The annual Fairbanks Resource Agency fashion show is eagerly anticipated every year. FRA clients model fashions borrowed from Valu Village, to kick off the annual United Way campaign. This year was the 16th annual event.
“This was our workplace campaign kickoff,” said Wendy Cloyd, community development director for FRA. “We are a partner agency. We recognize what the United Way does for the community and for us.”
What started as a small in-house event has grown over the years. It is now held at the theater in the Centennial Center at Pioneer Park.
The theme this year was “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
Each of the 31 models decided what makes them personally happy and then chose fashions from Valu Village to express that happiness. Happiness ranged from a color, to a song, or an activity.
Valu Village loans all the fashions for this event.
FRA has a close connection with Valu Village. It operates the Closet Collection program for Valu Village, which helps fund FRA operations.
“FRA is a nonprofit Alaska corporation dedicated to assuring the Interior Alaskans with disabilities and their families have equal opportunity to be fully included in the community where education, employment, housing, recreation and family services are available in the same places, at the same times, and with the same respect afforded any member of the community”
Currently, more than 350 full- and part-time employees provide care for more than 400 individuals through the Fairbanks community. Services include Senior Services/Adult Day Center, the Family Services Discovery Center Day Habilitation Program and 11 accessible residences/complexes.
Friends and family cheered on the models from the audience and enjoyed a reception that followed.
