Women at the First United Church of Christ are getting funky for charity.
Members of the women’s fellowship have put together their edgiest ensembles from the racks of the church’s Thrifty Treasures Thrift Shop and will be strutting the runway on Friday to raise funds for numerous outreach programs supported by the 51-year-old congregation. Volunteers have spent months preparing for the event, dubbed the Funky Fashion Show and Luncheon. They’ve assembled a collection of clothing and accessories that include grass hula skirts and a frilly wedding gown. The wilder, the better. The parade of gently used garb kicks off at 11:30 a.m. in the social hall, 200 N. 46th Ave. in Hollywood. Organizers are expecting a sellout, with 80 guests paying $10 each to be entertained and dine on chicken a la king. The show’s not about couture. It’s about having fun and giving back to the community, said women’s fellowship president Elaine St. Pierre, who’ll be wearing a heavily beaded black, silver and gold cocktail dress coupled with a pair of pink shoes and a red purse. ”It’s going to be crazy,” said Nesha Mengersen, one of 10 models participating in the event. Everyone has a good time. We love it.” This is the third funky fashion revue the ladies have held. Past shows in 2004 and 2005 were successful, but the fellowship decided to put the fundraiser on a brief hiatus so it wouldn’t lose luster, said Ruth Goelz, thrift shop manager.
”We didn’t want to do it annually,” Goelz said. Anything gets old if you do it too often.”