For the third year, the Pink Bow Fashion Show is taking place to help raise money to support Midlands NICU and pediatric families.
The fashion show benefits Madelyn’s Fund, which was founded in 2016 by NFL punter Andy Lee and his wife Rachel after the loss of their daughter, Madelyn, at eight days old. Madelyn’s Fund supports NICU patients and their families, including those who experience the trauma of infant loss. When families are faced with spending unexpected time in the NICU, they are forced to take unforeseen time off of work, incur travel costs, pay countless medical bills, and in the worst of cases, bear the expense for their child’s funeral.
The goal of the fund is to ease the stress these families experience through financial assistance, allowing them to focus their time and energy on the well-being of their family. In the first two years of the event, the Pink Bow Fashion Show has already raised $331,000 which helped support 398 families at the Prisma Health Richland and Baptist Hospital NICUs, and provided funds for new recliners for local NICU and pediatric families during their hospital stays. To date, Madelyn’s Fund has funded 17 funerals to families in the Midlands.
This year’s Pink Bow Fashion Show will take place on Thursday, May 1, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Central Energy in the BullStreet District.
The event will feature new additions including celebrity models who will be introducing the newest in spring and summer fashion to Columbia with a specially curated collection for both men and women by Granger Owings. Attendees will be able to bid live on outfits during the fashion show, which will be paired with fun getaways, experiences, and specialty items.
The celebrity models include Gamecock football star, Luke Doty, and former players Stephen Garcia, Patrick DiMarco, Connor Shaw, plus Emily Beamer–wife of Gamecocks Head Coach, Shane Beamer. Joining the Gamecocks on the catwalk will be Mayor Daniel Rickerman, SC House of Representatives Beth Bernstein, Dr. Josh Cooper (Neonatalogist at Prisma Health Richland Hospital NICU), Katherine Davis (Sr. Philanthropic Relationship Manager at Prisma Health Foundation), Sheriff Leon Lott, William Starrett from the Columbia City Ballet, Claire Rapp (Principal Dance at South Carolina Ballet), Beth Green (Prisma NICU), Melanie Cromer (NICU nurse), Lee Lumpkin (Chair/CFO of Columbia Classical Ballet), Mike Satterfield (CEO of Haven Homes). There will also be other surprise guests.
The evening will kickoff with a VIP Reception from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. During this preshow event, VIP guests will enjoy photo opportunities with celebrity models, plus “Pink Drink” specialty cocktails, hors d’oeuvres by Loosh Culinaire, and more. Lady Gamecocks musical favorite, DJ Puff, will fuel the evening of fashion and philanthropy with energy and entertainment, alongside Emmy award winning journalist Andrea Mock with WLTX News, and auctioneer, Jimmy Derrick.
Tickets are on sale now. VIP tickets are $150 and limited to the first 25 purchasers. Tickets for the main event are $100. Tickets will not be available at the door. Attire for the evening is business casual, and festive pink is encouraged. To purchase tickets or make a donation to Madelyn’s Fund, visit madelynsfund.org.
