Fashion Show Features Westlake Students & College Students Benefitting The National Dating Abuse Helpline
Austin, Texas –The Fourth Annual ‘A Day to Shine’ Luncheon and Fashion Show benefitting the National Dating Abuse Helpline kicked off today at the Barton Creek Resort. The event, chaired by Julie Stevenson, featured students from Westlake High School, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, Austin Community College and the University of Alabama in a Fashion Show to raise awareness about teen dating abuse and raise money for the National Dating Abuse Helpline. The Helpline is the only organization in the country that provides a live peer to peer chatting service to teens and young adults who are facing issues related to sexting, digital, verbal, mental and physical abuse.
The Helpline, based in Austin and housed with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, offers new and innovative services to teens across the country who are experiencing dating abuse and those who are looking to engage in healthy relationships by utilizing technologies that teens and young adults use most often: the telephone, web, and chat. Young men and women can anonymously contact trained peer-to-peer advocates by telephone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A Westlake couple, Lauren and Sterling Wilson, was honored today by the National Dating Abuse Helpline with the inaugural LifeStyle Award for their outstanding service to the community. The award exemplifies an individual or couple who, through an outward reflection of their heart and soul, is committed to strength of character, inspirational leadership and service to others.
“Teaching teens and college students what it means to have a healthy relationship is the centerpiece of why we are here today, “ says Dyanne Purcell, CEO of the National Dating Abuse Helpline. “Today, we are honoring Lauren and Sterling Wilson, a couple who have shown what it means to honor, love and respect- your husband, your wife, your family and your community by leading by example.”
“It is a great honor to receive this award,” said Sterling Wilson. “You can make a difference hopefully in thousands of lives, but if you can make a difference in just one life, you have made a significant difference in the world.”
The National Dating Abuse Helpline also handed out five Fashion Fabulous Awards. The Fashionista Award was given to the most fashionable woman attending the luncheon. The award was ruled a tie and was given to Kate McNair and Sara Fox. The Fashion Forward Award was given to the most fashionable man attending the luncheon. The award was given to Steve Wilson. The Generation Award was given to a family who represented three generations of fashion. The award was given to Marilyn Enz, her daughter Lauren Wilson and Lauren’s sons Grant and Trent Wilson. The award for the most Fashionable Mother and Child was awarded to Felicia and Abby Teel and the award for the most Fashionable Father and Child was awarded to Barton and Natalie Prideaux.
Celebrity Judges determined the winners. They included: Marques Harper, the Fashion Reporter for the Austin American Statesman, Heather Rivera, Radio Host for Mix 94.7, Dane Anderson, Reporter for the Westlake Picayune, Rena Brubaker, Former Mrs. Texas United America and Gary Quick, Dillard’s Barton Creek Store Manager.
This event would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors. We want to recognize the Cor-Well Foundation, Julie and Tom Stevenson, Tamara and John Gorman, MTV, Hester Capital Management, PlainsCapital Bank, Dillard’s, Xtreme Xhibits and Capital Spectrum Inc. for supporting the Helpline.”
About the Helpline
loveisrespect, National Dating Abuse Helpline was launched in February 2007 with help from founding sponsor, Liz Clairborne Inc. It is a national 24-hour resource that can be accessed by phone or the internet, specifically designed for teens and young adults. The Helpline and loveisrespect.org offer real-time one-on-one support from trained Peer Advocates. Managed by the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH), loveisrespect, National Dating Abuse Helpline operates from a call center in Austin, Texas. Peer Advocates are trained to offer support, information and advocacy to those involved in dating abuse relationships as well as concerned parents, teachers, clergy, law enforcement, and service providers. For more information or help, call 1-866-331-9474 or www.loveisrespect.org.