Are you into fashion – and sassy bon mots? Then save the date: Palm Beach resident and self-described “geriatric starlet” Iris Apfel, who covered our April Women’s Issue in 2018, will be the main attraction at the Dress for Success Palm Beaches sixth annual Style for Hope fundraising luncheon on March 8 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The fashionista will receive the inaugural Style Icon award from the nonprofit and will join Kelley Dunn, WPTV news anchor and event emcee, for a “Conversation with Iris Apfel" – sure to be full of Apfel's signature witticisms and life lessons.
“The opportunity to spotlight the success and individuality of Iris Apfel as an inspiration to women everywhere is ideally fitting for Dress for Success,” says Bernadette O’Grady, director of programming at WPTV, who is co-chairing the luncheon with local government administrator Joanna Cunningham. “We are so privileged to have Mrs. Apfel join us for what has become our primary fundraising initiative. We’re looking to top the $60,000 raised by last year’s event, and the plans we’re working on have promise to surpass that significantly.”
At the luncheon, guests can look forward to a champagne reception with chance and silent auctions as well as a Kendra Scott Jewelry trunk show. Those interested in meeting Apfel can do so – and enjoy a priceless photo op – by purchasing a premium ticket for the pre-event meet and greet.
“Most people know Dress for Success as providing women in need with the appropriate clothing and accessories for a job interview,” O’Grady says. “But we offer far more than that. We also help prepare them with job readiness sessions that include resume writing, how to navigate the online platforms where employment opportunities are posted, and morale-boosting, skill-building interviewing techniques. Moreover, if a client gets a job, she can return to DFSPB for a full work-week wardrobe. Our impact on the individual is measurable as she gains the confidence needed to find the job that’s right for her. So, the money raised by ‘Style for Hope’ will be used to continue this work – essential in our community where the poverty rate for women is 15%.”
For more information, visit palmbeaches.dressforsuccess.org.
Kelley Dunn