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Sixth Annual Fashion Show & Auction to benefit Special Populations June 7

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Tickets are going fast for the Sixth Annual Fashion Show & Auction to benefit Special Populations.

The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, June 7, at the Palmetto Pine Country Club in Cape Coral. Hosted by the Guardian Angels for Special Populations, it will feature a runway show, auctions and lunch.

“This is our sixth one, our sixth year,” Vince Marcucci, president of the Guardian Angels, said.

There will be 10 to 12 models in the show wearing clothing and accessories from Belk.

“We have our Special Populations participants modeling most of the fashion,” he said.

“They get to go to the store and pick our what they want to wear,” Marcucci added. “It’s a really big deal for them – they strut their stuff.”

Tickets cost $25 per person and can be bought through June 6. There are 180 seats available.

“We still have about 55 or 60 tickets,” he said Tuesday.

Last year, the event raised approximately $11,600 for Special Populations.

“That was our biggest amount ever,” Marcucci said, adding that organizers really pushed the silent auction and live auction more last year than in previous years.

This year’s event will include a silent auction, live auction, Chinese auction and 50/50 raffles.

“We have almost $10,000 in prizes,” he said.

One of the prizes is a seven-day, six-night stay in Delray Beach, along with three-day, two-night stays at some of the local hotels on Fort Myers Beach and such.

“We have a couple of great hotels,” Marcucci said.

Other items include Disney Park Hopper passes, SeaWorld tickets and local gift certificates.

“We also will have a program, so they can see all the items,” he said.

Tickets for the 50/50 raffles and Chinese auction cost $20 for 30, $10 for 13 and $5 for six.

The luncheon menu is pecan-encrusted chicken served with maple cream sauce and a vegetable, followed by sherbert for dessert. There will be a cash bar available to attendees.

Attendees are being asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the Cape Coral Caring Center.

“It’s a great time,” Marcucci said. “You’re going to feel wonderful when you leave.”

Special Populations is for intellectually and physically disabled adults and children. There are about 80 participants in the day program, with another 100 who attend the special events and social activities.

The mission of the Guardian Angels is to help raise funding for Special Populations.

“We give out scholarships to people in need so they can attend,” he said.

“There’s a lot of things that we do to keep the program up to date,” Marcucci added.

To purchase tickets to the Sixth Annual Fashion Show & Auction, call (239) 574-0574 to charge by phone using a credit card or visit online at: myspecialpops.org and pay by using PayPal.

Tickets are also available at the Freida B. Smith Special Populations Center.

The center is at 410 Santa Barbara Blvd.

Palmetto Pine Country Club is at 1940 S.W. Ninth Court.