One of St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center’s signature fundraiser is getting ready for its 40th year. Haute with Heart Fashion Show and Luncheon features a fashion show, with students, celebrities and long time supporters and staff on the runway, lunch, boutique shopping, silent and live auctions, opportunity drawings and topping it off with the traditionally loved performance by the Center’s students.
One of St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center’s signature fundraiser is getting ready for its 40th year. Haute with Heart Fashion Show and Luncheon features a fashion show, with students, celebrities and long time supporters and staff on the runway, lunch, boutique shopping, silent and live auctions, opportunity drawings and topping it off with the traditionally loved performance by the Center’s students.
Leonard Simpson’s Fashion Forward is producing the runway show and this year’s Haute with Hear will honor longtime supporters Laurie and Carlee McGrath.
Debra Emerson, CEO St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center said this fashion show is its major fundraiser for the year. Getting paid based on day rate, many do not realize that St. Madeleine falls short $2,500 a year. She said this is an important fundraiser because it brings in people that support St. Madeleine from all over the county.
“That’s really exciting,” she said. “Our students are always in the show, so I tell people to always bring Kleenex, because it really touches you. Then, the fashion show itself is fabulous. It’s like a New York production. Once people go, they come again and they bring their friends. Its family friendly, and everyone brings their grandchildren, nieces and other family members. It’s my favorite event of the year and it’s a lot of hard work for staff. But we get a lot of great donations and our community works hard to put this show on.”
This is Haute with Heart’s 40th year. Originally this event was started by St. Madeleine’s Women’s Auxiliary in 1977, starting with the mothers here raised money for the kids because the kids were still young in the 70s. They will be honored at the event. Auxiliary put this event together and then handed it over to St. Madeleine because grew to be too large for it to handle.
Emerson said the work is nonstop at the Center and they have many ongoing and upcoming projects.
“We’re working on the pool,” she said. “The ceramics department is now open and we are now working on a Senior’s Center out by the Garden House, hopefully next year. We’re getting ready to install solar before the end of the year. Our electric bill is around $10,000 a month so it will save us at least 75 to 80 percent. That’s a big savings for us over the year and the money can go towards programs. We’re now working with Outside the Lens after I met the CEO there, and I knew that we could do that. They have curriculum that they are already using working with the schools. We will be displaying some of that at the show to highlight our partnership with them. It’s photography and poems.”
St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center 40th Haute with Heart Fashion Show and Luncheon
Saturday, Aug. 19
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Sapphire Ballroom
1 Park Blvd., San Diego
Tickets:
$125/Preferred – $225/Premier
Tables:
$1,100/Preferred – $2,100/Premier
RSVP online or by phone
www.HauteWithHeart.org
(619) 442-5129 ext. 115
About St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center
St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center (SMSC), a nonprofit organization in El Cajon, CA, educates and empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to realize their full potential. Founded in 1966 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, the Center first focused on pre-school children with developmental disabilities. When public schools began to assume that role in the early 1970s, SMSC shifted its focus to adults with developmental disabilities. Today, SMSC provides work training and social experiences that encourage students to become well-rounded, contributing members of the greater community. The Center also strives to educate the community about the realities of developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy. It employs over 110 staff members and is served by more than 150 dedicated volunteers. A fleet of some 30 paratransit vans and buses transports students between home, campus, and work sites, five days a week. For more information, visit www.stmsc.org.
