For the 11th year in a row, the Magnolia Moms group is hosting its trunk show, on Nov. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m., at Fatima Parish Hall (3301 W. Dravus St.).
The Magnolia Moms host monthly mom meetings and charity events to help displaced and needy women and children in Seattle. The group started in 1998 and has grown to about 200 members. Not all of the members are consistently active though, since many of the mothers work during their Thursday-morning meeting time.
The trunk show is an event for the community of mothers, said Magnolia Moms chair Taryn Perry. “The proceeds that come from their purchases do go back to our organization so we can, in turn, serve our charities.”
Each year, the group hosts a variety of charity events and uses the money they raise to support local charities like Ballard WIC, Sacred Heart Shelter and Catholic Community Services. In addition to the trunk show, the Magnolia Moms host a backpack and supply program and give Easter baskets to local children in need.
Jennifer Lounsberry, one of the chairs for this year’s trunk show, described the event as a “holiday bazaar.” Thirty vendors will fill the hall, nearly all of whom are local, with a few coming this year from Portland, Ore. The vendors sell mostly handmade items ranging from clothes and jewelry to ornaments, pottery and skin-care item. Ten percent of what the vendors make is given back to Magnolia Moms. Each of the vendors also donates an item to be raffled off during the evening.
To get into the event, there is a suggested donation of $10 or a new women’s or children’s coat. The entrance donation and the vendor proceeds will be used to buy new coats for mothers and children around the city. Each year, Magnolia Moms is able to buy or donate about 400 coats.
The trunk show is a way for people to get a head start on the holiday shopping, Lounsberry said.
Each year, a few hundred people from Magnolia and the greater community attend, she said. This year, she’s trying to pull more people from outside of Magnolia to support the local vendors and their charity efforts.
It’s important to support mothers in need, Lounsberry said, because all of the Magnolia Moms know how difficult it can be.
“It’s hard work, emotionally draining,” she said. “And if we’re able to provide tangible things to help in any way we can to make their situations easier, [that’s] what we’re trying to do.”
It’s an easy decision to give back to the other mothers, Perry said, because all mothers have a connection.
“One thing I’ve found about this group of women,” Perry said, “is [they take] any opportunity to give back.”
For more information on Magnolia Moms or the trunk show, visit: www.magnoliamoms.org.
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