Fashionable Scholarships: Second style show Oct. 28 at Wood Fire benefits pageant

Published 12:56 pm Monday, October 9, 2006

By Staff
The Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant, in conjunction with Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, hosts a fashion show, dinner and dessert luncheon at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria, featuring today's hottest trends from The Marshall Shoppe, Underwood's Shoe Store and Vincent J. Jewelers.
The premier autumn event will be on Saturday, Oct. 28, at noon at Dowagiac's Italian restaurant downtown.
Event chairman Beth Cripe is a member of the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant Executive Committee.
Tickets are priced at $20 and are available at the Chamber of Commerce office in the historic train depot and from Cripe and other members of the Pageant Executive Committee, who include Pageant Director Tracy Galbreath; Scholarship Chairman Deb Cuthbert; Nancy Vylonis of Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital; and Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Chamber and Downtown Development Authority.
Tickets will also be available from the Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor.
Proceeds from the fashion show and luncheon are earmarked for the scholarship fund, which last year awarded $2,800 to members of the Miss Dowagiac court.
"Due to the overwhelming success of our first fashion show, which was held in the spring of 2005, members of our Executive Pageant Committee were asked to host the new autumn event," said Cripe, who served as a pageant director during the mid- to late-1990s.
Modeling the latest in autumn and winter fashions will be Miss Dowagiac 2006 Sarah Ostyn, the daughter of Dennis and Carol Ostyn, and members of her court, who are Kim Davis, first runner-up; Whitney Podell, second runner-up and Melissa Manos, Miss Congeniality.
"We are also pleased to showcase some of our past queens, as a way of honoring these wonderful women, who once represented our Grand Old City as Miss Dowagiac," Cripe said.
"In addition, this allows our fall event to feature today's hottest trends for juniors, as well as for women in their 30s, 40s and 50s. As such, the event will have a cross-generational appeal, from young women to their mothers and grandmothers."
Deb Cuthbert, who has been networking with the former queens, said the featured models will also include Anna Marie (Ely) Mallow, Miss Dowagiac 1941; Amy (Nosich) Dolhay, Miss Dowagiac 1991; and Jessica Cuthbert, Miss Dowagiac 2002.
Abby (Cuthbert) Johnson, Miss Dowagiac 1998, will serve as mistress of ceremonies.
Fashions from The Marshall Shoppe, which is celebrating its 61st year, will include seasonal apparel from such lines as Tribal, Icelandic and French Dressing, as well as Brighton jewelry and accessories.
Guests will also enjoy viewing this year's fun and fashionable furs.
"Sarah and members of her Court of Honor are especially looking forward to their appearance in the Oct. 28 fashion show as their reign comes to a close with the upcoming Jan. 27 pageant, which is now in its 68th year," said Pageant Director Tracy Galbreath. "While our young ladies have made many community appearances throughout our Grand Old City and will also appear in the upcoming Dec. 1 Candle-light Christmas Parade, the fashion show is a unique event in that it provides our pageant, which is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the opportunity to support those businesses that have so graciously supported our program over the years."
"Sue Kazlauskas, owner of The Marshall Shoppe, has been such a wonderful supporter of our scholarship pageant," Galbreath said. "We are very excited to have the opportunity to feature her business, as well as Underwood's Shoe Store, which is another long-time member of the Chamber of Commerce. This is our way of giving back to the community that has given so much to our scholarship pageant."
"Sarah and members of her court have been eager to enjoy a greater presence at our hometown events," Galbreath said. "Since being crowned at the 67th pageant in January, the court hosted a children's workshop at the Chamber's Ice Time Festival in February and returned in March to provide volunteer assistance at Easter Eggstravaganza, again working with this community's young children. New this year, in July the Court of Honor and Dowagiac District Library co-hosted the 'All Dolled Up' craft and storytime at Fun Fest. Coming up on Nov. 18 and 19, they'll return to co-host a new children's workshop with the library at Dowagiac's Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration."
"I'm very excited to participate in the autumn style show, which features merchandise from The Marshall Shoppe, Underwood Shoes and Vincent J. Jewelers," Ostyn said.
"The fashion show and luncheon is another great way for us to become involved in our hometown. It also gives me the opportunity to share some special time with some of Dowagiac's former queens, as well as members of my own court."
Galbreath said Studio 690 of Sister Lakes offered to provide on-site assistance to the models and is also providing door prizes for guests.
With seating limited, only 80 tickets will be made available for sale to the public and will be sold on a first-come basis.
"Wood Fire Italian Trattoria will provide an eloquent backdrop and atmosphere for the luncheon and fashion show," Cripe said.
Seating will be available in the main dining room.