Fashion and the military generally aren't two things the average person would put together.
But thanks to the efforts of tireless volunteers and local clothiers, fashion and military will come together Saturday at the Tennessee Fisher House Foundation Luncheon and Fashion Show.
As part of the Murfreesboro Bicentennial's Military Month, the Fisher House will hold the fashion show at 11:30 Saturday morning at the Stones River Country Club, located at 1830 NW Broad St., in Murfreesboro.
Models at the parade of fashions won't wear fatigues, combat boots and camouflage either. They will be sporting fashions from Penny's Closet, Trendy Pieces and Bella's Boutique.
Providing clothes and models was the least her stores could do, explained Judy Goldie, owner of Trendy Pieces and Bella's Boutique, adding the sacrifices of veterans allow her the freedom to run a business in this country.
“I was called on to do this – and I've been called on to do a lot lately – and I thought about passing on it. But the more I found out about the Fisher House, the more I liked it,” she said about the charity that is raising money to build a home for veterans' families at the Alvin C. York Veterans Administration Medical Center in Murfreesboro.
“It's kind of like a Ronald McDonald House for the military,” explained Claire Maxwell, fashion show coordinator and Fisher House Foundation volunteer.
The Tennessee Fisher House will be “a home away from home” for families, living more than 50 miles away, of patients receiving medical care at the York VA and Nashville VA hospitals.
“You heal faster and you heal better with your family around you,” Maxwell said about the importance of building a Fisher House in Middle Tennessee.
Maxwell said the foundation hopes to break ground this summer, and a two-year fundraising campaign is mostly completed.
The foundation has raised $1.9 million of its $2.25 million goal, Board member Hooper Penuel said. He added the money has come from small donors and large ones, like the Vanderbilt ROTC that held a 5K race to raise money for the organization.
Maxwell wants the fashion show to raise a large chunk too.
Tickets are still available for $25 and includes lunch and the show. They can be reserved by calling 615-351-2262 or 615-916-1310.
The fashion show will recognize the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by featuring models from the Fisher House Foundation and actual veterans, Goldie said.
Eight of her 10 models have a direct connection to the cause, either as wives, mothers, sisters, or friends of veterans. She said three models are veterans, one of which will give his personal story about how the Fisher House in Tampa, Fla., helped him heal after returning from active duty in Afghanistan.
“They all have a story about why they are involved,” Goldie said. “They are the ones who have really sacrificed so I can have a small business in a free country.” |
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