April 29, 2021

Childhelp Wings Virtual Fashion Show

Childhelp hosted its 14th Annual Childhelp Wings Virtual Fashion Show on April 15, netting nearly $125,000. Proceeds from the event support the lifesaving services provided to abused and neglected children in Arizona through the Childhelp Children’s Advocacy Center of Arizona dedicated to Linda Pope. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Childhelp is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit dedicated to helping abused, neglected and at-risk youth.

This year’s Childhelp Wings Fashion Show, held in a virtual format, featured a live and silent auction, an exciting raffle item and opportunities to donate directly to Childhelp. Local children and families took to the runway wearing the latest fashion trends courtesy of local boutiques Mae & Marie and Garage, as well as Dillard’s. Beauty by Veronica donated hair and makeup for the show.

Event chairs Ashlyn Rowe and Lisa Barnes

During the one-hour live stream event, viewers could purchase raffle tickets for their chance to win an exquisite sapphire and diamond bracelet by Jacqueline Dadanian’s JN Jewels, valued at $30,000. Auctiontainer Letitia Frye rallied the at-home audience to bid on six live auction packages ranging from relaxing staycations to fabulous chef curated meals. One of the auction packages—a Zoom call with JoJo Siwa and Nia Sioux—was swept into a bidding war, finally selling for $30,000. Viewers could also bid on dozens of silent auction items throughout and after the live show.

Childhelp honored Celeste Hopkins with the Childhelp Heart of an Angel award and Betsy Coffeen with the Childhelp Helping Hands award for their decades of volunteerism and dedication to the Childhelp mission. Tara Hitchcock, TV personality and former host of Good Morning Arizona, hosted the fashion show. Premiere sponsors of the event included Harley & Lisa Barnes, Jim & Carol Hebets, the Rowe Family Foundation and JN Jewels.

Event chairs Lisa Barnes and Ashlyn Rowe, in partnership with the Founding Mother of Childhelp Wings, Carol Hebets, combined their passion for philanthropy and love of fashion to bring this year’s event to life. The show included special appearances and support from notable celebrities like Cheryl Ladd, Kathie Lee Gifford, John Stamos, Kurt Warner, Johnjay Van Es (of the Johnjay and Rich Show) and more.

Child abuse remains a silent epidemic in America and Arizona. Nationally, more than five children die every day from abuse and neglect. Throughout the pandemic, calls to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, housed predominantly in Scottsdale, have increased in double digits, with recent months peaking 46 percent higher than the year prior. The CCCAZ serves more than 600 children in the Phoenix area per month.

The Childhelp Arizona Wings Chapter helps to educate youth about issues surrounding child abuse and neglect through service projects and fundraisers. Originally created to celebrate the relationship between mother and daughter while instilling the value of serving others, it has now expanded to include family members including mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and children under the ages of 18.

PHOTOS COURTESY CHILDHELP