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The Center for Women is
hosting its fifth annual "It's in the Bag" purse auction
and reception 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the City Gallery at Waterfront
Park.
Since its inception
in 2002, "It's in the Bag" has become one of the main
events on Charleston's fashion calendar. In its first year, more
than 200 people attended the auction and raised more than $10,000
to help support the Center for Women.
In 2005, the auction
brought together more than 500 supporters and raised $25,000. It is
expected to gather an even bigger crowd this year.
Jennet Alterman,
director of the Center for Women, said that each year the center
tries to put a twist on the event, and this year is no different.
To add a bit of suspense, each purse will contain a surprise gift
certificate with a minimum value of $100 donated by area
businesses. Some of the certificates include spa services, dinners
at fine restaurants, maid service, overnight hotel stays, computer
training, concert tickets and a plethora of other great services
and items.
Another twist this
year will be a live auction. There will be a small selection of
celebrity bags that will be auctioned on the block rather than
through the silent auction.
Despite the twists,
the bags will be displayed in their traditional way as pieces of
art in the gallery.
This year, the bags
come from a variety of artists. Some are hand-painted, such as
artist Carol Simmons' "Woman: Full Bloom," and others
hand-sewn, such as "Stuck in the South" by Jill Gomez,
retired events planner.
Not all the purse
creators are artists in the traditional sense. Elvita Baggett and
Yoko Heffner, who run Elvita's Day Spa, collaborated on a bag, and
Charlotte Jeffcoat, a high school sophomore, created a purse from a
pair of jeans and some corks.
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While some of the bags
have a classic appearance, others were made with a sense of humor.
Local resident Gayle Shapleigh's bag, "Taco the Town,"
looks like a stuffed taco, and the "Booby Bag," donated
by DJ Kain Cameron, is made from a black bra embellished with fur
and fringe. Cameron received a similar bag as a gift from a friend
in Virginia and loved its eccentric look.
"When I saw
it, I knew it would be good for the Center for Women purse auction
and had her make another for the auction," Cameron said.
Nandini McCauley,
who works in the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston,
created a bag that honors her heritage.
"Being of
Indian heritage, I wanted to present a purse that honors my
culture, in addition to being a beautiful work of textile
art." McCauley said. "Originally, I intended to use
fabric from some of my mother's (and my) old saris, but I didn't
have the heart to cut any of them. So I decided to use fabrics
that resemble Indian designs."
From many different
professions and cultures, women from around the community have
collaborated to provide the Center for Women with about 100 purses
for this year's auction.
This year's event
is sponsored by Belvidere, Ginn Clubs & Resorts; Charleston
Magazine; Encore Catering; All Occasions; Leigh Webber
Photography; and Weight Watchers.
A preview of the
purses and a list of the gift certificate donors can be found at
www.c4women.org.
A $25 donation to
the Center for Women is requested at the door. Bidding will close
at 8 p.m.
The Center for
Women is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help women
succeed every day personally and professionally. For more
information and a calendar of events, visit the center's Web site
or call 763-7333.
Reach Seth
Cooke at 937-5716 or scooke@postandcourier.com.
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