Amy’s Purpose will host a Fashion Show & Luncheon fundraiser on Thursday, Oct. 12 to benefit local individuals interested in pursuing a higher education in veterinary health. The event, held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Aqua Caliente, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, will honor one of the desert’s long-time restaurateurs Willie Rhine and his dog Ali.
“We decided to take a break from putting on another concert (tremendous amount of work) and go the opposite direction and put on a fashion show/luncheon for fundraising efforts,” Amy's Purpose President DeAnn Lubell told Coachella Valley Times. "
According to the Amy's Purpose's website, the event will present a variety of vendors, a silent auction and a couture fashion show featuring men and women from the Coachella Valley area alongside their pets. A one-hour reception will be held in the foyer prior to the luncheon where guests can browse the vendors and offerings.
“We had a fundraiser last September when we put on a Rock Concert at the Annenberg Theater that completely sold out,” Amy's Purpose President DeAnn Lubell told Coachella Valley Times. “This enabled us to provide $3200 scholarships to local individuals interested in veterinary health care for pets, as well as provide money for overhead and our other missions.”
This year Amy’s Purpose decided to put on a fashion show as a way to fundraise instead of a concert. “We have an incredible team that includes special event chair Elaine Church, co-chairs Jo Ann Horwitz and Linda Williamson, production coordinator David Sullivan, MC Patti Gribow, commentators Elaine Church and KESQ Weatherman Patrick Evans, honoree Willie Rhine and his dog Ali, honoree presenter Bruce Fessier, and model escort Michael Phipps-Russell,” Amy's Purpose President DeAnn Lubell told Coachella Valley Times.
Lubell said that the celebrity and high profile models at the event will be Fred Williamson, Prince Fleet Easton, Frank DiSalvo, Tristin Rogers, Lindi Biggi, Karen Devine, Melissa Neiderman, Terri Neuman, Judie Brown and Wendy Roberts, and the fashions will be by Summer Colony Living on El Paseo.
According to a mission letter from Lubell, Amy's Purpose is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving pets of Coachella Valley by promoting predator awareness and providing veterinary scholarships. Its mission includes community education programs, veterinary assistance scholarships for local students facing emergency veterinarian care and providing pet loss grief counseling for individuals. Since it began in 2022, Amy’s Purpose has put six students through the COD PaCE Veterinary Assistance Program They are in the process of reviewing applicants for the fall 2023.
According to the website, general tables of 10 for the Fashion Show & Luncheon cost $100 per person, and limited VIP runway tables of eight cost $1,000 per table. Visitors can obtain more information by calling DeAnn Lubell at 760-831-3090.