Stepping Stone of San Diego and the Human Dignity Foundation hosted “Universal Rhythms” on Feb. 24 at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park, raising an estimated $80,000 to $90,000 for Stepping Stone, a non-profit residential alcohol and drug recovery organization targeting the GLBT community.

Jim Ginelli, Stepping Stone’s director of development, said holding the event at the museum was a real coup for the organization, adding that it helped lend an upscale feeling to evening. “It was very upper class and the level of culture and education behind it was amazing,” Ginelli said. “You couldn’t ask for a better location, and I want to thank everyone associated with the museum for everything they did that night because it helped make it a huge success.”

The museum allowed guests ample space to mix and mingle and view silent auction items while eating hors d’oeuvres and taking in ancient artifacts and exhibits from around the world.

Featured musical performers embodied the “Universal Rhythms” theme, and included Japanese, African and Native-American drum performances and dancers.

The evening was emceed by local Fox 6 newscasters Eric Collins and Maria Arcega-Dunn, who guided guests through the evening’s events, silent and live auctions, and raffles.

“It turned out to be a wonderful event,” Ginelli said. “There were about three hundred people there, and it was our biggest event of the year so far, although it [was] not quite as big as our annual Living Out Loud event.”

Ginelli said Stepping Stone is already looking ahead to its largest annual event, Stepping Stone’s Living Out Loud fund-raiser, scheduled for Sept. 15. “We usually have between 500 to 600 people,” Ginelli said. “This year it’s going to be at Viejas [Casino] on Sept. 15 and will feature Margaret Cho.”

Stepping Stone is one of only three non-profit residential alcohol and drug recovery facilities in the state specifically targeting the GLBT community. The agency operates a 28-bed long-term residential recovery facility and a day recovery program, and provides sober living opportunities as well as homeless outreach, referrals, education, prevention and social support programs.

The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation funds programs and projects that promote equal treatment, tolerance, wellness, well-being and human dignity.

The two organizations first crossed paths last year when they discovered they both had planned fund-raisers on the same evening in June. The organizations met to resolve the scheduling snafu and begin considering other ways they could work together.