Nearly 800 health advocates and philanthro-pists gathered for the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Annual Gala at the Marriott Marquis. The eve-ning raised a record-breaking $2 mil, including $10,500 from a surprise auction conducted by Bonnie Lautenberg for a day on Capitol Hill, for six, spent with her hubby, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ).

Opera star Jessye Norman, the evening’s honorary gala chair and emcee, opened the show with a performance of “Somewhere” from West Side Story and a brief speech. She then delivered a tribute to Susan Golick, who, after being diagnosed in 1970 with the chronic autoimmune disease, established the Foundation.

The Foundation’s Scientific Award was presented to Dr. William A. Haseltine, pioneer in the development of gene-based drugs and founder of Human Genome Sciences (now conducting trials for the drug LymphoStat-B).

In the mix: Mayor Bloomberg, S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Board Member Denise Wohl and husband, Larry; Betsy and Alan Cohn; Ben and Elke Gazzara; Arlyn and Edward Gardner; Laura and John Pomerantz; Lois and Andrew Zaro; Carolyn and Jacques D’Amboise; Lori Shabtai; Allison and Howard Lutnick; Joan and Arthur Sarnoff; and vocalist/guitarist John Pizzarelli, whose performance closed the event. An evening filled with energy and hope….