10th Annual Fashion Show and Auction Was Biggest Success Yet

For 10 years, Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Hampshire’s annual Fashion Show and Auction has been growing into something more spectacular than the version the year before, and 2014 was no different.

Celebrating its diamond anniversary, CASA of New Hampshire’s Spring Fashion Show and Auction saw its most successful event yet thanks to hundreds of attendees and dozens of sponsors, including presenting sponsor CruCon Cruise Outlet of Moultonborough.

In total, the event raised more than $85,000 that will go directly toward advocacy on behalf of the state’s abused and neglected children. One lucky live-auction bidder went home with a five-day vacation to the Mexican Riviera, while another is bound for New York City this summer to take in the dazzle of Broadway. Dozens of other guests left the event with silent auction and raffle prizes that included Red Sox tickets, designer clothing and handbags, jewelry and a dinner for 12 prepared by the Manchester Fire Department.

Supporting the event as its major sponsor, CruCon Cruise Outlet helped make it unforgettable with the donation of hundreds of purple elephant stuffed animals to each guest, which carried an important message.

“Why an elephant, you ask,” CruCon President and CEO Sandra Cleary asked the guests. “Well, an elephant never forgets. So when you take this elephant home and you give it to your grandson, you give it to your child, you put it on your desk, you put it on your shelf; I want you to look at it and every time you see it, I want you to remember those kids that don’t have a voice, that need us, that need us to support them. That’s what this event is all about.”

Cleary said she wanted CASA to beat its records for donations, and she meant it – contributing more than $15,000 total in support of CASA’s volunteer advocates who speak for the children who don’t have a voice in court.

The fashion show and auction, held April 11 at the Castleton Banquet and Conference Center, featured a live and silent auction, a plated lunch, raffles and, of course, a live fashion show featuring notable New Hampshire women and, for the first time, men, on the runway.

Fashions for the women were provided by Susan Baroff, owner of Benton Shoe Co. of Manchester, while the men were styled by the team at Macy’s in the Mall of New Hampshire.

Honored guests of the event included Gov. Maggie Hassan and Sen. Kelly Ayotte who also addressed the attendees, and honorary event chairwoman, Dr. Susan Lynch, who walked the runway for her seventh time.

Hassan, who spoke early on in the event, thanked the sponsors and guests for helping make the fashion show CASA’s most successful fundraising event. From a young age, Hassan said her mom impressed on her the fact that the most important thing for a child to know is that they have an adult in their corner.

“Without all of you, the supporters and the volunteers that are here, CASA’s work would truly not be possible. You need to know that. This is a group effort. You represent what I like to call the ‘all hands on deck spirit of the Granite State,’” Hassan said. “You also represent what I think is unique about the Granite State and about us as a democracy. We engage with each other, we identify problems and challenges we roll up our sleeves and we get the job done…Know that in addition to helping each and every child that a volunteer is partnered up with, you are laying the groundwork to make life much better for children and families you will never meet.”

For 25 years, CASA of New Hampshire has worked to protect the rights of the state’s abused and neglected children to live, learn and grow in the embrace of a loving family. The statewide nonprofit recruits, trains and supervises volunteers from all walks of life to advocate on behalf of children who have come to the attention of the court system through no fault of their own.

In 2013, 439 volunteers donated more than 57,000 hours of their time to represent 1,053 New Hampshire children who were abused or neglected by their parents or caregivers. Further, the volunteer hours and travel put in by CASA volunteers saved the state more than $3.4 million, had paid guardians needed to be called upon to do the work.