Houston Women’s Auxiliary Raises More Than $1.1 Million on Annual Clothing Extravaganza

By: Kathryn Sacco Smith

A star-studded crowd of shoppers rushed through the doors of River Oaks Country Club to get first dibs on the designer pieces offered in the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary Reflections on Style event. The event raised over $1.1 million for the programs and services of the Army. Appreciation is expressed to all donors and sponsors including: Abientot, Tribute Goods, Briargrove Pharmacy, Caruggi, and Woody's who donated new items for the 4-day sale that had 157 racks and displays in the space. At the close of the sale, there were only three racks of merchandise left.

This year's theme was "Reflections on Style, Cirque du SAWA." The luncheon sold out in one day with over 500 people in attendance. Shoppers enjoyed a festive morning of steals and deals, lunch, and Couture Runway Show. Guests were invited back to the salon to shop the incredible runway show selection of designer clothing, handbags and shoes.

Leading the helm of this coveted ticket were Kristy Liedtke and Mary Maxey. The Chic Boutique Gold Co-Chairs were Rhonda Jones and Pam Sengelmann and Chic Boutique Showroom Chairs were Mikki Donnelly and Maryann Gerity.

The esteemed honoree was Ann Roff, honored for her generous support and longtime service commitment to The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary and many other worthy organizations. The Roffs were instrumental in funding the first emergency women's shelter in the city in 2011.

The luncheon sold-out immediately and 4-day fashion sale was held on Wednesday, April 12-15th, 5125 Richmond Avenue formerly at World Market. The Chic Boutique Showroom is only open once a year.

The very best shopping deals come from some of Houston's best closets. This year's event featured "Pre-Loved" or new designer clothes, shoes, handbags and jewelry from top designers such as Valentino, Escada, Chanel, Prada, Oscar de la Renta, as well as many mid-range treasures from Milly, Tahari, Lafayette and Worth. The racks were full of fabulous finds from Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and Talbots for shoppers to choose from.

Shopping their hearts out: Vicki West, Ann Bookout, Lilly Andress, Linda McReynolds, Darlene Clark, Allison Gemp, Maura Montgomery, Judy Tate, Tom Forney, Jenny Elkins, Phoebe Tudor, Stick DeLaup, Lucy Lewis, Maggie Austin, Maureen Higdon, Judy Chong, Darlene Clark, Connie Wallace, Jane and Jim Wise, Lynn Wyatt and Jan Griesenbeck, among many others.

For more information on this fashion frenzy, please contact Kathryn Smith at 713-252.5414 or stourtellot@aol.com.

Other News Briefs

• In Memphis, Tennessee, The Salvation Army hosted its third annual Kettle365 Telethon during National Salvation Army Week. The telethon aims to raise funds to support the social services programs at The Purdue Center of Hope and address the consequences of intergenerational poverty. The 2023 edition raised more than $28,000, with donors led to give at four levels, ranging from a night of care to a month of care for a family in need.
• The Salvation Army of Lubbock, Texas hosted a "Build a Box" event on Thursday, May 18. With the help of a large food donation emanating from a recent U.S. Postal Service food drive, The Salvation Army welcomed individuals and families to its facility to pick out their own food items, including canned food, cereal, pasta, produce, and more.
• A dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held at The Salvation Army's Center of Hope in Pascagoula, Mississippi. This facility underwent an extensive renovation with the help of a substantial donation from Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation. "Today is about so much more than giving a facility a new look, or making it more functional or efficient," said Major Mark Harwell, divisional commander. "Today is about hope." The center is focused heavily on workforce preparation and training resources, with a grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality helping to make the Workforce Development program possible.
• H-E-B Bakery came alongside The Salvation Army for National Donut Day across the Texas Division. The company donated 420 dozen donuts to be distributed across the state, and H-E-B also donated 2 percent of all sales during the week to support Salvation Army services in Texas communities. In three of the company's locations in San Antonio, Waco, and Austin, H-E-B also held in-store promotions and demonstrations, with H-E-B employees provided with Salvation Army shirts as part of the event.
• On May 18, The Salvation Army of Greensboro, North Carolina held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for a new location to serve the residents of Chatham County. Cindy Poindexter, president of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, and Siler City Mayor Chip Price III attended the event. The venue allows for expanded service to the community, including the expansion of The Salvation Army's emergency assistance program. "We are thrilled with the new location and look forward to many more years helping the citizens of Chatham County" said Captain Chris Raymer, corps officer. "During the last few years, especially with the pandemic, many individuals continued to reach out for immediate needs, and our desire has always been to meet those needs without discrimination. We are grateful to continue serving with this new location."