Far from the runways of London or Paris, local boutiques in town will join forces with the W.I.N.G.S domestic violence center to put on a fashion show Thursday that also promises to raise domestic abuse awareness in the community.
Local merchants District 51, Frolic and Friendgirl Things will unveil local summer fashion apparel with local models and provide those in attendance an up-close look at summer fashion trends.
Jean Spring, executive director of W.I.N.G.S. — Women in Need of God’s Shelter — said all donations from the third annual fashion show fundraiser will assist the W.I.N.G.S shelter.
The luncheon and show will be held noon Thursday at Fernwood Country Club. Tickets are $40 and available at PJ’s Coffee, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, District 51, Frolic, Friendgirl Things or the W.I.N.G.S Boutique on Presley Boulevard in McComb. Donations also will be accepted.
The nonprofit takes in abused women and provides them with shelter, counseling and, in some cases, education. The shelter also assists residents in becoming self-sufficient by paying for their first month’s rent and utilities after they leave.
Lark Johnson, project coordinator with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Division, will be the guest speaker. Before working with the AG’s office, Johnson oversaw a domestic violence center similar to W.I.N.G.S in Vicksburg for 15 years. She plans to speak about domestic violence and stalking, as well as other related issues after the fashion show.
Johnson said some changes in law enforcement policy have helped victims of domestic abuse.
“We have helped implement vocal tests that law enforcement use across the state to determine if a person might be the victim of domestic abuse,” she said. “Based on the answers, responding officers might be required to give the victim the number of a domestic violence center, or center hotline that is usually available 24/7. This can provide the victim a place to go.”
That is, if there is a place to go.
There are no state-run domestic violence support centers in the state. All centers, including W.I.N.G.S., are locally run nonprofits. As such, they rely upon the assistance of the community.
“This can make it difficult for abused women to find a place to go to if necessary. That’s what makes this W.I.N.G.S center, and others like it, so important,” Johnson said.
Spring said the fashion show is a great way to help people understand the importance of the fundraiser.
She expects to see anywhere from 225 to 250 people at the event.
“We hope to raise as much funding as possible, but I am also hopeful we can raise awareness for this important issue to a larger audience,” Spring said.
W.I.N.G.S. also operates a domestic violence center branch in Marion County.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Mississippi ranks second in the nation for domestic violence and ninth in the nation for the rate of females murdered by males in single victim-single offender homicides.
One key conclusion of a recent coalition report concluded: “Mississippi faces many of the challenges faced by rural areas in combating domestic and sexual violence including low reporting, physical isolation and lack of anonymity.”
W.I.N.G.S operates a thrift store Monday through Saturday from 8 to 5 p.m. at 325 West Presley Blvd. in McComb. The recently relocated thrift store will have a grand reopening from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. The store will hold a sale and provide hotdogs and hamburgers for $5.
Donations do not need to be dropped off at Thursday’s fashion show event, Spring noted, and will be accepted at the thrift store during store hours. A receipt for the purpose of tax deductibles will be given to each donor.
Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 2278, McComb, MS 36649. The center has a 24/7 phone line that can be reached at (601) 684-9111.
