Sun City Fall Fashion Show benefits shelter for women in need
SUN CITY – Autumn has arrived with its visions of brightly colored leaves, sun-drenched pumpkins, and early morning fog. At Sun City, this crisp-weathered season means an annual showing of fall/winter fashions in Drendel Ballroom. On display yearly are cooler weather trends in fabrics, colors, and styles of clothing for the fashion-conscious mature woman shopper.
Models pose for a photo during Sun City’s Fall Fashion Show on Sept. 23. Proceeds from the show benefited Women In Need Growing Stronger. (Photo Provided)
This year was no exception with Sun City’s Fall Fashion Show Luncheon on Sept. 23, held under the direction of Special Events’ Coordinator Renee Swanson. The late morning/early afternoon lunch menu consisted of pumpkin soup, chicken salad, and spumoni ice cream with petit fours presented to a sold-out crowd of 209 ladies.
Immediately following the luncheon, the fashion show began under the leadership of Fashion Show Chairman, Helene Weston.
“Give credit to Helene and her volunteers for the time and energy to coordinate everything, and for working with Renee,” Cynthia O’Connor, director of Lifestyles, said.
Featuring such designer names as Michael Kors and Betsey Johnson, and for the second consecutive year, SteinMart Department Store, Kildeer location, offered its store’s discounted clothes and management expertise.
Wearing both regular and petite-sized clothing, the 12 volunteer resident models were: Maxine Baratz, Janet Becker, Kathy Bell, Andrea Berebitsky, Barbara Bowman, Denise Chodle, Helke Loughlin, Linda Knopsnyden, Joanie Koplos, Sandra Kruse, Sherri Manz, and Lynn Meyer. The 24 modeled fashions were personally selected by each model.
“I always look forward to the fashion show at Drendel,” Chodle said. “It is great fun, going from table to table and modeling for the lovely ‘ladies who lunch.’”
“It was great fun to model fashions from SteinMart,” Loughlin said. “The audience of Sun City was very enthusiastic and supportive.”
“I love shopping for clothes, so modeling them is the next best fun thing to do with them,” Manz said.
Audience members enjoyed the fun atmosphere of the show and lunch.
“The highlight of the fashion show was personally knowing most of the models,” Margarete Liedtke, Sun City resident, said. “So naturally much of the conversation at the scrumptious table was about the models and how they looked in their fashionable outfits.”
Models show off fall fashions from SteinMart in Drendel Ballroom on Sept. 23 (Photo Provided)
With October named Domestic Awareness Month, Women In Need Growing Stronger was chosen as the afternoon’s charity. W.I.N.G.S. provides Chicagoland area homeless women and their children a safe haven from abuse. By providing transitional housing, medical care, training, and resources, these women are able to reach economic independence.
One young lady, a “graduate of the program,” and now employed at Kildeer’s SteinMart, emotionally delivered her own autobiography at the conclusion of the day’s festivities.
Attendees who brought in “gently used clothing” that day were assured their contributions would be used at W.I.N.G.S.’ resale stores, where sale proceeds are used for continued funding of present and future programs. One local W.I.N.G.S. resale store can be found at 855 W. Higgins Road, Schaumburg. For further store information, call 847-884-7411.
