Ali Manzano
Staff Writer
After just a day on Pepperdine’s campus, it’s pretty safe to say that the last thing this school needs is a fashion show. But, Delta Delta Delta’s fourth annual fashion show proved that Pepperdine students don’t just support savvy fashion but also a worthy cause.
Last Thursday’s Fashion for Life raised an estimated $3,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The sold-out event raised almost twice as much as the event raised the previous year, according to junior Erin Beldner, Tri-Delta’s philanthropy chair, who was responsible for planning the event.
“I was thrilled: it was so successful,” she said. “People from other groups were so supportive and enthusiastic. I was really pleased with the outcome.”
Fashion for Life featured more than $10,000 worth of clothes and accessories donated by local venders including Cache, The Tuxedo Junction and Planet Blue. The clothes were modeled by Pepperdine students representing Greek life, the Pre-med fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon and men’s basketball and tennis teams. The event also included a raffle with prizes like a new GPS system and gift certificates for $400 to Elios Fitness in Brentwood.
Jessica Leonard, a senior who modeled for the show in Elkins Auditorium, said she had fun modeling and seeing so many people come out for the event. Although Leonard said now she knows she could never become a model because of how “nerve-wracking” it can be.
After opening with a high-energy dance number from members of the sorority, the event featured a special speaker. Fifteen-year-old Bayleigh Jones was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma, a rare brain tumor when she was 8. After seeing various Los Angeles doctors who provided no answers for her family, Bayleigh turned to St. Jude’s for hope. Although Bayleigh lost sight in her left eye, today the tumor in her brain is completely gone.
St. Jude is committed to the treatment and research of cancer and other catastrophic diseases in children. It specializes in treating and studying the rarest diseases at no cost to families, even those without insurance. Their research and treatment rack up more than $1 million in daily operating costs.
The Memphis hospital first opened its doors in 1962 and today treats about 4,700 patients each year. Founder Danny Thomas pledged early in his career to build a shrine to St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes. As a successful actor he had much influence on the genre of television comedy. A 1960 episode of “The Danny Thomas Show” gave way to the spin off, “The Andy Griffith Show”, which was produced by Thomas’ production company. In 1950 he returned to his promise and began plans for St. Jude’s, claiming that “no child should die in the dawn of life.”
In September 2002 Delta Delta Delta National pledged to raise $1 million over four years for St. Jude’s. Nationals hasalready raised over $945,000 dollars and have plans to complete the goal this March, more than one year ahead of schedule.
“I think this year’s Fashion for Life was definitely the best I’ve seen in my four years at Pepperdine,” said senior Jenn Chan. “There was energy and excitement to the whole production from beginning to end.
“The support and participation we (Tri-Delta) received from other groups this year was astounding — it really made me proud to be a part of something so special and worthwhile,” Chan added.
02-03-2005