The Women’s Civic Club of Bethany Beach will be hosting its annual fashion show and luncheon on Nov. 10, the 97-year-old club’s largest fundraiser of the year. Money raised will go to needs in the community.
The Women’s Civic Club of Bethany Beach is getting ready to strut its stuff for the benefit of the community, with its annual fashion show and luncheon, set for Nov. 10.
The event will be held at the Magnolia Room & Cocktail Lounge at Bayside, a new location for the annual fundraiser, which is the 97-year-old club’s largest fundraiser of the year.
“Masquerade for a Cause” is the theme for the event, according to Club President Brenda Thompson. Club members will model clothing from Chico’s, White House Black Market and Soma, Thompson said. Lunch will offer a choice of grilled salmon niçoise, grilled chicken on focaccia, or a roast beef and boursin wrap. Dessert will be New York-style cheesecake with strawberry or raspberry sauce. Tickets cost $40 each.
The club, which is open to residents of Bethany Beach and the surrounding area, was founded on August 3, 1925, by a group of 18 women. Their stated purpose was to “carry out civic improvements in Bethany Beach,” Thompson said. As such, the club’s initial donations were three benches for the town’s boardwalk, which at that point was about 20 years old.
As the years progressed, the club grew into an organization that provided increased financial support for the lifeguards and first-aid equipment, Thompson said.
In the 1970s, the club initiated a beautification project under the guidance of Martha Jean Addy (whose family owned the landmark Addy Sea Inn). The club planted hundreds of flowers in the Garfield Parkway median and along Route 1. Now maintained by the Town of Bethany Beach, the “Martha Jean Addy Flower Gardens” are still a welcoming landmark of Bethany Beach.
Today, the Women ‘s Civic Club of Bethany Beach provides support for causes that extend beyond the town’s borders. Last year, for example, contributions were made to the both the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company and the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, as well as Home of the Brave in Milford, Meals on Wheels, Warrior Weekend Corp., People’s Place and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. In addition, the club donated to the South Coastal Library’s children’s section and to the Town of Bethany Beach.
Community projects included sewing backpacks for area foster children, participating in the Adopt-a-Highway Program, collecting supplies for the military and volunteering at the Bethany Beach Farmers’ Market.
The club invites the community each year to join in the fun at the fashion show, in part to help the club continue its community service, Thompson said. She added that the club is happy to be able to return to the pre-pandemic scope of the event, which was canceled in 2020 and downsized in 2021. The larger venue at Bayside this year speaks to the club’s wishes to expand its scope even further, she said.
During the luncheon and fashion show, “great raffle prizes” will be awarded, Thompson said. Prizes, which have been donated for the event, include artwork such as an Ellen Rice print, gift cards for such local spots as Dickens Parlour Theatre and Delaware Botanic Gardens, a hand-crafted charcuterie board and a “spa basket” with pamper-worthy goodies plus a gift card to a local spa, she said.
The list of raffle items, Thompson said, “is lengthy and interesting.”
The club’s link to its history continues to be strong; in fact, the silver bowl used in the raffles was given to it upon the celebration of its 50th anniversary, Thompson noted. In addition to its community contributions, the club’s regular meetings often include education and topical speakers. One such recent speaker was Ralph Begleiter, former CNN world affairs correspondent and University of Delaware journalism professor, who is an area resident.
Music during the fashion show and lunch will be provided by Milton musician Vincent Varrassi.
Thompson said the fashion show is a highlight of the year for members, especially those who volunteer to model. They are treated to a pre-show makeup and hair session at Love is in the Hair, she said.
“They do a really nice job,” she said of the salon, which donates its time for the event, and the models appreciate the chance to get a little extra attention, she said.
The Nov. 10 luncheon begins at 11 a.m. with a social hour; lunch will be served at noon. Tickets, at $40 per person, are available by sending a check made out to WCCBB, along with menu selection, to Gerry Arendall 34055 Beaufort Lane, Dagsboro DE 19939. For more information, call (302) 563-5223.
The Magnolia Room is located at 12021 North Haven Drive, Selbyville.
