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Fashioning Our Lives

Glynell Baker beams with pride as she models for the fashion show.

On May 20, 2004 St. Margaret's House held the 3rd Annual

Fashioning Our Lives Fashion Show, Art Auction, and Luncheon

This years theme was "A Garden of Style"

The events were held at the South Bend Marriott Ballroom            May 20th, 2004

Doors opened and silent auction began at 11:00a.m.  

The following is an article from the June Newsletter

Fashioning Our Lives Showcased Talent and Strength

“I wonder who got my flower pot?” was the question from Latisha Bonds, one of the many St. Margaret's House guests who hand painted some of the 240 flower pots that served as centerpieces for St. Margaret's House’s annual Fashioning Our Lives Luncheon. Over 185 people attended the talent, fashion show and art auction was held at the Riverfront South Bend Marriott on May 20. 

The Fashioning Our Lives luncheon showcased the talent and strength of the women of St. Margaret's House.  The guests of St. Margaret's House spent months preparing for the event.  Under the leadership of Mary Fran Brandenburger, over 35 guests worked together to hand paint the centerpieces that were filled with flowers and given as gifts to the attendees.  Guests created and donated original pieces of art for the art auction, served as hostesses and greeters and performed in the fashion/talent show.  The guests of St. Margaret's House donated their time and talent because they wanted to contribute to the work and mission of St. Margaret's House.

Amanda Hart, weekend news anchor for 22WSBT TV served as the moderator for the event.  She spoke of how she was first impressed with the sense of community at St. Margaret's House when she came two years ago to do a story for WSBT’s 22 Ways of Giving.   Under the direction and careful eye of our guest services coordinator, Clara Ross, the clothes this year were chosen from the donated clothes of SMH clothes closet.  Jean Bradley and her associates from Bradley Hair Designs styled the hair and Marie Pease, owner of her own Mary Kay Cosmetics business contributed her talents to apply make-up to all the women.  Each model was decked out in sterling silver jewelry by Kelly Sage of Silpada Designs.

The models and singers looked elegant and impressed the crowd with their stories of strength and victory.  One of the models, Kathy, related that she has become victorious,  “What I have been through, domestic violence, verbal abuse, I had to change my life around or else I would have died. Because of the beating I know have seizures. I’ve learned the truth about life. I matter, I’m important.”  Kathy wanted to be a part of this because she modeled when she was 10 and it is something she likes to do. She also wanted to participate because she said “I’d like to do anything I can to help St. Margaret’s House.”

Thanks to everyone who helped make this event such a great success and a special thanks to the corporate sponsors and donors for contributing your time, money and talent to “Fashioning Our Lives.”

Why a Fashion Show?

This Luncheon and Fashion Show was conceived as part of the overall empowerment program for the guests of St. Margaret's House.  One of the most important things we do is to help women re-envision themselves by discovering their beauty, strengths and giftedness within.  We help them to replace destructive self-descriptions with positive self-images. The Fashioning Our Lives fashion and talent show is a culmination of an empowering process begun long ago within the caring and supportive community of St. Margaret's House.