By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Community businesses and realtors are hosting a fundraiser for the Halton Women’s Place (HWP) called Runway to Resilience on the evening of Thursday, April 2.
The event is a fashion show, held at The Pearle Hotel & Spa. It follows a previous benefit for HWP, “No Excuse for Women Abuse,” a fashion show held in a boxing ring, which was organized by a different group of community members.
Dareen Kuchma, a Burlington real estate agent who helped organize Runway to Resilience, spoke about its origin.
“We haven’t had one in a few years,” Kuchma said. “And I was really excited to revive the event with a new look and make it a little bit more polished. I wanted it to be a very community-centric event that helped everybody come together and showcase the community in Burlington while raising funds for Halton Women’s Place.”
Kuchma noted that 11 different downtown retailers are producing the looks and fashion for the show.
When figuring out how she could get involved, Kuchma realized realtors were the perfect fit as organizers.
“I know they all have big networks, big hearts, and they work hand in hand with the community,” Kuchma said. “We’re constantly helping people move for various reasons, and the commonality of safe shelter with Halton Women’s Place and making home safe for everybody was really in line with the line of work that we do.”
Realtors then nominated each other to participate and donate at least $1000 to the cause. They have already raised over $41,000, with some agents collecting over $5000. All proceeds from ticket sales also go towards HWP.
The highest fundraiser will receive a private, chef-catered dinner for 10 from The Martini House’s Jake Carter. The dinner will be decorated by Special Events Rental, which is also providing the decor for Runway to Resilience.
Kuchma highlighted another connection between realtors and HWP.
“In our line of work, we work with different families moving for many different reasons,” Kuchma said. “We’re always thinking about how home is our safe place. Home is our happy place. And the idea that it could not be that for some people is obviously devastating.”
Carm Bozzo, HWP’s director of philanthropy and community engagement, said that because the charity’s year ends on March 31, the Runway event will act as a perfect beginning to the next season. Many charities are nervous about the current economic uncertainty, Bozzo explained, and this event will provide HWP with some much-needed financial security.
Bozzo also said that large fundraisers like this help the women and families of HWP feel more supported. She spoke about how difficult it can be for women to leave abusive relationships.
“‘Why doesn’t she just leave’ is probably the most asked question,” Bozzo said. “But there’s a million reasons why a woman stays. So when she does leave, it’s a very dangerous and unsettling time for her. She doesn’t know if she’s made the right decision, especially when she has kids, and you’ve uprooted everything.”
Andrea Florian, a local realtor who is participating in the event, said that she first started helping HWP during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were doing a weekly food drive throughout the community,” Florian said. “Obviously, the real estate business dried up at that point. So our team said, ‘Hey, let’s get out there and just do this food drive and at least do something,’ because we felt kind of helpless. And as part of that, the women’s shelter at some point reached out to us.”
Florian commended Kuchma for bringing together businesses as well as different real estate agents, who, Florian says, have a stereotypical reputation for competition.
She spoke about her excitement to be a model for a day.
“It’s going to be a hoot,” Florian said. “I’m very much looking forward to the energy of just laughing at the craziness of us all dressing up and walking up and down the runway.”
The women participating in the runway show will be fitted by Denise Boutiques and Woven, while the men will wear outfits provided by Joelle’s By Ally.
Kuchma spoke about the generosity of the fundraisers.
“I have never been a part of something where you don’t even have to sell them on it,” Kuchma said. “They’re like, ‘Tell me what I can do? How can I make this better? How can I help you guys?’”
All 322 seats for the event have sold, but donations can still be made on the Runway to Resilience website.
