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Volunteers strut their stuff on the runway
(by Karen F. Mrnarevic - April 23, 2008)
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Staff Photos by Karen F. Mrnarevic
Members of the Pascack Hills Class of 2008 volunteered to be models at the school’s annual fashion show fundraiser, “Grand and Glamorous,” sponsored by the Parent Faculty Association. Behind the scenes, seniors prepare for the show. Pictured from left, Megan O'Brien, Amy Schuster, Karlee Georgia, Alexandra Abene, Allyson Kist, Juliana Abene, Daniella Pic, Bradleigh Margulies, Dina Ginzberg.
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After spending countless hours soliciting donations, organizing volunteers and assembling gift baskets, the Parent Faculty Association and senior class of
Pascack
Hills
High school finally saw the fruits of their labor Thursday night as their annual Fashion Show fundraiser drew a massive crowd, eager to help support the school.
Over 400 people attended the event to bid on an extravagant array of donated merchandise and watch members of the Hills class of 2008 “work it” on the runway.
According to PFA president Jeff Schneider, what went on behind the scenes is the perfect example of people having their priorities in the right place. Many of the PFA members who helped put the gigantic fundraiser together are working mothers; co-chair Donna Abene is a member of the Woodcliff Lake Board of Education, and the other co-chair, Donna Sirlin, just recently got married.
“Everyone seems to think they are too busy to volunteer their time,” said Schneider, “but here you see people who really don’t ‘have the time,’ but they give anyway.” The moral of the story, he says, is that volunteering for the benefit of the kids is something anybody, even the busiest members of the community, can find time to do. “You can if you want to,” he says.
Susan Seidenburg, who solicited donations for the raffle prizes along with fellow PFA member Ann Denson, said that the pair spent months “pounding the pavement and knocking on doors.” Once the items were gathered, a team of nine PFA moms separated the goods into thematic groupings and artfully arranged them in baskets. There were a total of 159 baskets offered at the raffle, all of which were assembled and wrapped by hand over the course of a week.
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Pascack Hills High School Senior Erica Heller, of
Woodcliff
Lake , has her hair done by Gina Cosseta of Creative Expressions in Hillsdale in preparation for the runway show.
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The models, all members of the Pascack Hills class of 2008, wore clothing lent by numerous area stores. Each student chose a store and selected an outfit to wear, either formal or casual. Back stage at the show, while the boys milled about in tuxedoes and dipped into the buffet offerings, the girls were coifed and made up, helping one another into full-length gowns and cocktail dresses and applying blush and eyeliner. Wielding a can of hairspray and a curling iron, Kathy Tighe, of Creative Expressions salon in Hillsdale, said she has been donating time and resources to the fashion show for 18 years.
The models, all members of the Pascack Hills class of 2008, wore clothing lent by numerous area stores. Each student chose a store and selected an outfit to wear, either formal or casual. Back stage at the show, while the boys milled about in tuxedoes and dipped into the buffet offerings, the girls were coifed and made up, helping one another into full-length gowns and cocktail dresses and applying blush and eyeliner. Wielding a can of hairspray and a curling iron, Kathy Tighe, of Creative Expressions salon in Hillsdale, said she has been donating time and resources to the fashion show for 18 years.
“When these girls were born was the first year I did this,” she says. She has come back every year with a team of stylists to give the gift of beauty to the students. “They’re part of our community, and we’ve always wanted to help out.”
According to Schneider, the total raised at the event should top $30,000 this year. The proceeds will not only benefit the senior class, but the whole school. A portion of the money raised will be reserved for school programs like special assemblies and guest speakers; another portion will be allotted for need-based college scholarships, and some money will go toward a class gift for the school. But the majority of funds raised will go toward “Safe Graduation,” which is program run to make sure that the entire senior class stays safe and has a fantastic time on graduation night.
Karen F. Mrnarevic's e-mail address is Mrnarevic@northjersey.com.
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