Resourceful.
It’s a good word to describe MaryAnn Franklin, Nina Henderson Moore and Kaarin Pigford, co-chairs of Fall Trends 2014, a cocktail party, silent auction and fashion show benefiting the .
They knew it would be a snap to sell tickets to their female friends. The men in their lives, though? A different story entirely.
So they came up with a plan that didn’t involve begging or pleading with their husbands or boyfriends to join them at Neiman Marcus Cherry Creek this past Sunday evening:
A pre-show party geared toward the men.
After checking in at 5 p.m., the women remained in the store’s couture department for refreshments prepared and served by culinary students from while the fellas, including Jim Kaiser, Tom Maxey, Moses Brewer, Ira LaNier, Carl Pigford, Dr. Elder Granger and Paul Staten, headed downstairs to men’s furnishings to watch football on big-screen TVs while enjoying hot dogs, spirits, shoe shines and fellowship.
And when it was showtime, there were outfits for both men and women.
Net proceeds from the sold-out event go to support chapter philanthropies, especially its Stepping into the Future initiative at .
There, says chapter president Tina Walls, members work to “enhance the educational experience and close the achievement gap through math and reading tutoring; a writing program; music and arts instruction; and healthy lifestyles and career-awareness learning sessions.”
The Links also take Hallett students on field trips to places like the state Capitol, the City and County Building, the U.S. District Court, Denver International Airport, the Denver Center Theatre Company, the Denver Art Museum and to a ski resort.
Hallett’s principal, Charmaine Keeton, was among those attending Fall Trends 2014, joining a crowd that also included state Rep. Rhonda Fields; Denver’s former first lady, Wilma Webb; and federal judge Wiley Daniel with his wife, Ida, a past president of Denver chapter of The Links; their daughter, Jennifer Collins, president of the organization’s , and Ida’s mother, Loleta Seymour.
Delores Bolden Stamps, co-director of national programs for The Links, came in from Mississippi to attend the show with her daughter, Keceya Campbell, a new member of the Denver chapter.
Others taking part in the festivities were Happy Haynes, president of the Denver School board, with her sisters, Khadija and Mary; Wy Livingston, owner of ; Victoria Scott Haynes; Alicia Harvey; Glenda Barry with her daughter-in-law, Heather; Janet Adams; Nita Mosby Henry; Sherry Jackson; Peju Alawusa; LaDawn Sullivan; Christy Calvin; Myrtle Roane; June Johnson; Tamika Pumphrey; Linda Williams; Toi Massey; and Carolyn Ash.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
