The 17th Annual Garbage Bag Gala & Fashion Show

GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES OF UNIQUE FASHION SHOW.  ALL DESIGNS MADE BY LOCAL DESIGNERS MOSTLY OF TRASH BAGS AND OTHER RECYCLABLE MATERIALS.  STUDENT GROUPS INTERESTED IN FASHION DESIGN ALSO SHOW CASING DESIGNS.   NEW THIS YEAR –SPECIAL FASHION SHOW OF DESIGNS BY BRADFORD MUMPOWER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE COMPETITION SHOW:  BRAD’S MODELS WILL BE SHOW CASING A DESIGN MADE OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS, AND THEN ITS TRANSLATION TO THE FASHION WORLD IN A FABRIC DESIGN VERSION.  SEVERAL OF THESE DESIGNS WILL BE MODELED.

A FORMER RESIDENT OF THE SALVATION ARMY FAMILY CARING CENTER HOMELESS SHELTER WILL SHARE HER STORY OF HOW HER TIME AT THE SHELTER HAS CHANGED HER LIFE AND ENABLED HER TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

FASHION SHOW JUDGES INCLUDING:  BRIAN HYSLOP OF PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE; KIMBERLY PHILLIPS OF WHIRL MAGAZINE; BRADFORD MUMPOWER, DESIGNER; AND AMY URSINY, DESIGNER WILL DETERMINE THE “GARBAGE BAG GALA DESIGNER OF THE YEAR”WHO WILL TAKE HOME A TROPHY AND THE ALL-IMPORTANT “BRAGGING RIGHTS”.  A SEPARATE AWARD WILL BE GIVEN TO THE BEST STUDENT DESIGNER FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.  NEITHER AMY NOR BRAD WILL HAVE DESIGNS IN THE PORTION OF THE SHOW BEING JUDGED.  AMY IS THE DESIGNER OF OUR EMCEE’S DRESS.   THIS YEAR’S EMCEE IS THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS TV HOST/PRODUCER.  SPONSORS OF THIS YEAR’S EVENT INCLUDE:  FED EX GROUND, ROBERT & JACQUE SPEED, MICHAEL & NANCY WEISSMAN, PEOPLES NATURAL GAS, GET GO, PAUL KRESS, EQT, DESMONE ARCHITECTS, AND ABARTA.

THE SALVATION ARMY’S FAMILY CARING CENTER SHELTER IS UNIQUE AS IT IS ONE OF THE FEW HOMELESS SHELTERS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY THAT HOUSES ENTIRE FAMILIES SO THEY CAN REMAIN TOGETHER TO WORK THROUGH THEIR TRIALS AS A FAMILY UNIT.   EACH YEAR, OVER 150 FAMILIES FIND REFUGE AT THE SHELTER, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDES THE BASIC NECESSITIES, BUT A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO POSITION THEM FOR SUCCESS IN RETURNING THE COMMUNITY.