Fashion show aids Gillian’s Place
Jennifer Newman-Resette knows what it is like to be on the other side of the fence at Gillian’s Place.
Now, as an owner of Second Dance Bridal in St. Catharines, she is using her powers for good.
“It was coming up our third anniversary and when we first opened we did a small fashion in our space, and I got thinking that it was really fun to do a fashion show and I wanted to do another one but I knew we needed to do it bigger because our space wouldn’t be big enough,” said Newman-Resette.
“I started talking to other vendors and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to raise money for Gillian’s Place. I’m a former resident of Gillian’s Place back when it was Women’s Place on Centre Street so it was really important that that be the cause that we donate to.”
While she was organizing the event, she discovered that two other women intrinsic to the creation of the event shared a similar history with Gillian’s Place. Both Paje Honor of Honor Beauty and Jennie Dobrucki of A Divine Affair also spent some time at Gillian’s Place.
All three women are now successful entrepreneurs and are giving back to the organization that helped them change their lives.
“They are really paying it forward based on their connection to Gillian’s Place in the past,” said Valerie DuRoss, development and communications coordinator at Gillian’s Place. “It is so encouraging to see women really overcome their challenges and live, whole healthy loves free from violence.”
Newman-Renette was hoping to raise $3,000 from the sold-out show. Donations can be made until the end of the week at Event Brite under ‘Donations for Gillian’s Place.” For donations greater than $10, people will be entered into a draw to win half-off a bridal dress at Second Dance Bridal or the shop will sell their dress commission free, normally it is a 50/50 split.
“For us to sell out the first year doing, is pretty great. I see a lot of room for growth. I’d like to do it two times a year, in the fall and in the spring,” said Newman-Renette.
The bridal show was set up in the ballroom at the Stone Mill Inn on Merritt Street in St. Catharines. In addition to the runway, several vendors were set up, similar to a mini-bridal show.
“Here we are as entrepreneurs and completely self-sufficient and in better relationships and we have completely changed our lives as a result of what they do at Gillian’s Place, it just really shows how needed their work is and that women really do recover and go on to do amazing things when they get to know themselves again,” said Newman-Renette.
Gillian’s Place offers safe shelter, a full range of support services including counselling, legal advice, transitional assistance, emotional support and safety planning for abused women of Niagara.