last night i attended a benefit for the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. the organization is building its very own location here in the heart of kitty city in order to provide a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill or injured children who travel here to our local medical facilities.

i must admit - i knew little about this charity before last night, and the stories i heard last night were heart wrenching. these women we heard speak had the strength of a medieval warrior mixed with the passion of glenda the good witch.

the fundraiser hosted a fashion show featuring "model moms" who have used a Ronald McDonald House in the past and were there to share their experiences with over 300 women. the sense of community built within these houses was overpowering - relationships built while doing laundry or cooking dinner were what was most important to these families, the sense that there were other families there who were going through similar situations provided some comfort at the end of the day.

the fashion show itself, put on by a little birdie named Melissa Lamkin, was awesome! local boutiques came together and donated clothes, shoes, jewelry, and other accessories for the "model moms" along with other models cast from Wilhelmina Evolution. looks that stuck in my mind after the event had ended ran the gamut, everything from the cream Milly dress with gold jewels on the neckline and a plunging back, to the Alice & Trixie maxi dress in a bold purple, pink, yellow, navy aztec print, and then back to the jaw dropping cobalt blue sweetheart strapless party dress. it looked like the skinnie minnie had literally jumped off of a diving board into a huge cupcake - my favorite kind of dress...

all in all i would say it was a successful night, mini crabcakes, vodkas with lime, soda pop tabs for drink tickets, and the support given to a great cause in charlotte - what more could you ask for in a thursday night benefit?


xo marysue