Cooperative Extension Service Communications and Technology Department 3354 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 (307) 766-6342 • fax (307) 766-3998 • www.uwyo.edu

 

For Immediate Release

 

 

Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor

Phone: (307) 766-6342

E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu

Archived News Site www.uwyo.edu/agadmin/news/news.htm

 

Date: April 11, 2007

 

UW students organize fashion show to help Laramie clothing bank

            A fashion show created and organized by students in the University of Wyoming’s Department of Family and Consumer Science will highlight clothing available at a Laramie store with the potential of sowing more money back into the community.

            Christine Nagel of Littleton, Colo., and Erica Danielson of Green River, students in the College of Agriculture majoring in family and consumer science textiles and merchandising option, will have nine models spotlight 16 outfits during a fashion show 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the UW Early Care and Education Center, 250 N. 30th St., Laramie.

            A snowstorm March 29 forced postponement of the show.

            Their intent is to show the variety of clothes available at the Clothing Cottage, 310 E. University Ave., and to increase potential customers. The Clothing Cottage, open to the public and part of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral, is a clothing bank for the community.

            “Their clothing is diverse, but few on campus know it exists,” said Danielson. “By doing the fashion show, it should open the market more.”

            Added Nagel, “We wanted a younger crowd to know about the Clothing Cottage.”

            Danielson and Nagel, as a for-credit project in a promotions class, took on the job of giving the Clothing Cottage a new look. “We refaced the inside of the building as a way to make it more marketable and to have people on campus know about it,” said Nagel. “We reorganized everything.”

            The two have been working with Denise Romero, a volunteer at the store, said Kathl White, manager of the shop.

            “Christine and Erica have done a wonderful job,” said White. “They really transformed the cottage. It looks totally different here. This looks fabulous. They are now in the process of redoing the men’s and junior areas. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

            Romero feels the same. “They have worked hard to make some positive changes at the Clothing Cottage and have been a joy as well as being an integral part of this process,” she said.

            The Clothing Cottage’s mission is to serve the community of Laramie and surrounding area by receiving donations of quality clothing and either offering it for sale at affordable prices or giving it away to people in need, said White. Money from sales above expenses is given back to the community. Last year, $2,000 was provided to the Downtown Clinic.

            Clothing Cottage is an outgrowth from the original Courtesy Clothing, which provided emergency clothing for the community. White created Clothing Cottage about five years ago to serve the public. 

            “It has surpassed my wildest dreams,” she said. “We really consider it a ministry and not a business. That is a pretty good distinction. Besides serving so many people in the community, we’ve given away thousands of dollars of clothing. It seems like we are being blessed, I believe, because of that.”

            Danielson and Nagel distributed flyers about the fashion show, and announcements were placed in The FLASH, a newspaper for married students on campus, and the Laramie Boomerang.

            Businesses have donated door prizes and refreshments.

            Models were easy to find, the two said. “We went for our friends,” said Nagel. “We decided we needed an older person, so we asked my soccer coach (UW women’s soccer Coach Anne Moore).”

            Models wearing two prom dresses will be the finale.

            The show should be about 20 minutes long, Danielson said, and, with refreshments, the event should last about an hour.

            “Both of us are going to work in retail,” she said. “This has been a good project for us.”

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