By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Struttin’ Against Domestic Violence, a fashion show to benefit Jessie’s Place, will be held March 3 at the Jefferson State Community College Chilton-Clanton campus.

Jessie’s Place is located in Birmingham and provides shelter to women who have been victims of domestic violence and their children.

The doors will open at 5 p.m. with the fashion show starting at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $5 at the door.

2017 Miss Jefferson State Celeste Montgomery, who organized the event, said she wanted to hold a large fundraiser, but wanted it to be unique. She said her mom helped her develop the idea of holding a fashion show.

“I heard great things about Jessie’s Place and my director actually told me that in the past she has had friends that have volunteered there and the staff’s wonderful,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery said she researched the organization and contacted them about holding a fundraiser.

There will be more than 120 outfits modeled throughout the fashion show.  Montgomery said local boutiques have chosen to participate, as well as some of Chilton County’s pageant queens and other members of the community.

The Domestic Violence Awareness color purple will be highlighted in some of the outfits.

Many local businesses, including boutiques, are participating in or sponsoring the event, and 19 vendors will be onsite. Montgomery said vendors will be selling clothes, jewelry, skin care products, etc.  Southern Sweets will provide concessions.

She said the support for the event has been “almost mind-blowing” and “overwhelming.”

“When you see people want to participate, and not just because it is a fashion show, but because of what the money goes toward and what it supports that is even better, that people want to support that,” Montgomery said.

She hopes to make the fundraiser an annual event.

Montgomery is a senior at Verbena High School and attends Jeff State at night. After graduation from VHS, she plans to enroll in the nursing program at Jeff State.

Montgomery will compete in the Miss Alabama pageant in June.