Thursday evening, February 27, the Homer Senior Center hosts their annual Senior Fashion Show.
Fifteen seniors from the community will walk the runway decked out in fun and formal and costumes, gowns and suits that address this year’s theme, "Welcome to the Jungle." Robbie Fuller is the Manager of Adult Day Services. She says the fashion show provides an opportunity to shine the light on Homer seniors.
“It gives seniors a night to shine. They can wear costumes, gowns, whatever they want to wear to show off their senior. They need attention and they need excitement, the special things you can do for them to make them feel so good,” said Fuller.
The categories are, Best of Theme, Most Glamorous, Most Creative and Best Dressed. The judges, Kachemak Bay Campus Director, Reid Brewer, KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson, and local tastemaker Otto Kilcher, will award the top four winners a bouquet of flowers and a sash and they’ll be featured in the Senior Center’s newsletter. For the evening, Senior Center staff transforms the dining room with hors d'oeuvres, live music, and door prizes with M.C. Chris Story.
Art Koeninger participated as a model for the first time last year when the theme was Outer Space.
“I had this very colorful suit that barely fit me and a unicorn mask and I accessorized it with tubing from my C-PAP and a Star Trek badge and some silver xtratuffs,” said Koeninger.
He'll will be modeling again this year. Koeninger lives in his own home, and socializes at the senior center with friends over lunch almost every day of the week.
Michael Murray has modeled many times and, like Koeninger (ken-uhh-ger), he lives at home, socializes with friends at the senior center and models as a way to show his support. During last year’s fashion show, Murray debuted his character, Harley Walker.
“I converted a walker into a Harley Davidson type motorcycle and dressed up as an old Harley driver and I put a sound system in it. I had a lot of fun,” said Murray.
This year, Harley Walker returns outfitted to fit the jungle theme, which will include new tattoos and a grass skirt.
Marie Walker knows her way around a costume. She has been creating for theater and events around town for years, including Wearable Arts. This will be her fourth time in the fashion show, which provides her with the opportunity to show off just a few of the costumes that fill her closets.
“Oh, I love the runway and the judging and the participation of the audience. The audience gets so involved with what the models are doing on the stage. It makes it fun for the model as well as the audience," Walker said.
She encourages community members to come out and enjoy a fun evening that brings light and levity to an otherwise often dreary winter night.
"Everybody always has a good time. There’s always good food and it’s made to be a fun time. This time of the year can be such a boring time of the year for us. We’re all eager for summer. This is really a hot time of the year to do something that is fun and crazy,” Walker said.
The Homer Senior Citizens Fashion Show is Thursday, february 27 at 6pm.
VIP tickets provide seats at a table where snacks are served
and general admission tickets provide serve-yourself seating.
Tickets are available by calling the Senior Center at 235-7655,
You can buy a ticket in person today at 3935 Svedlund Street
or online at www.homerseniors.org.
