Mathews-Dickey Celebrates “O Christmas Tree” at Sheer Elegance NO. 17 Fashion Show The Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club is set to celebrate ‘O Christmas Tree ’ at the Sheer Elegance No.17 Fashion Show on Saturday, December 10, 2005, at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, 4th & Chestnut Streets. Dr. Mary Ellen Burford, education administrator, Country Hills Academy, chairs the 2005 gala. More than 1,400 fashion enthusiasts rung in the holidays around the globe at “Christmas Time All Over The World” — the 2004 extravaganza. The Girls’ Program fund-raiser featured fabulous Famous-Barr fashions, international costumes and gifts, door prizes and recognition for community leaders and youth. The program was dedicated in memory of the late Richard J. Casey, former Club board treasurer. Martin Mathews, President, CEO & Co-Founder City of St. Louis First Lady Kim Slay chaired the 60-women Development Committee whose fund-raising efforts yielded total pledges of $116,000 for the Girls’ Program. Fox 2’s Bonita Cornute dished out the door prizes, while KTRS’ Wendy Wiese and KPLR’s Christine Buck exchanged quips as emcees and donned a Japanese kimono and Russian fur coat, respectively, for the thematic scene. In the “Christmas Time All Over The World” skit, the 16 Girls’ Program Honorees each modeled a different country’s ethnic costume and spotlighted a custom in that part of the world via video. Then, Mathews-Dickey VP, PR & Special Events Barbara A. Washington sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” as 16 elementary-aged young women appeared carrying globes. The reception included bagpipe music from Claire Kujath of the Scottish St. Andrew Society and holiday tunes by the Halfsteps of John Burroughs High School. Small gifts for major sponsors, donated by area cultural societies and committee members, ranged from Chinese peddler drums to Russian Matreshka dolls, Mexican beaded bracelets and Indian bamboo whistles. After the debut of a specially commissioned song, “Famous All Over the World” by Club alumnus and Lead Works Productions President Jamie “King James” Dennis, the honorees performed a dance to “Tilt Your Head Back” by Nelly and Christina Aguilera. Program honorees performed a dance to “Tilt Your Head Back” by Nelly and Christina Aguilera. The Sheer Elegance Award was presented to Catherine George, community volunteer; Julius Hunter, vice president, community relations, Saint Louis University; Gabriele Mack, vice president, diversity, Jacobs; Sandra Townsend, owner/operator, McDonald’s; and Nanette Wright, co-owner, Nettie’s Flower Garden. Thirty celebrity escorts walked down the runway with the honorees: Elyse Hart-Shelton, 12, Earn & Learn; Bahja Johnson, 14, Young Women in Leadership; Kayla Johnson, 14, Summer Day Camp; Michelle Kitson, 13, Basketball; Megan Mark, 14, PR & Special Events; Shaunte McGhee, 16, Dance; Ashlyn McLard, 15, Motivation Vocation Preparation; Stephanie Moore, 13, Sports; Keona Porter, 14, Cheerleading; Jessica Preston, 12, Volunteer Tutorial; Alexandria Sayles, 15, Swimming; Chelsea Strayhorn, 16, Computer Literacy Instruction Program (CLIP); Jasmine Welch, 11, After-School; Cindy Wells, 15, “The Sky is the Limit”; Lauren White, 13, Health & Wellness; and Chelsea Zotta, 17, Community Service. Major event sponsors were Famous-Barr, Adam’s Mark Hotel, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., BJC HealthCare, Joan Callis, Emerson, John and Alison Nichols Ferring, Laclede Gas and The Monsanto Fund. The Girls’ Program provides educational, cultural and sports programs for 10,000 young women annually. For more information, contact Barbara Washington or Bill Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234. See History of Sheer Elegance. Mathews-Dickey VP, PR & Special Events Barbara A. Washington sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” as 16 elementary-aged young women appeared carrying globes. Archived: 15th Annual Sheer Elegance Fashion Show 13th Annual Sheer Elegance Fashion Show © 2005 Mathews Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club site. Designed by the Moore Design Group.