By Belle Du Chene
United Way Women’s Leadership Connection (WLC) will be honored during the fifth annual Jazz, Jewels & Jeans fundraiser Oct. 10 supporting Oakridge Neighborhood. “The United Way women are this year’s honoree because they’ve been such great partners of ours,” says Carol Bodensteiner, Oakridge Neighborhood’s board president. “They’re interested in literacy and have been very involved not only financially but with the gift of time. Through the Book Buddies program, WLC members read weekly with children in our Oak Academy.”
Guests are invited to wear their favorite pair of jeans–the more bling the better–and enjoy food and wine by Michael LaValle and live jazz music by Roxi Copland. A silent auction will include 70 to 80 pieces of jewelry that have been donated by Des Moines women and men or created by local artisans. A live auction will include half a dozen packages. One of them, “Denim and Diamonds,” will include custom-fitted jeans for four by Blond Genius and a $1500 gift certificate from Iowa Diamond.
The event gets underway at 7 p.m. at Scottish Rite Consistory (519 Park St.). Tickets cost $125 ($75 for young professionals 35 and under), available by phone at 244-7702 or by email at emorris@oakridgeneighborhood.org. Visit oakridgeneighborhood.org for more event details and to learn more about the organization. To donate jewelry for this or next year’s event, contact Barb Lukavsky at balukavsky@icloud.com.
