Ohio State students and alumni get involved in local fundraiser

Lydia Freudenberg
Tue, 17 Oct 2017 02:38:02 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, Fashion, a thread of hope, fashion, featured, grandview, Grandview avenue, local fashion, sam's fans, The exchange at Bridge park, Thread

Models at the 2016 A THREAD of Hope pose in the fashion presentation for the then upcoming late autumn and holiday clothing, which was later available at the THREAD boutique in Grandview. This year, the fundraiser, which raises money for a foundation dedicated to providing music and art therapist for local sick children, will be held at The Exchange at Bridge Park in Dublin. A fashion presentation will occur again this year. Credit: Courtesy of Maddie McGarvey

Students and alumni will have the opportunity Thursday to give back to a local foundation while enjoying food, music and fashion at an independent Columbus boutique.

The third annual A Thread of Hope — created by Miranda Boyle, who also owns the boutique Thread on Grandview Avenue — will once again raise money for Sam’s Fans, a Columbus organization that provides music and art therapy to children with severe diseases like Fanconi Anemia. ?

Allie Nini, store manager of Thread and Ohio State alumna, has participated in the event since the fundraiser’s founding in 2015. This year she will help style the outfits for the fashion show.

“Helping other people who are local and working together to reach a goal is always awesome,” she said. “I’m also really excited for the fashion show. I just love making people look good, and a nice outfit always makes you more confident.”

The fashion show will be Thread’s largest yet, with 16 models all wearing pieces by national designers like Wai Ming, Trina Turk, and accessories by Pluma Jewelry, a local crafter. Nini described the looks as being dramatic with a lot of layers.

And for guests interested in owning clothing displayed in the show, all the featured garments and accessories will be available on Thread’s website that evening and in-store the next day.

Emily Joyce, a fourth-year in fashion merchandising and an employee at Thread, is getting involved in the fundraiser for the first time and will oversee the social media content. Joyce said she’s excited to see what Nini puts together for the evening.

“It’s always fun to see how other people’s mind work to pair [garments] together,” she said. “So, I’m excited to see the whole outfit head to toe.”

Other aspects of the evening include live music, food catered by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and a silent auction. If the event seems to be beyond the average college student’s budget, volunteering for the affair can go a long way, Joyce said.

“It’s such an awesome cause,” Joyce said. “Just because we’re college students doesn’t mean we still can’t give back and help other people.”

Nini added that since the fundraiser deals with fashion, music, art and helping children, it proves personal interest can be incorporated into a good cause and create a more meaningful volunteer experience.

And with a rapidly growing fundraiser, not only has the volunteer team grown, but the money raised tripled from the first year to the second year. But things are not slowing down, like Nini said, “our goal is to always raise more.” ?

A Thread of Hope will be held in Dublin’s new The Exchange at Bridge Park on Thursday, and begins at 7 p.m.

For ticket information, visit https://portal11.bidpal.net/Portal/bpe311710/main/home.html.