A fashion show and old-fashioned tea just in time for Mother’s Day

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April 29, 2008 7:00 am

A Mother’s Day tradition is being born, and it involves clothes and a tea party.

Lopez Thrift Shop and Lopez Island Hospice and Home Support (LIHHS) are sponsoring their Second Annual Mothers’ Day tea on May 9 at Lopez Center. The festivities start at 1:30 p.m., although doors will open earlier.

Attendees will be served a proper English tea with polished silver tea services while watching a fashion show of Thrift Shop treasures plus clothes from Gallery 10 and Village Apparel. There will also be live music from a cappella group Take Four, an auction of clothing and jewelry, a raffle for a pampering package, and door prizes. Lopez Village Market is paying for all the food and beverages, which includes cucumber sandwiches with trimmed crusts, egg salad sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches, salmon salad sandwiches, and sweet treats.

Many of the models from last year are returning to strut their stuff, plus a few new faces. “We’re going to dazzle them with a Lopez intimate apparel portion – Victoria’s Secret eat your heart out!” laughed event coordinator Elizabeth Potter. Following the show, Thrift Shop clothing items will be for sale – Gallery 10 and Village Apparel clothes can be purchased at their stores.

Over 144 people attended last year. “We’re going to seat it for 200 this year,” said Potter. Proceeds are split down the middle for LIHHS and the Thrift Shop. Last year, each group made more than $2000. LIHHS will be using its funds to support ongoing programs, which provide quality, no-cost hospice and home support services and resources to the Lopez Community experiencing illness and/or loss. LIHHS is a non-profit, volunteer organization.

The Thrift Shop will put the money towards its building fund for construction of a new facility on a plot of land behind Lopez Village Market. Plans have been drawn and the septic permit has been approved.

The Thrift Shop celebrated 26 years of giving back to the community, honoring volunteers during its annual luncheon last week. The Thrift Shop donates all of the money it makes after expenses back to the community in the form of grants. This year, the following groups received funding: Lopez Animal Protection Society, Lopez School Farm to School Program, Skate Lopez, Lopez Community Land Trust garden program, Lopez Senior Services, Lopez Conservation Corps, Lopez Children’s Center, Lopez Family Resource Center, and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. Since 2005, three non-profits permanently receive money each month: Catherine Washburn Memorial Association (CWMA), Lopez Island Hospice and Home Support, and Lopez Island Lions Club. CWMA chose to give back its monthly grant money to go into the Thrift Shop’s building fund.

Tickets for the tea and fashion show are $25 and are available at Lopez Thrift Shop, Lopez Hospice, Islehaven Books, Blossom Organic Grocery, Paper Scissors on the Rock, and Southend Deli. Tickets will also be for sale in Lopez Village Market on Friday, May 2.