremendous board. When we need or want anything, the board steps up to the plate. It's like no other nonprofit organization I've been involved in."

Hunter said the initial goal of Golden Rainbow was to work itself out of business.

"But that is not happening," she said. "We expanded a couple of years ago, providing funding for some HIV prevention programs."

Hunter says the organization has maintained its focus on its two primary objectives -- providing housing and emergency funding.

Golden Rainbow Executive Director Eric Fleming helps keep those objectives on track. He is one of two paid staff members. The other is Assistant Director Arlene Cooper.

"We are a grass-roots organization founded by members of the entertainment industry in Las Vegas after one of the dancers on the Strip died of AIDS in the garage of his family's home," Fleming said. "It was a new disease. People didn't understand it. He was shunned by his family."

Fleming, a former dancer on the Strip, said he and other dancers vowed that the tragedy would not be repeated. He once was a member of the organization's 26-member board of directors. He has been the executive director for three years.

Golden Rainbow was founded by dancer Peter Todd and singer Bree Burgess, who was in "Jubilee!" Todd has since died of AIDS, and Burgess has moved out of state.

Fleming said the board of directors come from all walks of life.

"They are on the board for their own personal reasons," he said. "A lot of them have been affected by the disease. Others just have a passion for fighting it and to fulfill our mission statement."

Golden Rainbow owns two fourplexes and a three-bedroom home.

"The residents can feel at home, maintain their medical care and live normal lives," Fleming said.

Once someone is accepted into the program, they are allowed to stay in the residences for as long as they want, free of charge.

Fleming says there is a long waiting list.

"Openings don't come up often," he said. "We're looking into the possibility of getting more housing,"

Other events hosted by Golden Rainbow throughout the year include the February Cabaret, a concert featuring Broadway tunes; the Beaux Arts Ball, held shortly before Halloween; the Showgirl Bowling Invitational Tournament, held each Labor Day weekend; and Show Kid Bowling, a bowling tournament held October, in which participants wear Halloween costumes.

Hunter said, "Not many people in our world haven't been touched by AIDS. I would encourage people to come to the show to help support our cause, and to understand that AIDS is still a major epidemic."