It was a night of fashion for the Humboldt and District Community Services with their Spring Fashion Show Fundraiser on Apr. 13 at the Bella Vista.
Cottage Boutique brought 94 outfits for the 150 guests to see.
Humboldt and District Community Services Executive Director, Juanine Korte, says they were really happy with the turnout.
By Apr. 11, tickets were already sold out for the event.
“Everything went very smoothly thanks to the Bella Vista and their staff, as well as the Cottage Boutique and their staff...We’ve had quite a few compliments on the evening.”
Funds raised at the event will go towards basic programming at Community Services such as basic skills training, social and recreational programming, as well as to their employment services program, community inclusion program and their residential program, says Korte.
Korte says she hopes that some of the funds can go to beautify the backyard of the group home.
Korte was also very happy with the community support the fashion show received.
Judy Plag and her staff at the Bella Vista were very supportive, said Korte, and everyone was wowed by the excellent food made by Red Seal Journeyman Chef, Alex Wilson.
Part of the show was also RBC’s Day of Service grant with three members of the RBC team volunteering at the show, two helping with the 50/50 draw, as well as one person being a model for the show.
As well as the volunteers assistance, the organization also receives $1000 from RBC which was presented at the end of the show.
Two door prizes were also donated, one by Bonnie Classen on behalf of Discovery Ford, who also emcee’d the event, and Cottage Boutique donated a gift certificate as well as providing the outfits for the show.
Cottage Boutique’s Lorie Menz, along with co-owner Anne Menz, said she could tell everyone, including the guests and 14 models had fun.
Two clients from Community Services also modeled outfits which Korte says displayed the message of inclusion that Community Services wants to promote in Humboldt.
“It put a twist on the event as well,” says Korte, “For us, we want to promote that inclusiveness in the community and the acceptance of differences.”
Menz said working with both models was a real highlight with how happy they were and how good they looked.
Modeling really builds self confidence for a lot of the models, says Menz.
This was a way to give back to the community, says Menz, but the support from the community was amazing, from the staff at Community Services and the Bella Vista.
This is something Menz is up for doing next year, she says.
“Without those main people, the Cottage Boutique and the Bella Vista, we wouldn’t have been able to do the stuff that we did,” says Korte.
