Utah AIDS Foundation party is 'official'

Of all the thousands of parties being held across the nation on Oscar night, only 45 of them are official, sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Only 45 are legally allowed to use the logo of the gold statue. Only 45 may use the little registered trademark sign, after the words "Oscar Night," on their invitations.

It's a prestigious and competitive process to become one of the Academy's official party sites, said Dianne Browning, events manager for the Utah AIDS Foundation. A lot of charities vie for the honor.

The Utah AIDS Foundation has been hosting a fund-raiser on Oscar night for 15 years, she explained. Ten years ago, when the Academy first decided to let charities apply for their sanction, the Utah AIDS Foundation was one of the first 15 sites in the country to become official. They have to reapply every year, said Browning. The process of getting the sanction is far from automatic.

When you become an official Oscar Night host, the Academy gives you goodies, such as public-service ads, Browning said. (One of this year's ads features Sean Connery.)

The Academy used to loan out a few of the actual Oscar statues, too, but has had to tighten its security, so now it just gives a huge banner to hang in the ballroom, she said. They also give out movie posters, autographed by the stars, to sell at the event.

The Utah AIDS Foundation fund-raiser has taken in more money every year. This year, on Oscar night the foundation expects more than 800 people for dinner and dancing and a silent auction in the Rose Wagner Theatre downtown, and hopes to raise $100,000, according to Browning.

She explained that the money will be used for the foundation's ongoing food bank and meal delivery, for people who are too sick to work or shop or cook. Also this year, Browning said, some of the funds will go for AIDS education.

"We've seen an increase in the number of Utahns testing positive for HIV," she said. "So we want to focus on education, prevention and testing." She added that there is confidential testing every Monday night at the Utah AIDS Foundation, 1408 S. 1100 East, in Salt Lake City.