OSCODA – The Northeast Sunrise Charter Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) held its 27th fashion show fundraiser at the AuSable Inn and Riverview Restaurant on Thursday, Oct. 10. This year’s theme was “Northern Lights.”
The room was filled with lively conversation and laughter throughout the night. ABWA members Belinda Kusibab and Catherine Demeter served as the Emcees for the event and kept the program moving. Cecelia Gabel and Kathy Carmona kept the models organized.
The sold-out event included a social hour with cash bar and appetizers at 5 p.m., sit down dinner for 150 at 6 p.m. and the fashion show that started at 7 p.m.
During the social hour guests placed their tickets in Chinese Raffle drawings for gift baskets and gift certificates and purchased 50/50 tickets. Prize drawings took place throughout the night. The grand prize was a $200 gift certificate.
Models of all ages, shapes and sizes strutted down the runway to show off outfits from local Oscoda and Tawas businesses. B-Trendy Boutique, The Tea Corner Emporium, Chick’n Dots, The Ladies’ Room, and Styled by Blake all showed the wide variety of fashion choices available on the sunrise side.
The $40 price of admission included dinner, 15 tickets for the gift basket drawings and one ticket for the $200 gift card drawing. Numerous local businesses sponsored the event, and contributed gift certificates and gift baskets that were raffled off.
Platinum sponsors, who contributed $200 each, included Goyette Mechanic Co., Huron Tent & Event, Irish Pub, Kalitta Air, Lake Life Cottages, P&L Development and Manufacturing, PKL Cares, Queen Bee Soiree, Sunrise Realty of Oscoda, Tiny Rebels Child Care and Vic Bond Sales.
The fashion show, which is typically a sold-out event, raises scholarship funds for local women. In 2024 Macy Kellstrom, Emma Lukach, Hannah Gallahar, Evelina Olmos, Danica Jamison and Elle Kellstrom all received scholarships. Since its inception in 1993, the ABWA chapter has awarded more than $85,000 in scholarships.
Dave Carmona served as the DJ, playing runway music throughout the evening.
The mission of the ABWA is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition.
Kusibab made a point of saying that anyone can join the local chapter, whether they own a business or not, or are retired.
Attendees received a preview of the upcoming Roper Romp when Demeter came out dressed as Helen Roper, a character on the 1970s sitcom “Three’s Company” with a short curly red wig, wearing a caftan, and looking for her husband Stanley during one of the breaks.
The local version of the Roper Romp, an event that is sweeping the nation, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 16 to coincide with the opening weekend of deer season.
The local ABWA chapter holds monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday with a program at various local restaurants. More information about the organization, and the Roper Romp, can be found on the organization’s Facebook page facebook.com/groups/abwasunrise.
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