DATE: Friday, April 4, 1997                 TAG: 9704020200

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 09   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   56 lines

HAVE A PARTY MAY 3, OR GO TO ONE, AND HELP A GOOD CAUSE FROM PIZZA PARTIES TO FORMAL DINING, THE GATHERINGS WILL HELP AIDS HOSPICE.

May 3 is shaping up to be a big party night in Hampton Roads.

Dozens of dinner parties - from casual potlucks to elegantly catered affairs - will be held simultaneously at area churches, private homes and restaurants that spring evening. Then, after dinner, at about 9:30, some 1,000 revelers will converge on Norfolk's Stockley Gardens to partake in champagne and desserts, and listen to the tunes of local jazz musician Jae Sinnett.

But this massive party night is not an opportunity to forget all the world's troubles with a little mindless debauchery. It's all in the name of a good cause.

The ``Dinner Is Served'' party night is a fund-raising event to benefit the Full Circle Aids Hospice Support program. It works like this: Individuals or community groups agree to sponsor a dinner in their private residences or at a location of their choice. The host provides the guest list and menu; Full Circle supplies the invitations. As part of their invitation, guests are asked to donate - no matter how little - to the nonprofit organization.

Based on East 24th Street in Norfolk, Full Circle provides support services to area residents suffering with AIDS. Through case management, meal deliveries, volunteer buddies and legal referrals, volunteers and staff work with some 100 clients a year who live in their homes or with friends and family.

``We function as a network support system with volunteers to help them keep up their quality of life,'' explained Marty Mendelsohn, the organization's executive director. ``We basically help them deal with life with AIDs, their burdens or whatever their biggest problem is, whether it's finding housing or dealing with their loneliness.''

The organization has sponsored an annual party night each year since 1994. Last spring, the event raised almost $39,000 from diners at 40 area parties. This year, organizers are hoping to generate $60,000 from 60 parties.

``It's our main fund-raising event,'' said Mendelsohn. ``We need to do well, because we have a lot of people to take care of.''

In addition to raising funds, the event is also an opportunity to expose the public to the plight of those with AIDS, he added.

``There are a lot of people out there living with AIDs, and it's a tough life,'' he said. ``They need a lot of help.''

He said the dinner night is a fun way to bring together all elements of the Hampton Roads population to support the cause.

``We always have an extremely diverse group of people who participate,'' he said. ``Some people have pizza parties; some have formal sitdowns. Some invite over 100 people; other just have six or eight.

``A couple of parties have raised as much as $1,000, and others have raised $125. But that's okay. It's really what the host or hostess wants . . . and can do. It's always a great evening. People have a ball and, at the same time, help someone in need in a big way.'' MEMO: Anyone interested in sponsoring a ``Dinner is Served'' party May 3

can contact Mendelsohn at 622-2989.

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