Fashion is the name and thrifting is the game, at the Salvation Army's first ever Second Hand Chic Fashion Show to be held May 30 at the Keynote Cafe.
The Jeannette Salvation Army has partnered with the Salvation Army in Greensburg to present a “thrifting” fashion show to raise funds for local feeding programs.
Well-known local personalities will model chic outfits that were purchased from Salvation Army Thrift stores. No single outfit can cost more than $30.
According to Jeannette's commanding officer, Maj. Kathleen Waddell, all proceeds from the Salvation Army Thrift Stores fund the program's adult rehabilitation center in Pittsburgh. This center is a long-term residential treatment center that assists people with drug and alcohol problems and is open to residents of Westmoreland County.
The event is sponsored by Justice Works Family of Services and Excela Health.
“The Salvation Army has been a good partner to Justice Works,” said Lara Gillespie, the event chairperson. “They have provided meeting space for Justice Works to meet with clients and to hold Family Group Decision Making processes and the Army is an excellent resource for our clients.”
Gillespie is employed by Justice Works as the family group decision making coordinator.
“We are also excited that Excela has provided a sponsorship for us through their connection with the Greensburg Salvation Army. It is very important that we have community partners.”
The event will begin around 7 p.m. with a fashion show, but will be interspersed with a live auction and musical interludes.
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Waddell, who has acted as an auctioneer for the Army, will auction off several items during the course of the evening, including a Taste of Jeannette Basket, which will have gift cards from several of the restaurants in Jeannette. There will be a similar restaurant basket from Greensburg.
In addition to the live auction, there will be a Chinese basket auction.
Although proceeds from the purchase of clothing goes to the rehab program, all the other event proceeds will go to the Salvation Army's feeding programs.
“A lot of peoples' unemployment is running out and they are in need of food,” said Waddell. “Because they are losing this financial support. Also the food stamp (SNAP) program has been cut and some of the people we serve have had their food stamps decreased by as much as half.”
Although, the Second Hand Chic Fashion Show and Gala committee has not finished recruiting models, the current list of models includes Chad and Jaela Fetty, their daughter Elizabeth, and Fetty's brother Jason, and his son, Waylon. The Fetty brothers are musicians and the originators of the popular local band East Coast Turnaround.
Other local models include city councilman Bill Bedont and his son Anthony, Amanda Bossi, Bradford Tillman, Bob and Kathie Tanyer, April Parsons, Kelly Decaro and Marilyn Fox.
“I'm anxious to see what some of the outfits will look like,” said Waddell. “I think it will be amazing to see how creative the models will be with their purchases.”
Other models include county commissioners Ted Kopas and Chuck Anderson, Miss Greensburg Ginny Clara, county Clerk of Courts Brian Kline and Susan Houser with State Farm Insurance.
“This is going to be a lot of fun,” said Gillespie. “Most people know the local personalities in the community through work or other professional activities. This will be a chance to see them in a fun atmosphere and also to let the models kick back and enjoy themselves and let their personalities shine through for a good cause. The committee is also very grateful to Jill Sorrels for making the Keynote Cafe available for us to use.”
The Salvation's Army Second Hand Chic Fashion Show and Gala will be held May 30, at the Keynote Cafe on Fourth Street in Jeannette. Tickets go on sale to the public on May 10.
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