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Honolulu’s annual event highlights work of The Salvation Army.
by Daniel De Castro –
An event with a heart—that’s what this year’s 21st annual Celebrity Fashion Show, sponsored by the Honolulu Women’s Auxiliary of the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division, was. In addition to showcasing the bargains in quality women’s apparel, accessories, collectibles and other treasures found at the Army’s Family Stores, the show—which kicked off National Salvation Army Week—highlighted the fact that behind the sparkle and glamour of the event, real people’s lives are changed by the work of The Salvation Army.
Alongside Honolulu’s celebrity models who walked down the runway were two individuals who displayed courage and strength in their commitment to living drug-free lives. As former clients of two of The Salvation Army’s drug treatment and rehabilitation programs in Honolulu, these were “models” of a different perspective—they have found a way out of their life-long struggles with drug and alcohol addiction through the help of The Salvation Army.
The event included testimonials from Liz Brown, a graduate of The Salvation Army’s Family Treatment Services, and Jason Watson, a graduate of the Adult Rehabilitation Center. They spoke from the heart, describing how they are walking testimonies of what The Salvation Army can do to lift people up when their lives have been dragged down by drug addiction. Today, both are in recovery and are grateful to the Army for giving them hope for a brighter future.
The annual Celebrity Fashion Show is the result of the work of the Honolulu Women’s Auxiliary. Every year, in partnership with the Adult Rehabilitation Center, they collect thousands of specially selected items that make the fashion show a highly anticipated event. Proceeds from the fashion show go towards helping various programs of The Salvation Army in Hawai‘i.