Vintage Fashion Show Benefits Central County Homeless Outreach

 It would take too long to go into all of the events and programs that Mary Perez and her teams have either organized or been a part of over the years. She is the founder and Director of the non-profit organization "Christmas for Everyone". CFE helps bring the Christmas spirit to people who may be alone on Christmas, and it does so much more. She was also a key member, along with Raymond Gentry and Dorothy Buffington, who helped to organize a very successful Alhambra High School Multi -Decade Reunion, a three day event which drew thousands of Alhambra Alumni to Martinez. She is always involved in her community and I really admire her for all she does. Mary is a true leader who gets things done.

 Mary is always quick to point out that her projects are team-driven. “No one sees themselves as being in charge, nor is one person more important than the other. They all worked equally hard on this and other projects. “You can do as a team what one person could never do alone.” Mary and her team's latest event was a Vintage Fashion Show and Luncheon held at her beautiful home in Martinez that was held  Saturday, June 22nd, 2013,  to benefit Doug Stewart's Central county Homeless Outreach. Over 60 paid guests attended the event. Mary went on to say [speaking about her three co-coordinators] "We were a great team. Dorothy laid awake at night plotting her next move, Gay never sleeps and Barbara would tie up the lose ends and is a real can-do person."

 While Mary "Breshears" Perez, along with Dorothy Buffington, Gay Gerlack and Barbara Kapsalis were the co-organizers for the fashion show, it took many more hard working people to make it a success. Numerous volunteers and others helped, including my Wife Becky Kapsalis, along with Hedy Silva, who both worked the kitchen and did a fantastic job.

 The idea for the fashion show all started a couple years ago when Mary and Kathryn Garms were talking about how to throw a fashion show. Then at one of Mary's Christmas Teas the girls discussed the idea and thought it would be a great idea. Last February, at a Soroptimist crab feed, Mary, Dorothy, Gay and Barbara said "Let's do it"; the rest, as they say, is history. When these women put their minds to something, it happens!

 These events take so much planning, work and time, to organize. While pulling an event such as the Vintage Fashion Show and Luncheon together involves countless volunteer hours and can be overwhelming at times, it is very rewarding.

 The central theme of the fashion show was the 50's and 60's. The guests dressed the part as well. Many women wore actual vintage clothing and or jewelry from the era. They seemed to enjoy admiring how beautiful each woman looked in their hats and gloves. Popular Crooner Eddie Taganon provided the entertainment singing the classics of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, as guests dinned on elegantly set tables. The beautifully landscaped setting made a perfect garden party venue.

 So much of this event was focused on supporting local business people, from Chairs For Affairs, Alley Cats, Leah's Closet, to our model’s make-up artists, Debbie and Jennifer Oertel of Mary Kay Cosmetics. It is not our intention to leave anyone out, so feel free to add any businesses we may have accidentally overlooked in comments.  As said, there are just too many contributors to name who are responsible for the success of this worthy effort.

 "We did not have official corporate sponsors such as Shell this time,” said Dorothy Buffington. “However we did receive generous donations from individuals like Ken Gerlack, who supplied landscape enhancing products. Clothing racks were on loan from Leah's Closet on Main Street and costumer Nancy Peacock. Other material contributions came from the four event coordinators; Mary Perez; Gay Gerlack; Barbara Kapsalis and myself"

 The guests sat down to assigned tables complete with formal name place cards. They enjoyed a “typical” 1950s style luncheon as the models came out one by one wearing vintage clothing. The mood was complete as appropriate music played to fit each outfit and era.  The models looked fabulous. They did a fantastic job changing several full outfits and appropriate hair styles in a very short period of time.

 My 9 year old niece and Barbara Kapsalis' granddaughter Lucia Kapsalis-Kelly commented on the fashion show. " I really liked the decorations and how everyone dressed for the party. I loved the clothes the models wore and I wish we were back in the 50's and 60's era of fashion." Lucia dressed the part too, wearing her great-great aunt's party shoes.

