CCW Fashion Show a huge success

By Louise Barrett

Reporting: More angels around our parish.
I know for a fact, this time, that the ones I am writing about are real people, not angels in disguise. They acted like angels this past Saturday at our Fashion Show, and I thought I almost saw wings. These ladies/children will remain anonymous because their acts of charity were done from the goodness God has cultivated within them and the acts were done with no desire for recognition.

The scene: Our Parish center filled with 155 women and 3 brave men.
The tables are filled nearly to capacity with a vacant seat or two scattered and it was difficult to see where there was a vacancy. A beautiful family needing nine seats arrived looking for a table together.

The Problem: No empty table for nine
Like the ones who came to Jesus at the wedding in Cana when the wine ran out, intercessors for the family's need approached the Fashion Show Committee when the seating "ran out". It was an impossible task. There were no empty tables, never mind more then two seats at a table open, anywhere in the Parish Center. It was a moment to close one's eyes, compose one's thoughts, and then smile and say, "Of course we will find someplace to seat you, but we will have to divide your group." I assure you, there was NO PLACE to put this group and we had no idea how we would do this.

The solution: It is good to work with the Lord. There was a table with two open seats, or so we thought. The ones who belonged in the seats we thought were empty, (but weren't after all) graciously joined friends at another table and three other groups of two women at this about to be blessed table relocated to new tables, where they were welcomed warmly by people they were about to meet for the first time. Gracious, smiling faces, happy to move so others could be together. Gracious, smiling faces, happy to accept changes and meet new friends. Suddenly, there was a table available for nine. It was truly God at work through the kindness of our CCW ladies.

Icing on the cake: The Fashion show desserts were amazingly delicious.
So was this: one of the ladies who moved to another table bought opportunity tickets for the kids of the newly seated "nine group" as a special treat. One of those tickets ended up being a winning ticket: the party of nine won both a gift basket and a gift certificate from Patchingtons. The child, in turn, gave the gift certificate to the kind woman who had vacated the table earlier and given the child the ticket to begin with! At this point, the fashion show became THE place to be – so much love it was contagious!

Epilogue: Everyone live happily ever after (at least for the rest of the afternoon) filled with a delicious lunch, the pleasure of being together, having watched the amazing models (our very own CCW members and some of the cutest kids in the universe and even a bride with her wedding party) and the Fashion Show made a great profit. Marty Foreman and Chris Winstead are hereby recognized for master minding the menu and cooking the food. Claudia Soucy, Rosemary Early, Roseanna Costa, and Kathy Guckenberger co-chaired the event. To the many others who attended, donated gifts, set up, helped cook, or clean up. Thank you! You make our Parish a beautiful place, and I imagine your guardian angel and mine are very happy to come with us to St Raphael.