AJWC fashion fund-raiser slated for April 15

Date: 3/28/2012

March 28, 2012

By Debbie Gardner

debbieg@thereminder.com

AGAWAM — There's still time to purchase tickets to attend the Agawam Junior Women's Club (AJWC) "Runway for Education" fashion show and fund-raiser, slated for April 15 at Chez Josef.

Fashion Show Chair and AJWC Past President Mary O'Connell said the deadline for reservations for the event, which begins with a vendor showcase and raffle at 10 a.m. followed by a noon brunch and show, is April 6. Tickets, priced at $36 per person, are available by calling Christina Beauchemin at 821-9622 or O'Connell at 786-898.

The vendor showcase will include jewelry by Halo Creations, Elegant Creations Jewelry and M & M Links, cosmetics by Jafra, gifts by It's a Girl Thing, fashions by Rowan's ReCreations, quilts and handbags by Debra Jean's Quilts and baby items by Wright's Bunny Kakes.

Fashions will be provided by Banana Republic at the Holyoke Mall and the Bon Ton in Westfield, with the current Ms. Senior Massachusetts Nancy Gomez and former Ms. Senior Massachusetts Jessie Rivers serving as special guest models for the event.

"We also have some children from club members and we hope to have some male models [this year] to spice things up," O'Connell said.

This is the 12th year the 55-year old club — a member of the general federation of women's clubs — has hosted the annual spring fund-raiser, which O'Connell said provides the major financial support for a trio of the organization's education projects — a scholarship program, an annual spelling bee with cash prizes and a bingo for books hosted in conjunction with the Agawam Public Library.

"Last year we gave out eight $500 scholarships and three $100 scholarships," O'Connell said, adding that the club weighs factors such as a student's community service when making selections.

"It's not based totally on "GPA [grade point average]," she noted.

Information on the annual scholarship program is available at www.agawamgfwc.com.

O'Connell said that in addition to ticket sales, the club, which meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Agawam Senior Center, is still seeking sponsors for the fashion show and vendors for the showcase. Additional prizes for the event's raffle would also be welcomed, O'Connell said.