 Doug Stewart was recognized as the Central County Homeless Outreach representative. He and his wife Baily Stewart were seated at the V.I.P. table with City Council woman, Lara DeLaney and Contra Costa Times, Martinez / Pleasant Hill Record columnist, Faith Barnidge.

 Mary, Gay and Dorothy selected a unique sound track for each outfits modeled. For example; Cheyenne Bradley's hippie girl dress and baby's breath flower hair adornment had "If You Are Going to San Francisco be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair" all the way to our Marilyn Monroe look-alike, Alyssa Rose's hot gold 50's dress, modeled to the Little Richard tune, "The Girl Can't Help It"

 " Our list of volunteers is formidable" said Dorothy,
Our models were - Alyssa Rose, Cheyenne Bradley, Diana Lopez and Kassidy Halstead.
Make-up - Debbie and Jennifer Oertel with Mary Kay Cosmetics
Servers - Jody Bunting, Judy Moon, Gayla and Katina Biggers
Photography by two very talented local photographers, Lorena Castillo and Robert Perry
Vintage car display was provided by Eddie Taganon, Kenny Darrah, Chulard and Don Pelot. The two car volunteers were: Sonny Callanta and Tony Roman
Vintage clothing and accessories - Cindy Vorte of Alley Cats on Main Street, Private costumer Nancy Peacock, Mary Perez and Dorothy Buffington.
Set-up and Clean-up - Christine Sullinger Lindberg, Kathy Roof, Cindi Erickson, Becky Kapsalis and Barbara Kapsalis, David Sparcino, Mary Perez, Dorothy Buffington and Joanne Van Hagen - Zehrung
Design / Decor' - Dorothy Buffington.
Model coordinator - Dorothy Buffington
Our fabulous MC - Gay Gerlack
Volunteer coordinator - Barbara Kapsalis
Overall coordinator - Mary Perez

 In Mary's own words, "We had a wonderful crew that worked from 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM the day of the event making small luncheon sandwiches,
quiche and other delicacies as well as decorating and tending to details.”

 Mary Perez's thoughts about the event: "I loved seeing people dress in my favorite era...No one has style anymore. They wear to school what they wear to bed...We lived in an era where people cared about how they looked. Even those who were very poor found a way to be very well groomed....To do an event like this is so fun because everyone is smiling. There are no cross words no bad looks only joy and laughter and friends being together to do something good for someone else...It was fun to hear people plotting for weeks what they were going to wear...And friends getting together to discuss their wardrobes.....How blessed I am for being able to do this fun project for a needy cause...But more than that, I am truly the luckiest person in the world to be able to work with these three marvelous women". [Gay Grelack, Barbara Kapsalis and Dorothy Buffington]

 I have helped Mary before, helping to put on these kinds of events. I was just one of countless people that it takes to work on one of Mary’s projects. Even though I have played a very small part, but I could see the work involved, skill in putting these events on. But I have always been in awe of it all and of Mary Perez. It takes a special person, which Mary Perez is. She is a true leader.

 Indeed, this benefit fashion show was quite a production. And it was all for a great cause, Doug Stewart's Homeless Outreach program, helps so many people. We are truly blessed to have so many caring and wonderful people in Martinez, who go out of their way and work so hard to make the world a better place, give back to their community, and have fun. You might even say that they really know how to put the “fun” into fundraising!

 I am proud to call Martinez my home, and very proud of my beautiful wife Becky, who worked so hard in her own right and was such an important part of this amazing fashion show. I offer a hat tip to all the others who worked equally as hard. And a special thank you to all who participated in this event, guests and staff, and especially Mary Perez and Kathryn Garms who imagined such a beautiful event in the first place. It’s people like you that make Martinez great and one of the most caring cities around. Not to mention, a great place to live!
Chris Kapsalis "Martinez Bee"