Sheer Elegance Presents The Elements of Style & Grace

The Greek Pantheon is coming to Sheer Elegance No.24 at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012 in the majestic Khorassan Room at the Chase Park Plaza, 212 North Kingshighway Boulevard. From Mount Olympus to the Gateway Arch, the 2012 Girls' Program fashion show fundraiser brings to life the five Platonic solids of earth, water, air, fire and aether in "Elements of Style & Grace."

Leading the charge to raise $130,000 for the Mathews-Dickey Girls' Program are the event leadership team of philanthropist and community volunteer Mimi Londoff as chairperson, Maryville University Vice President Dr. Nina Caldwell as co-chair and honorary co-chairs Actress Anna Maria Horsford and community volunteers Lynn Broeg and Carol Voss. They are ably-assisted by the 60-member Mathews-Dickey Development Committee.

"Sheer Elegance is about more than just fashion; it recognizes a special group of young women for their outstanding achievements in academics, community service and citizenship," said Barbara A. Washington, the Club's vice president of public relations and special events, show's founder and former Hellenic Spirit Athena Award Winner. "Our girls benefit from peer team-building exercises, personal and social skills development and exposure to the arts/culture from a caring team of professional women who serve as role models."

Twenty sheerly-elegant, sheerly-beautiful and sheerly-excellent Girls' Program Honorees take center stage as Muses, and 20 of our youngest girls become Goddesses. Each honoree is accompanied by a celebrity escort down the runway to open the show, and performs a finale dance choreographed by The Best Talent Center's Judy Best-Person.

Co-emcees KETC-TV "Donnybrook's" Wendy Wiese and KPLR 11's Christine Buck keep the crowd in stitches with their witty repartee, while KTVI's Bonita Cornute inspires "oohs and ahs" with her bountiful door prize presentations.

The invited fashion partners are promising another stylish affair fit for Aphrodite herself, including: Brown Shoe's footwear, along with apparel by As U Wish, Lee J's, SofistaFunk Skirt Company of New York, Trixxi and "Project Runway" designers Michael Drummond, Laura Kathleen, A.J. Thouvenot and New York Fashion Week Full-Figured Designer of the Year Qristyl Frazier. The celebrity guest models include Jennie Runk, featured in fashion editorials for Vogue, Cosmo Girl, Marie Claire and Glamour; Miss Missouri USA 2012 Katie Kearney, daughter of former NFL Big Red Linebacker Tim Kearney; and Christina Mendez, the face of Qristyl Frazier Designs whose graced the pages of Glamour, Essence, Latina, All You, The Source, Venus Diva and DTM. Celebrity escorts are highlighted by Horsford of "Amen" TV series fame, and now featured on BET's "Reed Between the Lines."

The prestigious Sheer Elegance Award is presented to four community leaders for their outstanding achievements: Best-Person, Cynthia Crim, foundation program manager, Commerce Bank; Nicholas Karakas, chairman, Marcus Distributors; and Eleanor Higgins, regional marketing manager, American Family Insurance.

The Girls' Program's mission is to develop the athletic, educational and cultural potential of its members by offering meaningful programs as an alternative to teen idleness. More than 10,000 young women, ages 5-18, participate in activities such as arts and crafts, basketball, cheerleading, choir, cooking, computers, dance, drama, fine arts, music, pompoms, softball, swimming, and seminars focusing on education, leadership and career development. The programs are designed to instill the desire to achieve and build self-confidence, respect, restraint and responsibility.

Tickets are $50 and $100 each. To purchase now, call (314) 382-5952, ext. 234.

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Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) United Way member agency that annually provides educational, athletic and cultural enrichment programs to more than 40,000 young people from throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. For 52 years the Club has taught youth respect, restraint and responsibility so that they may obtain credibility, integrity and accountability. For more information, call Barbara A. Washington or Bill Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234.