Dream Foundation Honors Donna Karan
Swanky Fundraiser at the Bacara Packs In the Celebs
Inside the twinkling ballroom of the Bacara Resort and Spa in Goleta, celebrities and local folk dined and danced together in a celebration honoring those who make dreams come true. On the evening of Friday, November 18, the Dream Foundation held its annual gala fundraiser, this year honoring fashion designer and philanthropist Donna Karan with a Founders Award.
The Dream Foundation is a locally founded and now nationally recognized nonprofit that funds last wishes and dreams for adults with terminal illnesses. In an introductory speech, Thomas Rollerson, founder and president, dedicated the night to the unsung heroes of the Dream Foundation, these being the layers of managers and PR staff, as well as celebrities such as Pia Toscano of American Idol, Jackson Guthy, and singers Naya Riviera and Amber Riley of GLEE, who graced the stage with their presence and voices. Rollerson made the point that the Dream Foundation has never paid a performance fee. “Perfection is in the heart of those that give,” he said. And it was a night about giving.
The evening began with a chilly cocktail and mingling hour in which guests were allowed to walk the red carpet. Notables included John Paul Dejoria, the billionaire cofounder of Paul Mitchell hair systems and Patron tequila; Pia Toscano of American Idol who expressed how singing in front of Barbra Streisand, an attendee of the event, was a dream come true; Brad Garret from Everybody Loves Raymond; longtime Dream Foundation benefactor Dan Aykroyd; and the woman of honor, Donna Karan, who walked the red carpet with her notoriously camera- and question-shy best friend Barbra Streisand.
