A Fashion for Hope fashion show has been scheduled for Oct. 6. The show is being staged in memory of Betty Beck and all women who have fought breast cancer.

The show will be held at 6 p.m. in the Mount Airy Regional Museum Annex. The ticket price includes dinner provided by local restaurant 13 Bones. Show Coordinator Susanne Puckett said the show will feature door prizes. It is sponsored by F. Rees Clothing and Ladies Upstairs of Mount Airy.

All proceeds from the fashion show go to local Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Charlotte participants Susanne Puckett and Katie Butcher. Puckett and Butcher are co-captains for the local team, Groove on the Move, that will participate in the annual walk on Oct. 28-29 in downtown Charlotte.

Groove on the Move has participated in the walk for three years, but this is the first year a fashion show has been held to aid walkers. Last year, a Halloween supper and party at the Elks Lodge raised funds for the team but the dates of the walk caused the group to consider another type of fundraiser.

Puckett’s mother, Betty Nichols, had breast cancer, while Betty Beck, a family member of Puckett’s, was in remission from the disease for several years before she died. Nichols was known locally for a 30-year career at Surry Community College in the school’s business office. Puckett said Beck was known for her zest for life and love of having fun.

Previously, Puckett had modeled in benefit fashion shows for other causes locally and the idea of staging one for the Avon Walk seemed a natural alternative. She emphasised that proceeds benefit local cancer efforts.

“I knew they (fashion shows) were a lot of fun and really drew a crowd,” said Puckett. She added that the group also is looking for corporate sponsors for a limited number of tables at the dinner. Puckett said that all breast cancer survivors are welcome at the event. Garanco, a construction firm from Pilot Mountain, has already sponsored a table.

She said that Groove on the Move reminded the group of Beck.

“It was something fun and our team loves music so we though that would be a good name,” added Puckett.

Walkers in the Avon Walk pledge to raise a minimum of $1,800 in order to walk. Over the two-day event, they will cover 39.3 miles.

“It’s a great thing to be a part of and I’m excited,” said Puckett. “F Rees and Ladies Upstairs deserve a big shout out for sponsoring this, as well as Celia Dollyhigh.”

Puckett provided a listing of some of the financial assistance the walk has made. The walk gave $220,000 to the Carolina Medical Center-Breast Care Management Program and $100,000 to the North Carolina Baptist Hospital of Winston Salem-SIS outreach and patient Navigation Program.

The walk also gave $100,000 to the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation Charlotte’s Bridge the Gap program which targets poor, uninsured minority women and women in rural areas with breast cancer services. It also gave $100,000 to the Randolph Hospital-Breast Cancer Outreach Navigation Program and $42,000 for the Forsyth Medical Center-Breast Health Community Initiative for medically under served women.

Research efforts aided by the walk include Clemson University, who received $150,000 from the group to research anti-cancer properties for reconstructive tissue and $16,000 went to the Health Research Alliance Membership-Research Triangle Park.

A total of $170,000 was given to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences-Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Program-Triangle Park and $150,000 went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Unfortunately, I think breast cancer is something that has affected everybody,” concluded Puckett. “It’s a cause everyone can give to because they know someone that has had their lives changed by it.”

Puckett said the walk team is looking for members for this year and next year. Interested persons may contact Puckett at 336-401-1441 for ticket information and for information on participating in the Avon Walk.

Reach David Broyles at dbroyles@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1952.