by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Spring is a time of new beginnings, and though the official start of spring may still be a few days away, people celebrated new starts at the top of the Bank of America Tower Thursday.
Holland & Knight’s Women’s Initiative hosted “Get Connected...Fashion with a Purpose,” a charity fashion show to benefit Community Connections — a service organization that provides support for needy women, children and families. It provides daycare, after-school programs and transitional housing for the Jacksonville community.
Holland & Knight’s Women’s Initiative is a firm-wide program to support and promote women attorneys.
“We care for about 80 percent of identified, preschool homeless children of Jacksonville,” said Greg Frazier, Chief Development Officer of Community Connections. “If you are having a bad day, come by our daycare. I guarantee if you hug a kid or read to them, you’ll suddenly realize that you don’t have it so bad. We help homeless and low income families get back on their feet and not perpetuate a life of poverty.”
Some of the people who received this help volunteered to be models for the fashion show that introduced clothing from Stein Mart’s spring line. Maria Johnson, of Stein Mart, was responsible for coaching the volunteers on runway presence.
“It really wasn’t that hard,” said Johnson. “In every woman there is a diva waiting to escape.”
The seven volunteers were treated to complimentary makeovers provided by Daniel James Salon on Bay Street. Two outfits were chosen for each model, and they were told at the end of the show that they were able to keep the secondary outfit compliments of Holland & Knight and Stein Mart.
There were a lot of people that contributed to the event before the clothes were buttoned up and the lights went on. Holland & Knight’s Missy Turra, Dan Bean, Stacy Watson May, Jennifer Mansfield, Frank Morreale, Angie Coker, Didi Wells, Erin Allen and Renee Maxey were responsible for organizing the event. Wells couldn’t believe it was over Thursday night.
“I don’t know what I am going to do when I have to wake up and be a lawyer again,” said Wells, of the event that was attended by over 150 people. “I didn’t know a lot about Community Connections prior to the event, but I am impressed with all that they do to help people.”
She was so impressed that she has become an intern on the board of directors for Community Connections.
Through a silent auction and donation boxes at the event, $3,100 was raised for Community Connections. The most sought after auction item was the wine and cheese tasting party for 20 donated by Riverside Liquors and Village Wine store. It sold for $350.
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