In a night filled with fantasy, models and charity, hundreds of local residents attended the 16th annual Bras for a Cause event hosted by Soroptimist International of Valencia Saturday.
In preparation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in October, event organizers invited people to bid on stylish bras, buy raffle tickets for gift baskets and enjoy raising money for a cause.
Held at the Hyatt Regency Valencia, event organizers said the proceeds would go to benefit local organizations that help women in Santa Clarita pay for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“The goal of tonight is to obviously raise awareness for breast cancer, but we also want to raise funds to support women in our local community,” said Stephanie Beaty, co-chair of the event.
This year’s theme was Wonderland, and featured people and decorations in the spirit of Lewis Carrol’s “Alice in Wonderland.” During the event, models walked down the runway modeling bras for sale.
“We have a mix of models from the community, a lot of businesswomen in the community that have been affected by breast cancer, in their families or their friends,” Beaty said. “Everyone is walking in honor of, in memory of or they are personally a survivor of cancer.”
Of the 16 total models walking the catwalk on Saturday, seven of them were cancer survivors.
The ticket price was $100 per person with table sponsorships available. Close to 300 people were in attendance at the event and the gross fundraising from ticket sales was over $50,000, according to officials.
The funds are planned to support women visiting the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and would help them afford, should they not have insurance, procedures or checkups such as mammograms and more.
“I love to see beautiful women and support them because I think women need to support women,” said Mori Rouhani, one of the people in attendance at the event. “And I love to donate and help the Soroptimists be a bigger organization than it already is.”
