Sorority shines on runway

The Tau Delta Gamma sorority held their biannual fashion show fundraiser in Marty’s Oct. 9. The show raised funds for March of Dimes, the organization’s philanthropy project.

Tau Delta Gamma has hosted biannual fashion shows for at several years.

“We have it twice a year, once in the fall for Trendz’s fall and winter line and once in the spring for their spring line,” said Liza Demmer (‘09), Tau Delta Gamma president.

Tau Delta Gamma members were active in many ways throughout the night’s event. Some accepted donations at the door while others performed with the hip-hop dance group, Eklipse. Most prominent, however, were the sorority’s pledges who modeled in the show.

“It’s fun because it’s the first opportunity the pledges have to be involved in our philanthropy and March of Dimes,” said Blair Hercules (‘10), a member of Tau Delta Gamma.

Trendz, a local clothing store located on Water Street, sponsors the show.

“Trendz is the reason the fashion show started,” said Demmer. “Without Trendz, we wouldn’t have the clothing or the great prizes for the drawings. They have always been wonderful to work with.”

The models showed three different categories of outfits from Trendz. First, they presented semi-formal outfits one might wear on a first date. Outdoor apparel followed with casual “class-wear” appearing next.

Last year, local tanning salon Paradise Sun joined the cause and began providing a free spray tan for two pledges to show with their outfits. Both Paradise Sun and Trendz donated prizes for the raffle ticket drawing. A donation of one dollar or five aluminum cans bought one raffle ticket.

“It seems that as a college student, although cash is short, cans are always abundant, and it’s not much of a hassle to put them in a bag and bring them over to Marty’s,” said Demmer.

Donations went to March of Dimes, an organization that funds education and research in preventing premature births.

“We raise money for the cause throughout the year, then present it at the March of Dimes six-mile walk in the spring,” said Demmer. “We have always played a large part in fundraising for this cause in Decorah. The organization has become very close to us as an organization and as individuals. We take great pride in raising money for it.”

Recently, Tau Delta Gamma decided to add another organization to their philanthropy project. For the first time in the fashion show’s history, lids to Yoplait brand yogurt containers were accepted. For each lid, Yoplait donates 10 cents to help fund the research and treatment of breast cancer.

“It was brought to our attention that a lot of girls in our sorority have been affected by breast cancer in their families so we really wanted to include that,” said Hercules.

As another new twist to the show, Sigma Chi Theta fraternity pledges escorted the sorority pledges as they approached the runway.

“I loved getting the Sigma Chi pledges to do spontaneous poses on stage,” said Jaye Hobart (‘11), a Tau Delta Gamma pledge.

Demmer agreed the show’s creativity was its strongest feature.

“This was probably the most creative and fun fashion show we’ve ever had,” said Demmer. “The atmosphere was perfect, and their poses were awesome.”