Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Popular AIDS Fundraising Thrift Store to Open New Site in Northern California Donated Props & Set Pieces from Cult TV Show to Be Sold at Grand Opening Gala Saturday October 4th Two Original Floral Drawings by Senator Dianne Feinstein Will Also Be Auctioned at Opening of New Church Street Store Proceeds Benefit AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the Nation’s Largest Specialized Provider of HIV/AIDS Medical Care and Will Help Support AHF Magic Johnson Healthcare Centers in SF & Oakland What : Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening Sale at Out of the Closet’s Newest Store Benefiting AIDS Healthcare Foundation When : Saturday October 4th 10 :00 am Where : Out of the Closet, 100 Church Street (at Duboce) S.F., 415.252.1101 Who : Hon. Mark Leno, (D, San Francisco) California Assembly Member (and/or Anna Damiani, Field Rep for Mr. Leno) Hon. Bevan Dufty, San Francisco Supervisor Michael Weinstein, President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and artwork by Hon. Dianne Feinstein, (D, CA) United States Senator Contact : Ged Kenslea, AHF Communications Director, 323.860.5225 w 323.791.5526 m John Nieto, Out of the Closet, General Manager, 323.509.3772 mobile

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Just in the nick of time for one of San Francisco’s most beloved holidays-Halloween-Out of the Closet, AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) popular and award-winning thrift store chain is set to open its fourth Bay Area store (and twentieth California store) in San Francisco with some Hollywood help via a generous donation from 20th Century Fox, the producers of the high-profile television drama, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this Saturday, October 4th at 10 :00 am in a ribbon-cutting and grand opening gala and sale at the new store site, 100 Church Street (at Duboce), San Francisco (415) 252-1101. (Logo : http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030429/AHFLOGO ) A vast array of props, set pieces and artwork from the cult television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (starring Sarah Michelle Gellar) have been donated and will be for sale at the Saturday gala. In addition, two original floral artworks done by US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D, California) will be auctioned off as part of the opening gala.

Expected to attend the OTC opening are California Assembly Member Mark Leno (D, San Francisco) and San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

Voted L.A.’s best time and again by the L.A. Weekly and other media, Out of the Closet has long benefited from Hollywood’s generosity — donations from individual celebrities and film and television production houses have both helped raise funds for AIDS care and delighted shoppers via their chance to own a bit of Hollywood history. Church Street’s grand opening will be no exception : Some of the Buffy items include set furnishings include tire-rimmed stools from the bronze bar, the Luna Azul Cafe menu board, 2 chandeliers, 3 lighted nightclub tables, a kitchen hutch and other assorted furnishings as well as more than 20 paintings and prints featured on the show.

"Buffy fans should ’scooby-doo’ their way on down to our new Church Street Out of the Closet store this Saturday," said John Nieto, Out of the Closet Retail Stores General Manager. "20th Century Fox has generously donated several wonderful props, set dressings and artwork from the popular TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer which recently ended its successful seven-year run, to AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Out of the Closet chain, and many of these items will be on sale to the public as part of our grand opening gala."

Proceeds from Out of the Closet benefit AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Out of the Closet revenue enables AIDS Healthcare Foundation to continue to provide compassionate, high quality care for persons with HIV and AIDS regardless of their ability to pay," said Michael Weinstein, AHF President. "This fourth Bay Area store will help us to continue to provide care at our AHF Magic Johnson Healthcare Centers in San Francisco and Oakland AIDS regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay."

AHF’s Out of the Closet stores have frequently benefit from Hollywood’s numerous film and television production companies and celebrities. In the past, donations have included items from Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, directors Ron Howard and Tim Burton, as well as props and clothing from the film Selena, Fox TV’s The X Files, and former ABC-TV sitcom Grace Under Fire. In August 1997, Producer Aaron Spelling donated more than $100,000 worth of props and merchandise from his cancelled series, Pacific Palisades to OTC.

Out of the Closet’s newest location is at 100 Church Street, San Francisco CA (415) 252-1101. As with other OTC stores, the Church Street location will feature men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as books and antiques. For free pick-up of large thrift-store donations, please call Out of the Closet’s toll-free number at 1-800-558-8220. Store hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation is the largest specialized provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the United States. AHF serves thousands of patients in California, New York and Florida regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. AHF also operates free AIDS treatment clinics in South Africa, Uganda and Honduras via its AHF Global Immunity program.

For more information, contact Ged Kenslea, AHF Communications Director (323) 860-5225, or John Nieto, AHF’s Out of the Closet Retail Store General Manager (323) 860-5262 or visit www.aidshealth.org .