Oct. 1--Tu Nidito Children and Family Services benefited Saturday from a Tucson Ladies Council fashion show -- called The Fashion Show -- that more than 500 people attended.

Held at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, the event was in its fifth year and featured live and silent auctions in addition to the fashion show.

The 12-woman Ladies Council hoped to raise $210,000 for Tu Nidito through ticket sales and the auction, said Stella Schaefer, a founding member and co-chairwoman of the event.

" 'Giving is always in style' is our motto," she said.

The Tucson Ladies Council has a mandate to raise money for children's charities, she said.

"This is my baby," Schaefer said. "I always wanted to have a fashion show where people can have fun and raise money for children."

It was also a family affair for Schaefer, whose son Richard, 14, designed one of the dresses on display at the event.

Young Schaefer wants to be a dress designer and displayed his turquoise dress made with silk charmeuse and straps made of soda-can tabs.

"It took me three hours to design the dress," he said. "For my inspiration I used a mermaid, very ethereal, because it is very organic the way it (the dress) is shaped."

The event is very important to Tu Nidito. The organization provides support to seriously ill children -- such as children with cancer -- and to grieving children who have lost loved ones and family members.

"We help 800 kids each year -- that's how important Tu Nidito is to Tucson," said Liz McCusker, executive director of Tu Nidito. "We would not exist without events like this. All our funding is from the community."

Contact photographer A.E. Araiza at 573-4155 or araiza@azstarnet.com.

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