AROUND TOWN: Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary Fashion Show

Showcasing the season’s best looks was among the highlights at the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary’s 12th Annual Fashion Show and Luncheon Nov. 1 at Cheyenne Mountain Resort. More than 200 guests attended the event to benefit the Salvation Army’s Red Shield after-school program for underprivileged children in El Paso County.

“We do tutoring, educational field trips, scholarships and back to school aid,” said Maj. Judy Bennett  of the Salvation Army.

"It’s really a great program.”

After guests bid on the more than 150 silent auction items, many of them holiday themed, they were treated to a lunch and fashion show.

Fashions were provided by Coldwater Creek, Bellissima and Walmart.

Leggy models strutted in lots of faux fur, muted metallics, colorful outerwear, shimmering holiday wear and embellished leggings.

What made this show a standout, aside from the glitz and glamour, were the beautiful children models. They were all members of the Red Shield program and through the generosity of Walmart, they were allowed to keep the clothes they modeled.

Many members of the Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary greeted and guided guests including auxiliary president Melinda Mazzarella, event co-chairs Gunnel Zetterson and Joyce Robinson, Maj. John Bennett, Barbara Cirbo, Bev Clark, Alice Henderson, Gigi Nichols and Michele Tennesen.

Members also welcomed special guest Lt. Col. Diane O’Brien, the Salvation Army Territorial Women’s Auxiliary Secretary, who flew in from California for the event. She founded the local women’s auxiliary.

“I started this women’s auxiliary 24 years ago from scratch and to come here and see this great event is wonderful,” O’Brien said.

“It’s really important for women’s auxiliaries to raise awareness and funds for the Salvation Army. So I like to tell people to gossip the good news,” she said.

Coordinators said the event raised about $17,000 for Red Shield.