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By JULIE RAEFIELD-GOBBONews staff writer

The colored laser lights wereswirling and the runway musicpulsed with electric energy in abanquet room filled to the absolutemaximum.

If you were there, then youknow the excitement and funshared by the capacity crowd atthe 15th annual Gala Fashion

Show on Nov. 3.Beyond featuring local mer-

chants’ high-style clothing andchic models, the event held agreater purpose — to raise fundsfor the Hood River County Christ-mas Project.

“I’m very passionate about theChristmas Project,” said CathyCarter, the event’s longtime orga-nizer. “I just turn over the moneydirectly to their charity.”

And the money she turned over

was helpful indeed.Although the final figures aren’t

in just yet, Bruce Holmson, presi-dent of the Hood River CountyChristmas Project 501(c)(3) organi-zation, estimated that about$12,000 was raised for this year’sfamilies needing holiday help. Theannual charity needs about$25,000.

The project spends the donatedfunds to buy groceries and smallchildren’s gifts for families in need

who might otherwise have little tocelebrate with for the holidays.

This year, the project will pro-vide baskets filled with nutritiousfoods and Christmas gifts to morethan 600 families.

Even with that staggering num-ber of needy families, the Galaserves as a positive force to bringtogether a whole community of help.

Carter estimated that more than800 individuals participated in thisyear’s Gala to bring those familiessome holiday cheer.

“We have so many people get-ting involved,” said Carter. “Ticketbuyers, volunteer event staff, mod-els, store owners — everyone con-tributes to make this work.”

Originally started by Doug’sSports, Ananas and Kerrits down-town store owners, the event wasalways intended to support theChristmas Project — whose fund-ing is entirely based on donations.

Carter started as a model dur-ing the initial few years and thentook over the organization of theevent as it grew.

“I wanted to try to make it big-ger and bring in more funds forthe project,” said Carter, who hassuccessfully reeled in more mer-chants, models and audience annu-ally. This year’s addition includeda “children’s fashion camp” run-way display.

“We held the camp about twoweeks ago and 15 kids signed up,”

said Carter. Those 15 displayedtheir self-created fashions in theearly part of the evening.

“They were so cute and we hadso much fun at the camp,” saidCarter, who also involved theHRVHS fashion club in supervis-ing the children.

That kind of connection-build-ing is Carter’s secret to success.She tries to include as many peo-ple and organizations as possible.

 Wednesday, November 9, 2011 B1

Inside: B2, Peggy Dills KelterI B3, HappeningsI B5, YesteryearsI B6, NeighborsI B7, Classified

how to helpLast year the Christmas Project provided food and toys to 517 families

(2,211 men, women and children) within Hood River County.According to Bruce Holmson, president of the organization meeting that

need, the sole purpose of the project is to provide assistance with holidayfood and children’s gifts, during the Christmas holidays, to low-income fam-ilies living within Hood River County.

Holmson says individuals may help in four important ways by:I Contributing checks to the Christmas Project to help purchase food and

gifts: Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 872, Hood River, OR 97031. All do-nations are tax-deductible and letters will be mailed to donors.I Donating non-perishable food items for the Christmas food boxes. See

the list of locations for drop boxes below.I Donating new toys and teen-appropriate items for the children’s gift

baskets.I Volunteering to help pack or deliver items. Coordinated by Kym Zan-

miller, the project needs between 200 and 300 volunteers; particularly dur-

Using fashion

Gala marks 15th year of helping make happy holidays

for compassion

FASHION SHOW FUN: Scenesfrom thisyear’s event include (clockwisefrom top)a packed house surrounding the central runway; Zoe Peterson from the HRVHSFashion Club; Cecily Mack and Isidro Bello modeling for Ruddy Duck;Alice Clarkwearing an outift from The Trunk Show; Rebecca Flaiz in Bunny and Pears (atParts+Labour); future fashionistas (left to right) Jade Perkins, Josephine Dickin-son, Gigi Ziada, Tori Perkins, Francis Dickinson and Eva Jones; Brenda Dunn rep-resenting Parts+Labour and longtime event organizer Cathy Carter and emceeGavin McAlpine.

fashion

compassion

 Please see GALA, Page B12 

 Please see HELP, Page B12 

Photos by ADAM LAPIERRE

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ing the Dec. 13-17 packing anddistribution period.

If you would like more infor-mation on how to get involvedor sponsor a needy family, callZanmiller at 541-386-5153 orvisit:

www.hoodrivercountychristmasproject.com for more infor-mation.

During November and De-cember, the following business-es will have food and toy col-

lection barrels for folks to dropoff items:

I CenterPointe CommunityBankI Our Children’s PlaceI Columbia State BankI CurvesI The Dollar TreeI E.T.C.I Hood River JewelersI Hood River HotelI Hood River NewsI Hood River Sports ClubI Horizon Christian SchoolI MelikaI Print It/Sign MediaI Rivers Edge TowingI RosauersI WalmartI Washington Federal Sav-

ings

B12 Hood River News, Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Each year, families havean opportunity to receiveholiday help — includingfood and gifts for children.

