The Aktion Club of Santa Maria is holding its seventh annual Fashion in Aktion show on March 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. Models of all ages will strut their stuff, wearing outfits that come from Vocational Training Center (VTC) thrift shops.
This sometimes-raucous event usually attracts about 400 attendees for an afternoon of entertainment, delicious food, and silent auction prizes.
The stars of the show are the models themselves, many of whom are members of the Aktion Club, a branch of the Kiwanis organization that gives adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to give back to the community. The 11-year-old Santa Maria Aktion Club boasts about 20 members, and the fashion show is just one of the many fundraisers they sponsor. The club is a partnership between VTC, the Kiwanis Club, and the Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department.
“The Aktion Club is involved in as many things as we can that give back to the community. Our members are very, very proud of their contributions and feel very good about helping others,” said Julie Posada, director of commercial services at VTC and Aktion Club advisor.
The fashion show is a relaxed, loud, laughter-filled event with the approximately 90 models playing up to the judges in their efforts to win votes with a conspiratorial wink or even a bribe. The volunteer judges this year are KSBY Santa Maria reporter Nikki Ibarra; Santa Maria City Council member Alice Patino; and Howard Johnson, district chair for Aktion clubs. The masters of ceremony are the Sun’s own Wendy Thies Sell and husband Mike Sell.
“The participation and local support is great,” Posada continued. “Almost everything is donated by the community or is provided by VTC companies, such as the printing and catering. … We end up with models ranging in age from 3 to 80 years old, and lots of other volunteers, too. It is a very fun afternoon and definitely not just for women.”
All proceeds from the Fashion in Aktion show, usually about $15,000 a year, support VTC programs. Aktion Club members confer after the fashion show and decide how to spend the money, usually selecting a project related to employment. With the money raised over the last two years, they were able to open a thrift shop in Lompoc, which employs nine adults with disabilities, and another small shop in Santa Maria, which also employs nine people.
General admission to the Fashion in Aktion show is $25, runway seating is $45, and decorated corporate sponsor tables for up to eight guests cost $350. Tickets are also available at the door at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Center, 313 W. Tunnell St., in Santa Maria.
For more information or to reserve a table, contact Posada at 928-5000, Ext. 138.
Intern Pamella Wood compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 22-29, 2012.