ST. LOUIS — Out Highway 21 in Washington County, Missouri you will find the Rural Parish Workers of Christ.
Over 70 years ago, a small group of women bound by religious vows committed to serving their neighbors with the greatest needs, addressing poverty, lack of proper education, and healthcare issues in the area.
"The Rural Parish Workers is a Secular Institute of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. We are part of the Catholic Church. When Ladonna and Alice started this in 1942, they just went out to the country to help their neighbors and dedicated their lives to God," says Miss Natalie Villmer.
Miss Natalie continues the mission today, through their thrift store, food pantry, cellar, and even a mobile medical and dental clinic that provides care at no cost to those without insurance.
Cindy DeClue has known Miss Natalie Since she was a young girl.
"I remember pulling up to where we went to the pantry, and Miss Natalie going into the room with my mom and coming back with enough shoes for all of us. She had nine children so that was a big deal," DeClue says.
All of this is made possible by the largest fundraiser for the organization, The Friends of the Rural Parish Workers Fashion Show and Luncheon.
It is the longest-running charity fashion in the St. Louis area and takes place each October. Laura Butsch and Karen Shaughnessy have been a part of the fashion show committee since the 90s.
"The Friends of the Rural Parish Workers began nearly 60 years ago with a group of 12 homemakers from St Louis who started as a bridge club, and they wanted to do something for their nearby communities," Butsch says.
This year, the Friends of the Royal Parish Workers 57th annual Fashion Show is a continuation of what was started by the original 12 women all those years ago.
"Now we have nearly 45 women on the committee that started out as 12, and we all work together to put on the social event of the year," Butsch says.
The fashion show takes place on Friday, October 11 at 10:00 am.
"We're so blessed to be able to have it at the Ritz-Carlton of St Louis, and West County Mall. We have beautiful stores, we have Macy's, we have Everine, we have Banana Republic. This is why you want to come to the show, because it's the start of fall, and you're going to see what the latest trends are," Shaughnessy says.
It’s the perfect girls' day out with full of fall fashion for a cause.
To purchase tickets to the Friends of the Rural Parish Workers Fashion Show, click here.
To learn more about the Rural Parish Workers, click here.
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