If interested, familiesare required to register, inperson, with the HoodRiver County ChristmasProject.

Several days in Novem-ber and December are

scheduled for registration.Dates and locations are asfollows:I Hood River — Oregon

Department of HumanServices, 1610 Ninth Courton the Heights (off of Pa-cific Ave.): N ov. 10 from 10a.m. - 6 p.m.; Nov. 12 from10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Nov. 18from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Nov.19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.;Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6p.m. and Dec. 3 from 10a.m. to 1 p.m.I Parkdale — Parkdale

Community Church dur-ing food bank hours Nov.21, 4 to 6 p.m.I Odell — Odell Food

Bank, 344 0 Odell Highway,Nov. 17, 4-6 p.m.

Applicants can sign upat whichever location ismost convenient for them.

New applicants are askedto:

I Show proof of HoodRiver County Residency(Oregon driver’s license,power bill, phone bill orrent receipt)I Meet State of Oregon

Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program eligi-bility standards (previous-ly known as the food stampprogram)I Show proof of all chil-

dren living within thehome (Oregon Health Plandocument, federal incometax papers, local school dis-trict report card). A WICcard or Oregon HealthPlan document meets theprogram requirements.I A recent pay stub can

also help determine if youmeet the State of Oregonlow-income requirement.

Unfortunately, The Ore-gon Trails Card does notmeet the program require-ments since there is nodate on this document.

Bilingual Christmas Pro- ject volunteers are presentduring all registration

hours.

The registration applica-tion requests name, spousename, address, phone num-ber and the name, age, andgender of children withinthe household.

There are three differentfood box sizes, dependingof the number of peopleliving within the house-hold.

Each child (ages 18 andyounger) receives a Christ-mas present (toys, moviepass, etc.) based on theirage and gender.

The application alsoasks each family if itwould agree to have a busi-ness or group sponsortheir Christmas Basket. If the applicant agrees, theChristmas Project coordi-nates with a local sponsorand the sponsor providesthe individual food and toybasket.

Once approved after reg-istration, families aregiven a printed receiptshowing the date, time and

location to pick up theirfood/toy basket.

The 2011 food and chil-dren gifts distributionevent will again be held atthe Hood River CountyFairgrounds in Odell (nextto Wy’east Middle School)Dec. 16 and 17 from 1-6 p.m.

If you have registeredpreviously, a quick updateof your file is all that isneeded.

Registration of seniorsand people with disabili-ties:

Each year, the ChristmasProject coordinates with

the DHS caseworkers tomail out Christmas Projectapplications to their low-income seniors and peoplewith disabilities.

DHS helps to verifyproof of Hood River Coun-ty residence, State of Ore-gon low-income eligibilityand proof of all childrenliving within the home.

The Christmas Projectvolunteers deliver all se-nior/people with disabili-ties’ food/toy baskets.

The approved familiesare mailed a printed re-ceipt showing the date andtime they can expect theirbasket to be delivered.

For example, this year’sevent also featured teen par-ticipants from the HRVHSmusical “Avalon” modelingtheir steampunk creationsalong with the regularHRVHS fashion club design-ers, plus the high schoolLeos club, who helped hostthe event.

And, of course, there arethe professionals whosebusiness it is to design andmarket current adult fash-ions. At this year’s event 20

local fashion retailers sentmodels down the runway.

“Each business is sounique and they each sentout models which were sodifferent from each other,”said Carter.

This year’s event featuredbeauty and intrigue on therunway. PresenterParts+Labour sent out a set

of models with a “Cirque duSoleil” theme.

“They were incredible,”said Carter. “Really every-one worked hard and put ona very professional produc-tion.”

So much goes on behindthe scenes to make theevening work. Carter provid-ed a long list of annual sup-porters including Area 54who provided music; MartyKnowles on lights; KevinTolkstad on media projec-tions and Gavin McAlpinewho volunteered as emcee.

Topping Carter’s list is theHood River Inn Best WesternPlus, who provided theGorge Room free of chargefor the event and the re-hearsal the day before, alongwith a bank of 20 hotelrooms for the staging areasand dressing rooms.

“They are very, very gen-erous — as are all of oursponsors and donors,” saidCarter. “This is not just

fundraising, though. It is areally fun night that does somuch for the whole commu-nity — and that makes mehappy.”

Another new addition forthis year is the option topurchase DVDs of the eventfrom the HRVHS film stu-dents of teacher Shawn

Meyle — who were there tofilm and will later producethe DVD. Funds from thatproject will stay with thehigh school program.

Carter intends to returnas event organizer next year,but does have her eye out forsomeone to mentor shouldshe eventually retire.

GALAContinued from Page A1

HELPContinued from Page A1

How to get help

ON THE RUNWAY, members of the HRVHS Fashion Club (above) model their work. Below,Echo Hazlett and Jacy Johnston show their colors and 5th Element dancers put on a show.

Photos by Adam Lapierre